Can't we just study the merger?

A story on the news last week about a Millcreek woman challenging the signatures on a petition to put a Erie City/Millcreek Township merger study commission on the ballot for this year's primary. The petition's organizers are confident that the petitions will stand.
There are so many reasons for a merger to be studyed and hopefully approved by the voters. This metropolitan area has suffered from zero growth for the last 40+ years, and bold, new thinking and comprehensive strategies are key for our whole region's survival. If you ask me, the merger shouldn't stop at just at the city and Millcreek's municipal governments, but other contiguous suburbs and their SCHOOL DISTRICTS!! There is where true school choice and ecomomy of government lies.
I lived for four years in Nashville/Metro Davison County, TN. We had a consolidated metro government, metro police, a mayor, city legislature, school district, etc. Our property taxes were one-third of Erie's, with no income tax. What is wrong at emulating metro areas that are successful in growth and generating family-sustaining jobs?
Sure the problems at City Hall need to be fixed. The people in Millcreek need to remember two things: this study is about our future, our distant future: nothing will happen overnight. Secondly, the sheer size of Millcreek would make the residents one-third of the new city, and most of its money base. Most of the power for the greater city would be in their hands. This merger might be more akin to Capital Cities buying ABC back in the 1980's, the smaller capturing the bigger.