Frug is unaware NYC reflects older British method of urban governance that is still reflected in India ,Pakistan and Bangladesh where it is a colonial legacy. British initially changed London's governance form in the 19th century. Americans copied British method from an earlier 19th century period before the British reformed their urban governance method. https://urbanomnibus.net/2010/02/empowering-the-city-london-new-york/ Empowering the City: London / New York
It is very hard to do that when fragmented governance has developed to degree it has in US. But I think demographic pressures will force change. Perhaps British were able to discard this method in 19th century because were at different stage in development? I have updated my post to add more discussion of the Indian example and Indians' failure to manage metropolitan development because fragmented governance gets in the way. I think for them also the challenge has become very difficult. Unlike US they also have a capability weakness. Will be interesting to see what transpires.
Their number has only increased since then. "In power, affluence, and assets, public authorities rival the largest state and local governments and commercial banks in the United States. They borrow more billions of dollars than state and local governments combined. They have run up a debt that is second only to that of the United States government itself. …In what amounts to a quiet revolution we now have two governments side by side: the visible general government and the shadow government of public authorities." https://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Government-Authorities-Control-Trillion/dp/047152767X Shadow Government: The Hidden World of Public Authorities - And How They Control Over $1 Trillion of Your Money Paperback – April 1, 1992
Prior to the 1835 Act there were improvement districts created by individual acts of parliament https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Improvement_commissioners
Canada still has improvement districts; but metropolitan governance has moved away from use of this colonial relic. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/improvement-district
Frug is unaware NYC reflects older British method of urban governance that is still reflected in India ,Pakistan and Bangladesh where it is a colonial legacy. British initially changed London's governance form in the 19th century. Americans copied British method from an earlier 19th century period before the British reformed their urban governance method. https://urbanomnibus.net/2010/02/empowering-the-city-london-new-york/ Empowering the City: London / New York
This issue merits far more attention than it receives in the US. A new model to regional governance is long overdue.
It is very hard to do that when fragmented governance has developed to degree it has in US. But I think demographic pressures will force change. Perhaps British were able to discard this method in 19th century because were at different stage in development? I have updated my post to add more discussion of the Indian example and Indians' failure to manage metropolitan development because fragmented governance gets in the way. I think for them also the challenge has become very difficult. Unlike US they also have a capability weakness. Will be interesting to see what transpires.
Their number has only increased since then. "In power, affluence, and assets, public authorities rival the largest state and local governments and commercial banks in the United States. They borrow more billions of dollars than state and local governments combined. They have run up a debt that is second only to that of the United States government itself. …In what amounts to a quiet revolution we now have two governments side by side: the visible general government and the shadow government of public authorities." https://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Government-Authorities-Control-Trillion/dp/047152767X Shadow Government: The Hidden World of Public Authorities - And How They Control Over $1 Trillion of Your Money Paperback – April 1, 1992
I suspect the British financiers who invested in US advised Americans to use this type of vehicle. Explains why such orgs were established In UK https://www.nber.org/system/files/chapters/c2653/c2653.pdf
I suspect British copied the Dutch. British financiers also copied idea of East India Company from the Dutch.
“Yale’s bond is one of five known to exist. The bonds were issued by the Hoogheemraadschap Lekdijk Bovendams, a water board”
https://news.yale.edu/2015/09/22/living-artifact-dutch-golden-age-yale-s-367-year-old-water-bond-still-pays-interest
A living artifact from the Dutch Golden Age: Yale’s 367-year-old water bond still pays interest