Local governments face an increasing role in the development and decision making of towns and cities across the globe. City-county consolidation is a local government reform in which a major municipality and county merge to create a unified government. These referenda have proven to be unsuccessful, partly because of how unpopular it is with voters. Proponents of the idea insist on its cost saving benefits. Efforts for consolidation promise a more powerful and unified government, and the end to the corruption more prevalent in smaller, local governments. The idea is that governments are held more accountable, the personnel system becomes based on merit, instead of patronage and resources can be allocated more effectively. Smaller governments