Georgia
and the American Experience
Chapter 16:
Local Government
and Citizenship
Study Presentation
©2005 Clairmont Press
Georgia
and the American Experience
Section 1: County Government
Section 2: City Government and
Special-Purpose Districts
Section 3: Where Do Georgia’s
Citizens Live?
Section 4: Participation in a
Representative Democracy
©2005 Clairmont Press
Section 1: County
Government
• ESSENTIAL QUESTION:
– What are the powers of Georgia’s
governor?
Section 1: County
Government
• What words do I need to know?
– governor
– lieutenant governor
County Government
• Georgia has 159 counties, nearly 600
towns – each has a government
• county: subdivision of a state set up for
certain governmental functions
• most Georgia counties are run by an
elected Board of Commissioners
• most counties are set up in a similar
manner
A Look at One County
• Camden County used as example
• County depends on tourism and Navy’s
submarine base for jobs to support economy
• Spanish settled area in 1500s – one of
Georgia’s original counties
• Government led by five-member Board of
Commissioners
• county administrator hired by the Board to
manage day-to-day operations
• Woodbine is county seat
• School Board: five elected members and elected
school superintendent
Sharing Services
• Some city and county governments share
services
• Fulton County is home to city of Atlanta
• Fulton County and city of Atlanta share
zoning duties and library system
• Fulton and DeKalb counties share a
hospital authority
• Fulton County and the City of Atlanta have
separate school systems
Officials in County
Government
• Most counties have the following elected
officials:
– commissioners, superior court clerk, probate
court judge, sheriff, tax commissioner,
coroner
• Many officials are appointed:
– county clerk, fire chief, road supervisor,
emergency management director, attorney,
planning and building inspector, etc.
• Larger counties have more officials
Click to return to Table of Contents.
Section 2: City Government
and Special-Purpose Districts
• ESSENTIAL QUESTION:
–How do city governments work in
Georgia?
Section 2: City Government and
Special-Purpose Districts
• What words do I need to know?
– municipality
– mayor-council form
– figurehead
– council-manager form
– special purpose district
– ad valorem taxes
– user fee
– general local option sales tax
– special purpose local option sales tax
– bond issue
City Government
• municipality: a city with its own government
• city receives charter from state legislature
• city charter explains what the city
government can do
– police protection, maintain streets and
sidewalks, license businesses, control traffic,
provide water and sewerage
• some city charters allow for a city-run school
system
Forms of City Government
•
Mayor-Council: most common in Georgia
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•
Council-Manager
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•
elected council, elected mayor
weak-mayor system: mayor has little power, figurehead
strong-mayor system: mayor has power to run the city,
propose budget, can veto council
voters elect council members
mayor may be elected or appointed
council hires city manager for day-to-day operations of
the city
City Commission
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voters elect commissioners
commissioners form department heads of the city
mayor chosen by the commissioners
City-County Government
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some city and county governments merge when
the region becomes more urban
can reduce the cost of government
Examples
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Athens-Clarke County
Columbus-Muskogee County
Augusta-Richmond County
Special Purpose Disticts
• Created for a specific job or task
• Within certain guidelines, these districts are
self-governing
• Examples
– school districts
– MARTA (Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit
Authority)
– Public Housing Authority
– Georgia Ports Authority
Funding Local Government
• Sources of funding include state and federal
grants and taxes on citizens
• ad valorem taxes: taxes paid based on the value
of the property
• user fees: paid by the user of the service
• sales tax: added to purchases made in the city or
county
– general purpose local option sales tax: tax for general
use
– special purpose local option sales tax (SPLOST):
approved by voters, adds sales tax to fund special
projects such as parks or schools
• bond issues: a way for governments to borrow
money; interest must be paid on the bonds
Click to return to Table of Contents.
Section 3:
Where Do Georgia’s Citizens
Live?
• ESSENTIAL QUESTION
– Where do Georgia’s citizens live?
Section 3:
Where Do Georgia’s Citizens
Live?
• What words do I need to know?
– urban area
– rural area
– metropolitan area
– urban sprawl
Where do Georgians Live?
• Georgia is one of fastest-growing states
• Hispanics are fastest-growing group
• Georgia’s has an increasing number of older
citizens
• Most Georgians (2/3) live in metropolitan area
(area in or around a city)
• Over 50% of Georgians live in metro Atlanta
• Just 50 years ago, most Georgians lived in rural
areas – Georgians were mostly farmers
Urban Sprawl
• In 1960s, people began to move to
suburbs – areas near edge of cities
• Expansion of suburbs created declines in
urban population
• Large numbers of people in suburbs cause
challenges to infrastructure – not enough
roads, utilities, schools, sewerage, etc.
• Sprawl can cause traffic and pollution
problems and an economic problem for
the central city since the number of
residents declines
Urban Revitalization
• Effort to attract citizens to live in urban
areas
• Cities need people to work and live there in
order to grow and be healthy
• Examples
– Atlanta: Sweet Auburn, Little Five Points,
Virginia Highlands
– Savannah: historic district, Bay Street, Factor’s
Walk
– Augusta: Riverwalk
Click to return to Table of Contents.
Section 4: Participation in
a Representative
Democracy
• ESSENTIAL QUESTION
– What duties and responsibilities do I
have as a citizen?
Section 4: Participation in
a Representative
Democracy
• What words do I need to know?
– political party
– interest group
– lobbyist
– general election
– citizenship
– naturalized citizen
Political Parties
• Organized groups of people with common
ideals – seek to influence government
policies
• Two major political parties in US:
– Democrats
– Republicans
• Minor political parties also exist
• Independents are not part of a particular
political party
Interest Groups
• People who share common goals and
objectives who ban together with others for
political purposes
• May be concerned with labor issues,
business issues, agricultural issues, etc.
• lobbyist: person paid to represent interest
groups in Washington or Atlanta
• May support certain candidates in elections if
they believe doing so will help their group
Voters
• Major influence of government each election day
• Voters decide who will make the decisions for the
government
• Georgia Election Code guides national, state, and
local elections
• General election: held each November in evennumbered years to elect major federal and state
officials
• Other elections may be held as needed for
national, state, county or city officials
• Voters select most important officials, others are
appointed
Public Opinion
• Influences government decisions
• News media keep voters informed about
issues
• Voters can call or write representatives to
explain how they want the official to vote
or act
• Example: Vietnam War; public opinion
against the war became so great that
leaders had to end America’s involvement
Citizenship
• If your parents are US citizens or you were born in
the US, you have all the rights and protections of
the US and Georgia constitutions
• Naturalized citizen: foreigner who chooses to
become a US citizen
• Process to become naturalized citizen requires
much time and effort
• Responsibilities go along with rights
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participation in government (voting, running for office)
upholding the laws of the nation and state
defending the nation against enemies
serve on juries
serving the community
Click to return to Table of Contents.
Click to return to Table of Contents.