It emphasizes an important need for individuals to exercise a greater degree of control over local services and facilities, and ask how much democracy really exists in the United States.

A report from the International City Management Association had suggested that the inevitability of growth was so widely accepted that it functioned as fact.

City tax bases started shrinking as poverty remained high, while employment opportunities were limited.

The authors note, "Many local officials frequently object to what they feel are excessive restrictions accompanying federal grants.

Former Flint, Michigan city manager Brian Rapp and community development director Frank Patitucci believe, "The most important consequence of overregulation is excessive administrative costs.

As an example, in 1976 the regional council for the Oklahoma City metropolitan area (ACOG) received 90% of its funds from the federal government, but by 1988 this had dropped to 24%.

Managing Urban America affirms that Americans want governmental change and that the government favors some groups and puts others at a disadvantage.

It suggests that the modern reform movement is not a product of the working-class but of upper-income and business groups who seek a political climate favorable to their growth and economic development.

A recent International City Management Association survey showed strong support for direct democracy.

Some argue that an effective policy can be produced only through a small elite group while others worry about popular participation, but most agree that policymaking is vital to a community's well-being.

The discretion of administrative officials can be enormous, and the authors see government as gravitating towards policies with more immediate payoffs while avoiding those that require long-term planning.