These issues call for creative solutions by the impacted units. Decisions made in one municipality, such as where to locate sewer or water lines, or where to encourage commercial development, often affect neighboring municipalities. Cooperation between municipalities, such as sharing equipment or joint purchasing, often can provide cost savings, or access to equipment and expertise no single municipality could afford on their own. However, because Pennsylvania law stresses municipal autonomy, such cooperation is voluntary. Even counties, whose well-being is also affected, may not be involved in cooperative arrangements with municipalities.
Cooperation commonly occurs only at the initiative of individual local government officials.
Also, how the changing relationship with county governments is viewed by municipal officials is important, because local officials' attitudes will influence how many other issues are similarly addressed in the future. To find answers to these and other concerns, during the spring of 1994 Penn State Cooperative Extension, in cooperation with the Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs, Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors, and the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Commissioners, sent two survey questionnaires to every borough and township in Pennsylvania. One questionnaire was sent to the municipality's secretary, and the other went to the chair of the board of supervisors, board of commissioners, or borough council, depending upon what type of municipality it was. Questionnaires were mailed to 5025 officials in a total of 2516 municipalities. The relationship of individual municipalities to their neighbors is important because it can influence how effectively common problems are addressed, the kinds of services provided by the municipalities, and how efficiently those services are provided.