Cliff Hightower, Chattanooga Times Free Press

According to Ross, annexation is a positive strategy for the growth of a city in order for it to plan for services, industries, service deliveries, supplies etc. Tools and plans for multi-jurisdictional planning are not in place to allow for planning that crosses state borders - much like the traffic, air, water, and other natural resources which continue through multiple jurisdictions. The megaregions concept is one such theory which capitalizes on multi-jurisdictional efforts in order to maximize global competitiveness throughout the region.