Unit 8: Local Unit 8: Local GovernmentGovernment
Chapter 16: Chapter 16:
TB pgs. 560-583TB pgs. 560-583
Unit 8 Cover Page: NB Unit 8 Cover Page: NB pg. 106pg. 106
Table of Contents: NB Table of Contents: NB pg. 107pg. 107
©2005 Clairmont Press
Set Up NotebooksSet Up Notebooks
Essential AnswersEssential Answers
NB pg. 108NB pg. 108
Essential QuestionsEssential Questions
NB Pg. 109NB Pg. 109
Chapter 16: Chapter 16:
©2005 Clairmont Press
Section 1: County GovernmentSection 1: County GovernmentTB pgs. 560-569TB pgs. 560-569
ESSENTIAL QUESTION ESSENTIAL QUESTION NB pg. 109NB pg. 109
How do county How do county governments work? governments work?
County Government County Government NB pg. 110 (NB 564-567)NB pg. 110 (NB 564-567)
• Georgia has 159 counties, nearly 600 towns – each has a gov’t
• county: subdivision of a state set up for certain governmental functions
• most Georgia counties - run by elected Board of Commissioners
• most counties set up similarly
Sharing Services TB 567Sharing Services TB 567• Some city & county gov’t share services
• Fulton County = home to city of Atlanta
• Fulton County & Atlanta share zoning duties and library system
• Fulton & DeKalb counties share a hospital authority
• Fulton County & Atlanta have separate school systems
Officials in County Government Officials in County Government (TB 567)(TB 567)
• Most counties have the following elected Most counties have the following elected officials:officials:– commissioners, superior court clerk, probate commissioners, superior court clerk, probate
court judge, sheriff, tax commissioner, court judge, sheriff, tax commissioner, coronercoroner
• Many officials are appointed:Many officials are appointed:– county clerk, fire chief, road supervisor, county clerk, fire chief, road supervisor,
emergency management director, attorney, emergency management director, attorney, planning and building inspector, etc.planning and building inspector, etc.
• Larger counties have more officialsLarger counties have more officials
Section 2: City Government and Section 2: City Government and Special-Purpose DistrictsSpecial-Purpose Districts
TB. 570 - 574TB. 570 - 574
ESSENTIAL QUESTION ESSENTIAL QUESTION NB 109NB 109
How do city governments How do city governments work in Georgia?work in Georgia?
City Government (TB 570-572)City Government (TB 570-572)
• municipality: a city with its own gov’t• city receives charter from state legislature• city charter explains what the city
government can do –police protection, maintain streets &
sidewalks, license businesses, control traffic, provide water & sewerage
• some city charters allow for a city-run school system
Forms of City Gov’t TB. 572-573Forms of City Gov’t TB. 572-573• Mayor-Council: most common
– 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
• Council-Manager– voters elect council members– mayor may be elected or appointed– council hires city manager for day-to-day operations of
the city
• City Commission– voters elect commissioners– commissioners form department heads of the city– mayor chosen by the commissioners
City-County GovernmentCity-County GovernmentNB pg. 111 (TB pg. 573) NB pg. 111 (TB pg. 573)
• some city and county governments merge when the region becomes more urban
• can reduce the cost of government
• Examples
– Athens-Clarke County
– Columbus-Muskogee County
– Augusta-Richmond County
Special Purpose Districts (TB pg. 573-574)
• Created for a specific job or taskCreated for a specific job or task
• Within certain guidelines, these districts are Within certain guidelines, these districts are self-governingself-governing
• ExamplesExamples
– school districts school districts
– MARTA (Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid MARTA (Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority) Transit Authority)
– Public Housing AuthorityPublic Housing Authority
– Georgia Ports AuthorityGeorgia Ports Authority
Funding Local Government (TB pg. 574)
• Sources of funding include state & federal grants & 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
Section 3: Section 3: Where Do Georgia’s Citizens Where Do Georgia’s Citizens
Live? (TB pg. 575-577)Live? (TB pg. 575-577)
ESSENTIAL QUESTION NB 109ESSENTIAL QUESTION NB 109
Where do Georgia’s citizens Where do Georgia’s citizens live?live?
Where do Georgians Live? TB Where do Georgians Live? TB pg. 575pg. 575
• 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 (TB pg. 575-Urban Sprawl (TB pg. 575-577)577)
• In 1960s, people began to move to suburbs – areas near edge of cities
• Expansion of suburbs created declines in urban pop.
• Large nos. of people in suburbs cause challenges to infrastructure – not enough roads, utilities, schools, sewerage, etc.
• Sprawl can cause traffic & pollution problems & an economic problem for the central city since the no. of residents declines
Urban RevitalizationUrban 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
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