Detroit, Wayne Co. still losing population

[Canadian Visitor]

That's the opposite of what should happen. We need amalgamation not just for the city but for the suburbs as well. However, it's not going to happen.

I've also enjoyed the idea of having the Australian suburb system, in which individual suburbs are to be organized together in larger towns and cities that share some services. But that's a pipe dream.

Though both would make regionalization much easier to work towards.

This is exactly how Toronto's amalgamation was done.

First, came 'regional government' in the form of 'Metro Toronto'. This was in 1953. At the time, police, ambulance and transit became the main 'regional' services and most other city functions stayed with the then 13 local governments.

In the 60s, further consolidation occurred within Metro reducing 13 municipalities to 6.

Then in the late 90s, we did full amalgamation, creating one City of Toronto covering 243sq miles.

[Detroitnerd]

The way some people weigh Detroit's population losses with something approaching satisfaction illustrates why this metropolitan area isn't ready for real regionalism.

It's sorta like watching people on one side of a ship cackling about how the water is pouring into the bulkheads "on their side of the ship! Haw-haw-haw!"

[Danny]

This is exactly how Toronto's amalgamation was done.

First, came 'regional government' in the form of 'Metro Toronto'. This was in 1953. At the time, police, ambulance and transit became the main 'regional' services and most other city functions stayed with the then 13 local governments.

In the 60s, further consolidation occurred within Metro reducing 13 municipalities to 6.

Then in the late 90s, we did full amalgamation, creating one City of Toronto covering 243sq miles.

That is why Detroit and the suburbs will never amalgamate due to race and taxation problems.