Local Government in Connecticut, Third Edition

26. Regionalization

ChApTEr 26 Regionalization As noted previously, Connecticut is one of only two states that does not have any formal regional or county government. The eight counties in the state are thus geographical designations only; and the residents of Connecticut’s 169 municipalities pay taxes to their municipality and to the state, and not to any county government. Connecticut does have regional planning. Specifically, pursuant to Section 16a-4a of the Connecticut General Statutes, the Intergovernmental Policy Division (IGP) of the Office of Policy and Management (OPM) is responsible for regional planning activities and their oversight. The IGP division of OPM is responsible for the following regional planning activities, which must be followed by cities and towns throughout the state: • coordination of regional and state planning activities; • designation or re-designation of logical planning regions and the promotion of the continuation of regional planning organizations within the state; and • provision for technical aid and the administration of financial assistance to regional planning organizations (RPOs). Additionally, OPM’s Policy Development and Planning Division (PDPD) is responsible for the formulation of statewide and interregional plans for the physical, social, and economic development of the State of Connecticut. In order to implement the above regional planning guidelines, OPM works closely with RPOs that currently exist in each of the state’s fourteen planning regions as defined by the Office of Policy and Management. Three forms of regional governmental organizations are authorized by Connecticut. These are regional planning agencies (RPA), councils of elected officials (CEO), and councils of governments (COG). See appendix C for a map of these RPOs. Recent legislation looks to have the RPAs and CEOs reestablish themselves as COGs. Recent legislation also has authorized a review of the “logical boundaries” of these fourteen RPOs, with an eye to reducing the number to roughly half in an effort to save money and increase regional initiatives. Within each planning region, the constituent municipalities have voluntarily created a regional council of governments (RCOG), a regional council of elected officials (RCEO), or a regional planning agency (RPA). These RPOs are listed here: 170 Local Government in Connecticut • Capitol Regional Council of Governments (CRCOG) • Central Connecticut Regional Planning Agency (CCRPA) • Council of Governments of the Central Naugatuck Valley (COGCNV) • Greater Bridgeport Regional Planning Agency (GBRPA) • Housatonic Valley Council of Elected Officials HVCEO) • Litchfield Hills Council of Elected Officials (LHCEO) • Lower River Valley Council of Governments (LRVCOG) • Northeastern Connecticut Council of Governments (NCCOG) • Northwestern Connecticut Council of Governments (NCCOG) • South Central Regional Council of Governments (SCRCOG) • Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments (SCCOG) • South Western Regional Planning Agency (SWRPA) • Valley Council of Governments (VCOG) • Windham Region Council of Governments (WRCOG) The regional planning organizations (RPO) throughout the state are listed here in the three legally mandated categories: Regional Planning Agencies (RPAs): • Central Connecticut Regional Planning Agency (CCRPA) • Greater Bridgeport Regional Planning Agency (GBRPA) • South Western Regional Planning Agency (SWRPA) Councils of Elected Officials (CEOs): • Housatonic Valley Council of Elected Officials (HVC OEO) • Litchfield Hills Council of Elected Officials (LHCEO). Councils of Governments (COGs): • Capitol Region Council of Governments (CRCOG) • Council of Governments of the Central Naugatuck Valley (COGCNV) • Lower River Valley Council of Governments (LRVCOG) • Northeastern Connecticut Council of Governments (NECCOG) • Northwestern Connecticut Council of Governments (NWCCOG) • South Central Regional Council of Governments (SCRCOG) • Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments (SECCOG) • Valley Council of Governments (VCOG) • Windham Regional Council of Governments (WRCOG) The largest, from both a geographical and population perspective, of the Regional Planning Organizations (RPOs) within the state of Connecticut is Regionalization 171 the Capitol Region Council of Governments (CRCOG). It represents thirty cities and towns in the greater Hartford metropolitan area and is typical of the COGs in the state. The mayors, first selectmen, and town council chairmen who make up their government policy boards acknowledge that the future of their individual members is tied to the future of the region. Their members have collaborated for more than thirty years on a wide range of projects and programs to benefit their member cities and towns, both individually and for their region as a whole. The CRCOG website (www.crcog.org) clearly illustrates the typical function of a COG where it states that CRCOG serves the Capitol Region and all our municipalities by: • Helping their members improve government efficiency and save tax dollars through shared services and other direct service initiatives; • Promoting efficient transportation systems, responsible land use and preservation of land and natural resources, and...