Regionalism and representation: Measuring and assessing representation in metropolitan planning organizations

Despite renewed interest in metropolitan governance, little attention has been given to issues of representation by regional governing entities. Many regional bodies operate under an arrangement whereby each local government receives an equal vote - systematically underrepresenting large jurisdictions and unincorporated areas. The author describes an index to measure the (dis)proportionality of representation on the governing boards of regional institutions. Applying the index to metropolitan planning organizations in California, he finds that most have a substantially skewed representational structure. Such patterns may violate constitutional guarantees of equal protection, given the enhanced policy-making role of metropolitan planning organizations under recent federal transportation law.