Public Authorities and Other Kludges: A Commentary on Savitch and Adhikari

Savitch and Adhikari provide an illuminating account of the state of metropolitan political fragmentation in the largest U.S. metropolitan areas, while emphasizing what they view as the unique role of public authorities in the governance system of those regions. Like most thought-provoking papers, their succinct article raises more puzzles than it can resolve. In this brief commentary, I highlight some of these unanswered questions, particularly about the role of public authorities (hereafter PAs) within the complex political economy of metropolitan areas. In discussing these questions, I make two main claims; First, PAs, are not sui generis but are merely one type of institution among a broader class that work (not always effectively) to overcome some of the splintering of public power in metropolitan America. Second, analysis of much longer historical time spans is likely necessary to better understand the emergence and responsibilities of PAs and their possible connection to economic inequalities.