This is kind of like what New York did in the 1800s by consolidating all the towns around it into a giant metropolis. And that's clearly what many people wish

This is kind of like what New York did in the 1800s by consolidating all the towns around it into a giant metropolis. And that's clearly what many people wish the Bay Area were today - a giant megalopolis from San Jose to Petaluma. The problem with that is that while it would be a great idea for getting one's way on a given issue, there are a lot of people that don't want to live in that kind of place, and are fighting to maintain their towns as the small towns they want them to be.