Effects of conceivable municipal government consolidation on the population of various boroughs (Philadelphia: authority, deal)

[Craziaskowboi]

We all know that Pennsylvania has a ridiculously fragmented system of local government. Because of this, I recently began to wonder what kind of effect municipal government expansion would have on the population of various boroughs. I've started with each of the outlying county seats in the metropolitan area, and included all adjacent boroughs and townships into the total. Here's what I got:


70,322 - Greensburg
38,043 - Washington
35,849 - Uniontown
30,942 - Butler
14,976 - Beaver
11,673 - Kittanning


Those numbers look much more realistic given the gravity of each county seat.

Greensburg's new population includes the useless boroughs of Adamsville, Arona, Hunker, Madison, New Stanton, South Greensburg, Southwest Greensburg and Youngwood, plus Hempfield Township. Washington's new population includes the useless borough of East Washington, plus the townships of Canton, North Franklin and South Strabane. Uniontown's new population includes North Union and South Union Townships. Butler's new population includes Butler Township. Beaver's new population includes the useless boroughs of Bridgewater and Fallston, plus Brighton and Vanport Townships. Kittanning's new population includes the useless borough of West Kittanning, plus East Franklin and Rayburn Townships.

I'll figure out more consolidated populations later on. In the meantime, I gotta take a nap.

[Evergrey]

The Butler Urban Cluster is at least 40k... and I believe the Kittaning-Ford City Urban Cluster is around 15k. Uniontown-Connellsville Urbanized Area is around 55k but that's connected by a long, thin corridor. The rest of those towns are all contained with the Pittsburgh Urbanized Area. I did a similar exercise last year. Greensburg is indeed a major population node and much more important place than its city population would indicate.

In most states with less fragmented municipal regimes, these small satellite cities would indeed appear on the map as larger cities in the 30k+ range (large bold font, orange city outline, etc.).

[speagles84]

Originally Posted by Evergrey

The Butler Urban Cluster is at least 40k... and I believe the Kittaning-Ford City Urban Cluster is around 15k. Uniontown-Connellsville Urbanized Area is around 55k but that's connected by a long, thin corridor. The rest of those towns are all contained with the Pittsburgh Urbanized Area. I did a similar exercise last year. Greensburg is indeed a major population node and much more important place than its city population would indicate.

In most states with less fragmented municipal regimes, these small satellite cities would indeed appear on the map as larger cities in the 30k+ range (large bold font, orange city outline, etc.).

Agreed. I bet alot of people from out of state look at the population of these places and think they are tiny little places when indeed they are not.

[Craziaskowboi]

Chances are, if it's in Pennsylvania and it's not a township, then it's grossly underbounded. (Philadelphia and St. Marys are notable exceptions to this rule.)

[Evergrey]

Here's a timely article:

Governments Resisting the Urge to Merge

How Well is Power Spread Across Metro Areas?

[speagles84]

And St. Mary's is actually too big. 90% of the city is woodlands.

[gg]

I certainly wouldn't want my borough merging with anyone. I am tired of consolidation and being forced into situations like Woodland Hills. No thanks. Most people will gladly pay more to not deal with that crap.

[Evergrey]

IMO while St. Marys is very large... it's not "too big". There really would be no point in slicing off the unpopulated northern half and adding it onto already-massive Jones Township, for example. If a township can administer 100 sq miles... there's no reason a city can't.

The reason why it's "too big" is because in that sparsely populated region of the state, the townships were "drawn" much larger... 100 sq miles or so compared to maybe 30 sq miles for a township further south. Counties like Elk and Cameron have far fewer townships in their areas than Jefferson, Clearfield, Indiana, etc.

Partially due to isolation, St. Marys and surrounding Benzinger Township always viewed themselves as a single community... which made the process toward consolidation much easier than in most other areas of the state.

[Craziaskowboi]

Here's my idea for consolidations in Washington County...


Washington County

42,803 - Canonsburg
38,201 - Washington
30,410 - Peters Creek*
16,905 - Monongahela
11,141 - Charleroi
8,553 - Bentleyville
8,392 - Nemacolin*
8,125 - McDonald-Midway
7,926 - California
5,864 - Burgettstown
5,408 - Green Hills
3,294 - Claysville
1,954 - Marianna
1,096 - West Middletown

(*: New names for consolidated municipal governments.)


Bentleyville: Bentleyville, Cokeburg, Ellsworth, North Bethlehem Township, Somerset Township.

Burgettstown: Burgettstown, Smith Township.

California: California, Coal Center, West Brownsville.

Canonsburg: Canonsburg, Houston, Cecil Township, Chartiers Township, North Strabane Township.

Charleroi: Charleroi, North Carleroi, Speers, Twilight, Fallowfield Township.

Claysville: Claysville, Donegal Township.

Green Hills: Green Hills, Buffalo Township, South Franklin Township.

Marianna: Marianna, West Bethlehem Township.

McDonald-Midway: McDonald, Midway, Mount Pleasant Township, Robinson Township.

Monongahela: Monongahela, Donora, New Eagle, Carroll Township.

Nemacolin: Beallsville, Centerville, Deemston, East Bethlehem Township, West Pike Run Township.

Peters Creek: Finleyville, Nottingham Township, Peters Township, Union Township.

Washington: Washington, East Washington, Canton Township, North Franklin Township, South Strabane Township.

West Middletown: West Middletown, Hopewell Township.

These consolidations would reduce the number of municipal governments in Washington County from 55 to 23.

[Craziaskowboi]

Here's my idea for consolidations in Westmoreland County...


Westmoreland County

68,461 - Greensburg
38,541 - Irwin
33,373 - Jeannette
32,360 - New Kensington
31,271 - Latrobe
29,882 - Rostraver
27,712 - Mount Pleasant
24,068 - Vandergrift
20,996 - Murrysville
17,974 - Derry
11,232 - Ligonier
9,309 - Delmont
6,998 - Sutersville
3,359 - Avonmore
2,702 - New Florence
2,523 - Donegal


Avonmore: Avonmore, Bell Township.

Delmont: Delmont, Salem Township.

Derry: Derry, New Alexandria, Derry Township.

Donegal: Donegal, Donegal Township.

Greensburg: Greensburg, Adamsburg, Arona, Hunker, New Stanton, South Greensburg, Southwest Greensburg, Youngwood, Hempfield Township.

Irwin: Irwin, North Irwin, Trafford, North Huntingdon Township.

Jeannette: Jeannette, Manor, Penn, Penn Township.

Latrobe: Latrobe, Youngstown, Unity Township.

Ligonier: Ligonier, Bolivar, Laurel Mountain, Fairfield Township, Ligonier Township.

Mount Pleasant: Mount Pleasant, Scottdale, East Huntingdon Township, Mount Pleasant Township.

Murrysville: Murrysville, Export.

New Florence: New Florence, Seward, St. Clair Township.

New Kensington: New Kensington, Arnold, Lower Burrell, Upper Burrell Township.

Rostraver: Monessen, North Belle Vernon, Smithton, West Newton, Rostraver Township, South Huntingdon Township.

Sutersville: Sutersville, Madison, Sewickley Township.

Vandergrift: Vandergrift, East Vandergrift, Hyde Park, Oklahoma, West Leechburg, Allegheny Township, Washington Township.

These consolidations would reduce the number of municipal governments in Westmoreland County from 64 to 17.