"[1] In Lakewood's case, it outsourced services so thoroughly back to the Los Angeles County government that early on, it only needed three employees: "an attorney, a city manager, and a secretary.
[1] In the early 1950s, Lakewood was an unincorporated area facing a hostile annexation from adjacent Long Beach, California.
[1] Conversely, the county government had an interest in maintaining its traditional service-delivery role, as did its employees.
For instance, they may directly operate parks programs, but contract with the county for police and fire services.
Several that have received attention from the media include: British politician Nicholas Ridley regarded contract cities as a role model for local government in the United Kingdom.