Legislative supremacy over local governments is limited in practice by politics, not law.

Evidence

Still, in another respect, legislative control over cities, counties, and towns goes far beyond the control that a high court exercises over lower courts. The legislature is in theory totally supreme. It can completely change the laws about towns and counties. It can shift boundary lines or add new counties. It can charter cities, amend charters, or take charters away. It could even abolish some local governments. In practice, the legislature stays out of most local affairs. But the state capital does have the last word; it is politics, not legal structure, that protects cities and counties from massive change from above. — Lawrence M. Friedman and Grant M. Hayden, American Law, 444

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Lawmaking is fragmented across many levels of government beyond just legislatures. — Lawrence M. Friedman and Grant M. Hayden, American Law: An Introduction, 441; Legislative power is inherently limited to the common good and standing law — John Locke, Second Treatise of Government, 158; Public law mostly channels the means of politics rather than dictating its ends. — Daryl Levinson and Benjamin I. Sachs, Political Entrenchment and Public Law, 530 (+4 more)

Broader Connections

• Municipal borders are legal creations, not natural features #exemplifies (0.85) — Lawrence M. Friedman and Grant M. Hayden, American Law, 1347
• Legislative power is inherently limited to the common good and standing law #qualifies (0.80) — John Locke, Second Treatise of Government, 158
• Public law mostly channels the means of politics rather than dictating its ends. #responds-to (0.75) — Daryl Levinson and Benjamin I. Sachs, Political Entrenchment and Public Law, 530
• Limits on political confrontation are political choices, not moral or rational requirements #corroborates (0.70) — Chantal Mouffe, The Democratic Paradox, 428