Local Government SS8CG5

Four Main Types of Local Government Counties Largest unit of local government about 8,000 nationwide; provide many of the same services as provided by cities Municipalities (cities and towns) Include villages and boroughs as well; about 19,000 nationwide; often called city government; provide many services to its citizens Special districts Organized to provide one or more services; they have authority to levy taxes and spend public money; about 33,000 nationwide School districts Some operate independently of local government; about 15,000

Three Primary Functions of Local Governments Health and Safety Responsible for police and fire protection, immunizations for contagious diseases, hospital services, local roads, garbage collection, safe drinking water, sanitation, housing and air/water pollution Welfare Education is the largest expense; libraries, museums, parks, recreational facilities and mass transit Housekeeping Keeping records of births, deaths, marriages, and property transfers; collecting taxes and administering elections

Counties There are 159 counties in Georgia The county is still the center of political and cultural life for a majority of the state's citizens. Counties carry out locally a variety of state programs and policies, including collecting taxes, overseeing elections, conducting courts of law, filing official records, maintaining roads, and providing for the welfare of citizens.

Duties of Counties include: local courts of law voter registration and elections sells motor vehicle tags files official records of property ownership builds and repairs county roads probates wills administers welfare and public assistance programs police and fire protection garbage and solid waste collection and disposal public health facilities and services, including hospitals, ambulances, emergency rescue, and animal control street and road construction, including curbs, sidewalks, and street lights parks, recreational areas, facilities, and programs storm-water and sewage collection and disposal systems water utilities public housing public transportation libraries, archives, and arts/sciences programs and facilities terminal and dock facilities and parking facilities codes, including building, housing, plumbing, and electrical codes air quality control planning and zoning

County Officers include:  the sheriff the tax commissioner the clerk of the superior court and the judge of the probate court -In 1868 the state began creating the position of county commissioner to administer the general operations of the county. -Today every county has a commissioner; many have a board of commissioners (BOC).

Cities There are at present 535 cities and towns in Georgia Each possesses a charter of municipal incorporation approved by the Georgia General Assembly Because municipalities are created by the state legislature, their boundaries, their structure, and even their existence can be altered or abolished by the state.

Cities Georgia law makes no distinction among cities, towns, and municipalities Example: The only legal difference between the city of Claxton and the town of Tyrone is that Claxton was incorporated as a city and Tyrone was incorporated as a town

Cities A municipal charter is a written document that provides a municipality with the authority to exist and function The charter is a city's fundamental law In this respect it is similar to a national or state constitution.

Forms of City Government the strong mayor–council form the weak mayor–council form Under both the strong and the weak mayor–council forms, executive and policymaking roles and responsibilities are divided between the mayor and the city council. the council-manager form Under the council-manager form, the city council fills the primary policymaking role, and an appointed city manager is responsible for the primary executive functions. 

Forms of City Government Chart Type Powers of the Mayor Powers of the Council Weak Mayor Mayor may share duties with council Often “figure-head” role Day to Day operations Appoint Council Committees Develop Cities Budget Confirm and fire department heads Strong Mayor CEO Day to day operations Hiring and firing Administer city’s budget Make appointments Veto legislation passed by the city council Adopt ordinances and resolutions Override Mayor’s veto Council Manager Ceremonial-- actual day to day operations are conducted by the City Manager Set city’s policy. Hires city manager

Special Purpose Districts Special-purpose districts may provide many services, but the services are all targeted on one type of function. In Georgia, however, the definition of special-purpose districts is narrower. Special-purpose governments are funded by loans or user fees instead of taxes. They are especially valuable because they can be flexible, concentrate on a single need, and provide services across city or county lines.

Special Purpose Districts Simply put, special purpose districts are government entities created to serve a specific function for the state or community. The purpose of a special purpose district is to benefit the well-being of the people. Each of these districts is usually headed by a governing board of non-elected officials. Some examples of special purpose districts include the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA), The Georgia Ports Authority, local school systems, local housing authorities and the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.

Special Purpose Districts Georgia law authorizes the establishment of "local independent authorities." Of the five types of authorities, three are required: A Downtown Development Authority is required for every central business district A Development Authority A Resource Recovery Development Authority responsible for sewage-sludge, solid-waste, and water-resource recycling. Land Bank Authorities for acquiring and developing properties sold through foreclosure are authorized by law but not required. Finally, a special category of local authority, limited to cities with populations of 350,000 or more, is the Urban Residential Finance Authority. Cities and counties may create "joint authorities" between themselves and neighboring cities and counties.

Sources of State Revenue Sales Taxes –is paid on things that people buy and consume. These include items like cars or any merchandise you would buy from a store. Federal Grants – The U.S. government gives states federal grants to help fund education or build interstate highways. Personal income taxes – States and the U.S. government tax the earnings of individual citizens and the money they earn from investments. Property taxes – Private homes, land, and business property are taxed according to their value. Property taxes are a major source of revenue for local government.

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

Who Gets the Money? It is distributed among state and local programs to provide citizens with services like education, roads, public transportations and police and fire protection. The following are estimated amounts of how the state budget is divided Education 52% of budget Social Services 21% of state budget Criminal justice 11% of state budget Debt 5% of state budget Transportation 4% of state budget Remaining other state agencies

Where Do Georgia’s Citizens Live?

Georgia is one of the fastest-growing states -Hispanics are the 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