That's a false dichotomy. Most urban value is exploited by exurban and suburban population, while paying very little tax towards urban upkeep. Similarly, smal

That's a false dichotomy. Most urban value is exploited by exurban and suburban population, while paying very little tax towards urban upkeep. Similarly, small up-state cities rely on the central 'bread-winner' city while overwhelmingly voting against QOL improvements for that city in state legislature. Rural areas don't factor in too much. Only in the US can it be acceptable for the city's governing body to live outside city bounds. There is an absence of basic incentive alignment and the outcomes show that. Congestion pricing, limiting free parking, mandating weaker housing restrictions around regional transit, etc. are tried and tested ways for cities to get their due. The cities are at fault too. NYC's insistence on housing 100k+ illegal immigrants in manhattan's 3 star hotels is a self inflicted wound. NYC isn't the worst, but I started making a self-inflicted wound list for west coast cities, then we'd be here for a long time. Honestly, US are badly managed in general. However, produce so much economic value that they're able to brute force their way out of the mismanagement. Knowing history, brute force only goes so far.... edit: replied to the wrong person. This was meant for a child comment. But point still stands.