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How Well Do You Know Your County?

Discover the significance of being knowledgeable about your city, county, and state. Explore city governments, forms of city government, special-purpose districts, and funding processes. Reflect on your initial answers and discuss any potential ramifications of lacking knowledge about your home. Learn about Georgia's first city and municipality and the various forms of city government. Dive into the functions and differences in weak mayor, strong mayor, mayor-council, council-manager, and commission systems. Uncover the operation of special-purpose districts and funding methods such as federal grants, user fees, and sales tax. Enhance your understanding of city management and improve your civic awareness.

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How Well Do You Know Your County?

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  1. How Well Do You Know Your County? • Reflect – How do your initial answers compare with your revised answers? What does this tell you? • Think & Discuss – How important is it to be knowledgeable about your city? County? State? Country? What types of ramifications might there be if you do not know about your home?

  2. City Governments & Special-Purpose Districts

  3. Municipality • A city with it’s own government • What was Georgia’s first city & municipality? • Savannah – founded by James Oglethorpe in 1733.

  4. Municipalities • Must receive a charter from the legislature • Charter outlines what a city can and can not do (establish a police department, control their own school system, etc.) • In order to receive a charter • At least 200 residents • Located at least 3 miles from the boundaries of the nearest city • 60% of its land divided into tracts (parcels of land) OR being used for residential, business, institutional or government uses

  5. Forms of City Government Mayor-Council Council-Manager Commission

  6. Mayor Council • Form of city government • City council • Elected • Responsible for making laws • Mayor • City’s chief executive officer • Elected • Sees that laws are carried out • Sees that agencies do their jobs

  7. Weak Mayor System Mayor is a figurehead City council has both legislative and executive powers Mayor has limited powers Appoints few city officials Has little veto power Strong Mayor System Proposes legislation Prepares city budget Appoints all department heads Has veto power Mayor Council

  8. Council Manager • Form of city government • City Council • Elected • Establishes laws & policies • Mayor elected OR appointed by council • City Manager • Hired by council • Responsible for day-to-day operation of the city • Appoints heads of city governments • Sees that these heads carry out their responsibilities

  9. Commission Form • Form of city government • Commissioners • Elected • Each is the head of a department within city government • Finance • Streets • Public safety • Mayor elected by commissioners

  10. City-County Government • Cities provide services to residents inside city limits • Some counties provide services to residents living in unincorporated parts of the county (inside county limits, but not inside any city limits) • City-County government – one single government

  11. Special-Purpose Districts • Created for a single job or group of tasks • Most govern themselves • Control of school is left up to local board of education • Look on page 574 and find two examples of special-purpose districts within Atlanta – how do they operate?

  12. $ Funding $ • Federal Grants • Ad valorem Taxes • Local property taxes • Paid to local governments • Based on value of real property AND personal property • Look on page 574 – what is the difference between real and personal property? Provide an example of each.

  13. $ Funding $ • User Fees • Paid by citizens • Garbage collection, sewage, use of libraries, etc. • Sales Tax • General Option Sales Tax • Countywide sales tax • Added onto and collected at the same time as required sales tax • SPLOST • Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax • Voters decide • 5 year period • Finance special local improvement projects (public facilities, roads, etc.)

  14. $ Funding $ • Bond Issues • Approved by voters • Government asks to raise money for a public project • Hospitals • Parks • Schools • Money raised with bond issues must be repaid with interest

  15. Review • What are the three major types of city government? • Who can charter a city? • What are ad valorem taxes? • What is SPLOST?

  16. Maynard Jackson • Read the special section on Maynard Jackson on page 571. • Write a short letter to Mr. Jackson. In your letter, reference / comment on at least 3 facts from the section, and also include at least 3 questions you’d ask him today if you had the chance.

  17. Atlanta Augusta Columbus Savannah Athens Macon Roswell Albany Marietta Warner Robbins On your own, see if you can find a more recent estimate of Georgia’s 10 largest cities (census information is not yet updated). Are the lists different? Include your source. Georgia’s 10 Largest Cities2000

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