As I mentioned in my first blog posting, I had the opportunity to work as an intern for the Arizona Rock Products Association (ARPA). During this time I had the occasion to attend regular meetings of the Construction Standards Committee of the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG). MAG is a association comprised of representatives from the municipal governments of the cities and towns that make up the Phoenix Metropolitan area. This coalition of municipal governmental officials holds regular meetings in order to discuss and formulate public policy on a vast array of issues including transportation, air quality, public safety, construction and other common issues. MAG is an excellent example of a Regionist's vision of policy making. It provides proof that cities of any given area can work together to create policy that provides a solution to problems and issues that are common to the region.
While I personally tend to favor a more Decentralist philosophy, believing that less government is best and in resident empowerment, my exposure to this agency has shown me the strengths of the Regionalist point of view. Representatives from area municipalities, working together over the course of many years, have written and revised a set of regulatory policies that take the form of construction
standards. This set of guidelines have been adopted by member communities and provide municipal engineering departments
and area contractors with a uniform set of building standards that are used in roadway construction throughout the Phoenix Metropolitan region. This uniform set of construction standards is the reason why a person traveling on the surface streets in the Valley can exit one municipality and enter the next without any perceivable change in the roadway infrastructure that they are driving on.
This is a great example of the Decentralist and Regionalist philosophies. I was a little cloudy on them after class/readings but this gave me a great idea of how they differ. I think it's interesting that even though we may favor one philosophy other the other we still need a balance of both to maintain a successful way of life.
ReplyDeleteI also tend to lean toward the Decentralist philosophy, I think the only time the government should step is is when things are about to fall apart. Even then if they didn't America would find a way to pick itself back up again. I liked how you used your experience working as an intern to explain your views it really helps me understand where you are coming from.
ReplyDeleteThat is great that you got to intern for such a great company and got to experience what planners actually have to go through and process. I personally prefer the Decentralist philosophy and think the government should not take major parts in communities. Although the government may be wanting what is best for us, it often does not know what that is when used in different areas with different problems and agendas.
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