Area-Development Authorities: A New Form of Government by Proclamation

Let it be understood in the very beginning that the views of this writer regarding Public Authorities are partisan. He believes that recent years have witnessed the emergence of a new instrumentality of local government, the species of which are sometimes called "port authorities," sometimes "toll commissions," sometimes "regional boards," but all of which are capable of being described generically as "area-development authorities." He submits that these instrumentalities, while offering a unique and efficient means of performing many of the special functions which local governments in our times are called upon to undertake, have been allowed to grow away from the sound principles which must be adhered to if the form of government which our country has is to remain healthy. The writer is a partisan in that he would judge the propriety of these instrumentalities according to certain principles which should not be compromised. Specifically, he believes that power to affect vitally the public welfare inevitably carries with it the responsibility to consider the public welfare in commensurate degree.