The Legislature finds and declares that the provisions of this part, which require that taxes allocated pursuant to Section 16 of Article XVI of the California Constitution and Section 33670 be applied to the project area in which those taxes are generated, are designed to assure (1) that project areas are terminated when the redevelopment of those areas has been completed and (2) that the increased revenues that result from redevelopment accrue to the benefit of affected taxing jurisdictions at the completion of redevelopment activities in a project area. Mergers of project areas are desirable as a matter of public policy if they result in substantial benefit to the public and if they contribute to the revitalization of blighted areas through the increased economic vitality of those areas and through increased and improved housing opportunities in or near such areas. The Legislature further finds and declares that it is necessary to enact a statute that sets out uniform statewide standards for merger of project areas to assure that those mergers serve a vital public purpose.