Diluting their energies?

Via America's Hometown, this interesting Inquirer opinion piece on the excessive fragmentation of government in Pennsylvania. There are 2600 local governmental units in the state, of which 60% serve fewer than 2500 citizens.

It's not that local officials don't work hard, care about their communities, or keep government close to the people. They do. And it's not about a willingness to serve. But in too many instances, these small local governments operate independently of one another, have few resources at their disposal, and do little planning either inside or outside their municipalities. They are 18th-century organizations operating in a 21st-century economy.

Some interesting notions there, worth a visit. (And wacky too -- I think that my tiny Philadelphia voting precinct -- a subunit of a Ward, out of some 66 wards in the city -- is about half that size.)