TEXTBOOK MUNICIPAL REFORM

Most political scientists and historians find the home of reform gover nment in the suburbs. The author shows that there was another style of reform government, big-city reform, in the big cities of the Southwes t. The political system of big-city reform was distinguished by nonpar tisan, city-manager government with citywide elections to the city cou ncil, low turnout and participation, and an electorate more Angle and middle class than the metropolitan area as a whole. Big-city reform go vernments joined developer-dominated governing coalitions with Angle m iddle-and upper-class communities in a growth community benefiting fro m good government.