"Former Allegheny County Executive Jim Roddey says he first proposed the idea of consolidating some city and county government functions to then-Pittsburgh Mayor Tom Murphy in 2003. But the mayor didn't go for it.

Since then, regional leaders have consistently done nothing meaningful about consolidation of services in city and county operations, and the latest push for a mostly political union of both governments is doomed to fail, Mr. Roddey told the Post-Gazette editorial board last week."  For the complete Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article, please click here.