Regional Economics Commons^™

Part 6: Regionalism And The Dillon Rule: An Interpretive Essay, Regional Studies Institute, Old Dominion University

State of the Region Reports: Hampton Roads

While the Dillon Rule does not explicitly appear in many Virginia statutes, it is the accepted legal and legislative standard in Virginia. In essence, it says no city, town, county or region may exercise any power not explicitly granted it by the General Assembly. We argue that the Dillon Rule, while not without points in its favor, has outlived its usefulness.