Degree Name

Master of Public Administration

Department or Program

Political Science

Advisor

Pink, Stephanie

Abstract

AN ABSTRACT OF THE RESEARCH PAPER OF

Tecora Duckett, for the Master of Public Administration degree in Political Science, presented on *November 8th, 2012, at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. TITLE: THE POLITICS BEHIND METROPOLITAN FRAGMENTATION

MAJOR PROFESSOR: Dr. Stephanie Pink

Metropolitan fragmentation has been a continuous issue for unincorporated suburban areas. Citizens in suburban areas generally do not want to be annexed into urban territory due to the threat that their community will change (Kuethe, 2012, p. 16). They fear that they will have to pay additional taxes, or that their neighborhoods will lose housing value. Although suburban areas do not want to be incorporated in the city, the urban community finds annexation necessary. There are several political concerns that surround this issue. While public service costs continue to rise in the city, majority of its wealthy contributor’s flee to suburban communities to escape the wrath of high taxes found in the city (Bockstael, 2007, p. 20672). In order to sustain economic growth, public administrators have to find alternate solutions to hinder the economic downturn they currently face (Grassmueck, 2010, p. 641). This paper will examine the economic, political, and social concerns that arise through the usage of land in areas that are incorporated into urban areas.

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