And it's evident far beyond the Arts District.

WSJ: Luke Wilson and Others Give An Insider's Guide to Dallas

Jones knew that even though Obama had limited appeal in his district, he had wide appeal beyond the South Side.

NPR: How Chicago Politics Shaped Obama

Police figures show there have been 238 more violent crimes, thefts and acts of criminal damage in Norwich's night-time district of Tombland, Prince of Wales Road and Riverside since clubs opened beyond 04:00 in 2009.

BBC: Norwich alcohol sales ban proposed after crime rise

All this is harder still when cities expand beyond their political boundaries, creating problems of co-ordination (Mexico City is split between the Federal District and the surrounding State of Mexico, for example).

ECONOMIST: Productivity in Latin America

"Once we got into it, we realized it went far beyond the boundaries of Rockland and even the state of New York, " said Thomas Zugibe, the district attorney for the upstate county, in an interview with The Wall Street Journal.

WSJ: Case Spurred Bribery Probe

The decision has ramifications beyond striking down a plan to put street-hail cars in boroughs outside Manhattan's central business district, where people looking for a ride usually must call a livery cab to pick them up or hope that a yellow taxi passes by.

WSJ: Court Nixes Taxi Plan