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:
Section 1: County
Government
• What words do I need to know?
County Government
• What is a county?
• How are counties governed?
• 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
A Look at Rockdale County
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Companies like Solo, Golden
State Foods, Pratt Industries,
AT&T, Wal-Mart
Rockdale County became the
133rd county of the state and
now ranks 158th (out of 159) in
size. (rockdalecounty.org)
Government led by threemember Board of
Commissioners
county has a Chief of Staff to
manage day-to-day operations
Conyers is the county seat
School Board: five elected
members and elected school
superintendent
•
How does Rockdale support its
economy?
•
Who leads the county?
•
Where is the county seat?
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-Grady
• 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 Districts
• 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-Automobiles
• 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.