“Domestic terrorists” vs. “blackmailers”: Unresolved conflict between municipalities and rural water districts

Abstract

While Congressional intent for rural aid was intended to create harmonious relations between both rural and urban communities, this case study reveals a situation in which ongoing zero-sum game resulting in court battles and millions of dollars in legal fees where one side benefits from federalism and the other from protracted court battles through breaking down “Made service available.†More specifically, this study examines creative federalism and role in the Rural Water Sewer and Solid Waste Management v. City of Guthrie case study. Also, 79 rural water cases over the last 40 years are examined to determine relative outcomes. This case study is significant as it is not only a practical showcase of the expense both sides pay for this conflict over a natural resource, but also in a theoretical sense as it helps fill the gap in the literature regarding our understanding of conflict in intergovernmental relations, especially between two local entities focused on self-interested growth.