Regarding Governance, the following two paragraphs are from the Splinterlands post:

Even more important, though, is governance. Each 1,000 plot Region will be similar to a state within a larger country which requires management and oversight. Each Region can provide infrastructure and other services to all of the plots and buildings within it, and may charge fees for use of that infrastructure in order to build and maintain it.

Each plot will count as one vote in any matters of governance for the Region, so if you own a Tract then that would be 10% of the vote, and if you own the whole Region, well, then you can run it however you like!

I interpret that to mean that the basic decision is whether you want an infrastructure heavy region (with concomitant higher taxes) or an infrastructure light region with less taxes. Perhaps you might want to take a poll of users wishing to pool with you.

Personally, I'd prefer more infrastructure even if it meant higher taxes as economies of scale normally make such a choice more lucrative in the long run.