ABSTRACT
With the onset of the Great Recession, many municipal governments find themselves searching for creative ways to save money and improve service provision. Consolidation of governing bodies or even functional consolidation of two particular services, while desirable for some, are often too controversial to enact. So what are some other alternatives for local governments? Interlocal government agreements—arrangements that allow for cross-jurisdictional provision of local public goods—are common ways that governments are able to share services and achieve similar efficiencies. Larger units of governments such as state and regional councils and even large counties may act as facilitators of such agreements by offering some innovative options. The purpose of this chapter is to identify the innovative practices that have allowed local governments to share services across traditionally well-defined jurisdictional lines to ensure that services are provided in a high-quality and efficient manner. In the pages ahead, we will outline ways in which local governments have shared both operational resources and administrative arrangements that are commonly needed in every locality. Further, we will discuss policy actions that provide an opportunity for these innovative service delivery options to exist.
