metropolitan governance

Syllable breakdown

Dictionary meaning

the institutional arrangements — including elected authorities, special-purpose agencies, inter-municipal compacts, and central government mandates — through which large urban regions are governed across multiple jurisdictions; metropolitan areas typically sprawl across dozens of separate municipalities with independent taxing and zoning powers, creating collective action problems in the provision of infrastructure, environmental management, housing supply, and public transit that require coordination above the individual city level; successful metropolitan governance models include Greater London Authority, Barcelona's metropolitan area council, and Portland's Metro, while the fragmented governance of many American metros is seen as a barrier to effective regional planning and equitable service delivery