Local Government Function & Structure

Over its 250-year history, the 10-county Pittsburgh region has given rise to one of the most fragmented systems of local government in the nation. This includes 548 municipalities, 128 of them in Allegheny County alone*, as well as 129 school districts and 191 authorities. This has created unintended barriers to economic development, job creation and efficient and effective delivery of public services.

Our overly complex government structure negatively affects our regional competitiveness by:

• duplicating efforts and increasing costs
• impeding reforms that would benefit residents and the business community
• creating an environment with too many competing agendas
• mismatching municipal ability and responsibility, leading to powers exercised at inappropriate levels of government
• complicating coordination among economic development entities and the public and private sectors, thereby slowing down overall regional economic growth

To increase efficiency and effectiveness, the Conference and its Affiliates work to:

• identify opportunities to streamline government operations
• optimize and rationalize local public policy decisions and service delivery

Explore our regional challenges and see what we’re doing to meet them:

• City/County Cooperation
• Municipal Pension Reform
• Earned Income Tax (EIT) Collection Consolidation
• Pennsylvania Separation Act Reform

Get more information on municipal governments and more from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED).