ANNEXATION
City expanding boundaries.
In the 19th century, city limits would inevitably expand to accommodate population growth, swallowing up any smaller townships in its path. Almost everyone wanted this. Those living on the outskirts begged the city to come and provide modern amenities. Being identified with the city was a source of civic pride, and it brought with it notions of progress and sophistication. The legal grounds for forced annexation were never seriously questioned.
However, in the 20th century the boundary growth of many municipal governments ground to a halt. Much of it was result of an identity shift. Suburban dwellers began to socially distance themselves from downtown, as socio-economic disparities between the two were forming. Basic services were becoming available to them without need for the city government. Urban and suburban philosophies were diverging, and the legal precedent for forced annexation was being challenged in several cases. One of the main consequences, especially in industrial eastern and mid-western cities, was that suburbanites were able to politically isolate themselves from the deteriorating inner-cities, thus accelerating their deterioration.
Daniel Nairn on Kenneth Jackson "Crabgrass Frontier"
Example
Annexation proved positive in many of the newer "Sunbelt" cities such as San Antonio, TX. Liberal annexation laws in Texas allowed San Antonio to expand and follow its sprawling suburban development. Through post war annexations, San Antonio has increased its municipal territory nearly fivefold, adding over 260 square miles. San Antonio incorporated new middle class subdivisions, shopping centers, offices and industrial parks within its expanding boundaries. Through expansion the city remains home to over 70% of the metropolitan areas population and has maintained a strong middle class, broad tax base and a high municipal bond rating despite the independent , upper middle class suburban towns in its vicinity. Yet with many aging, poorer neighborhoods in its older core area, today San Antonio would be one of the countries poorest cities if it had not annexed new development.
Henry Cisneros, Regionalism: The New Geography of Opportunity