An Inevitability – The realities of regionalization

Regionalization of municipal services works well in some areas of the country, as in Los Angeles County, CA and two Long Island, New York counties. However, the concept being advocated by state Rep. Robert DeLeo and his colleagues is fraught with threats to Winthrop as smallest of the three communities. Many of the regionalized service units are best know for police and fire services that cross municipal borders, a concept that makes much sense. Smaller municipal offices such as information technology, veterans services, libraries and public works need to be carefully considered, particularly to prevent larger political bodies such as Revere outmuscling Winthrop sized communities in a sharing of the work. In other words, do the potholes on Broadway in Revere and the Prattville section of Chelsea get filled before crumbling streets in Winthrop are repaired? The other question is how far this services regionalization goes before the line crossing to merger of community identities (Winthrop becoming part of Revere and/or Chelsea) must be decided. All this broughaha reported this week does not mention the municipal department which would likely be the most beneficial service sharing in both an economic and a policy sense: schools. Talk of regionalizing Winthrop, Chelsea and Revere schools would stir tribal loyalties that would likely bring obsessional resistance.