How Do You Govern 'The Mother Of All Sprawl'?

What is the global significance of governing a city as huge as Los Angeles?

1 minute read

June 20, 2005, 5:00 AM PDT

By Chris Steins @planetizen


"...L.A. is unquestionably one of the most visible and significant of global cities. It's the second-largest city in America; it's not just the movie capital of the planet but, more important, the mother of all sprawl."

"...For the world's mega-cities, the inherited model of bureaucratic "service delivery" is pathetically obsolete. It's delusional to think that raising local taxes or begging for outside aid will restore the capacity of Los Angeles to adequately fund its police, schools, parks and vital public functions under the existing model. Like other 20th century behemoths — General Motors comes to mind — mega-cities will either change or enter into irreversible decline."

"...Neighborhoods are the urban habitat where most of humanity now makes its life — and Villaraigosa's success will be tested at that scale. If Los Angeles can't forge new ways to protect public safety, respect the environment and raise the standard of living across its diverse neighborhoods, what hope is there for Santiago, Chile (population 4.8 million), or Shanghai, China (population 8.2 million)?"

Thanks to Chris Steins

Tuesday, June 14, 2005 in The Los Angeles Times

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