Counties. Currently, Gig Harbor is is Pierce county for reasons that nobody has yet to be able to explain.
For some reason, Pierce county (mostly meaning Tacoma and environs) extends across the Narrows bridge to include Gig Harbor. But just outside of GH the rest of the nearby peninsula is Kitsap county. Most of us in GH would prefer to join up with Kitsap and dump the baggage that comes with Tacoma/Pierce County (nothing personal, Scott... really... )
And Ramius forgets to add: In the last 20 years that side of the bridge has seen huge growth in population, becoming another major suburb of Tacoma -- thus raising property values, and making them a big source of income for the County (Pierce) with the highest property tax rates in the state (Tacoma has the highest of any city). Thus, the loss of the chance for them to escape to lower-tax Kitsap. Success can have its drawbacks.
I got the gist of territory when Scott mentioned property tax dollars. :-)
I see you are being held captive. For annual ransom as it were. ;-)