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Atlanta
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Describes the local government of Atlanta Georgia including its structure power of the mayor ...... More...
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Paper Abstract:
Describes the local government of Atlanta, Georgia including its structure, power of the mayor, significant issues, key officials, and political reforms. History of Atlanta as part of the New South.

Paper Introduction:
Overview of Atlanta\'s City Government Atlanta Georgia was founded in as the end of the Western andAtlantic Railroad line Initially named Marthaville after the currentgovernor\'s daughter it was soon formally called Atlanta History Today Atlanta represents a Southern success story It is a rapidlygrowing physically expanding hub of commercial financial and industrialactivity It is also home to some Fortune companies among whichinternational giant Coca-Cola is certainly prominent In this briefreport an analysis of the governmental and political structure of Atlantawill be offered

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"The Well Dressed Pragmatist." The Economist, 27 Aug 2 5, 376. developing a new approach to generating tourism ("Atlanta Mayor's Job Getting Tougher" A1-A2). There are a number of other significant political figures in Atlantatoday, including state Senator Vincent Fort, Michael Julian Bond (the sonof civil rights activist Julian Bond), and the city council's first openlygay female president, Cathy Woolard (Jonsson, 2). It is also home to some 13 Fortune 5 companies, among whichinternational giant Coca-Cola is certainly prominent. Available at www.atlantaga.gov/Visitors/History.aspx.Anonymous. Overview of Atlanta's City Government Atlanta, Georgia, was founded in 1837as the end of the Western andAtlantic Railroad line. Atlanta is the seat of the Fulton County government. Initially named Marthaville after the currentgovernor's daughter, it was soon formally called "Atlanta ("History" 1).Today, Atlanta represents a Southern success story. This does not, however, appear tohave negatively impacted upon her capacity for being re-elected to office.Atlanta remains a complex, racially divided city that has many problemswhich must be overcome. "About City Council." 2 6. As a female and a political newcomer,Franklin was pitted against a City Council that Willis (1-2) hascharacterized as filled with individuals pursuing specific politicalagendas and well acquainted with the mechanisms of city government andpolicy formation. It is a rapidlygrowing, physically expanding, hub of commercial, financial, and industrialactivity. Having gotten into officeby creating a coalition that included white female voters, Asians andHispanics, and gay males, Franklin does not necessarily enjoy the samedegree of support in the traditional African-American political communitythat her predecessors have taken for granted. For example,Franklin, though a Democrat, enjoys substantial support from Fulton Countyand Georgia Republicans for her fiscal conservatism and her willingness touse budget cuts and layoffs as a way of offsetting a chronic deficit(("Atlanta Mayor's Job Getting Tougher" A1-A2). However, as noted by Patrik Jonsson (2), Franklin faces the challengesof attempting to coordinate the agendas of a city that is still deeplydivided between black and white, rich and poor. Lamar Wills (1)was often more influential in setting policies and decision-making than themayor's office. She has no control over Fulton County in which most ofAtlanta is located. Thecity's infrastructure was faying, two of the top aides to her predecessor(Bill Campbell) had pleaded guilty o charges of bribery, and Campbellhimself would later be indicted for fraud (Harris and Singleton 1). She ran unopposed in 2 6 for re-election, atestament to her determination to remain in control of a city where themayor typically has limited powers. Since 2 2, Franklin hasdelivered three balanced budgets and in February 2 5 reported an $18million revenue surplus. "Restorer of Faith." Time, 25 Apr 2 5, 165: 1+.Harris, H.R. This represented $32 million more than she had been led to expect andabout 2 percent of the entire city budget (Grossman and Fulton 1). "Atlanta's First Woman Mayor Reflects New Era." Christian Science Monitor, 16 Jan 2 2, 94: 2+.Willis, H. Further, in a city of just under 5 , (located in a metropolitanareas home to almost 4 million, most of whom may wok in or near Atlanta,but whose property and other taxes go elsewhere), about one-third of themostly African-American city dwellers live at or below the poverty line.For Franklin, how had never run for or held public office before her 2 2campaign for mayor in Atlanta, these were major challenges to be overcomein short order, among which acquiring financial resources to reduce thecity deficit and improve the decaying infrastructure were vital (Jonsson2). Specifically, Franklin inherited a city government that had somemajor problems, among which and $82 million budget deficit was significant. Astrong city council with entrenched members including W. Available at http://web.ebscohost.comGrossman, Lev and Fulton, Greg. cutting almost 8 city jobs initially, followed by a further reduction in city staffing of 3 individuals; . "Atlanta: History." 2 6. Lamar. For example, among her reforms and challenges shortly after takingoffice are the following: . The mayor functions as chief executive officer and has theresponsibility for overseeing the administration of city government.Currently, the Atlanta mayor is Ms. Shirley Franklin, a Democrat, electedin 2 2, whose current term will expire in 2 6 ("Atlanta MunicipalGovernment" 1). "Atlanta: Municipal Government." 2 6. Another issue facing Franklin was the fact that while Atlanta haslong been touted as an example of how a city can be built by African-American entrepreneurs, before she took office some 3 , more affluentAfrican-Americans had left the city over the course of the past 2 years.They were replaced in part by middle-class whites, Asians, Hispanics, andhomosexuals who moved into the city's rapidly gentrifying former slums.Franklin won election by creating a coalition of women, Blacks, Asians andthe gay community (Jonsson 1). "Former Mayor Indicted for Fraud." Black Enterprise, Nov 2 4, 35: 1+.Jonsson, Patrik. Available at http://web.ebscohost .com.Anonymous. These issues notwithstanding, and even in spite of the fact that someof Franklin's policies (i.e., tax increases and job cuts) have angered manyin Atlanta, she has managed to build positive relationships with many keyplayers in the city's public and private sectors alike. Often a strong Council can be a major obstacle for amayor, particularly a mayor with limited political expertise and fewconnections to the traditional political establishment. She has become close to the property developers whohave poured millions into central Atlanta and has nominated an ally of onedeveloper and supporter to run the Atlanta Development Authority. and Singleton, Malik. staving off an effort by adjacent Sandy Springs to Incorporate as an autonomous city, which would reduce Atlanta's eroding property tax base by an additional $1 million; . Franklin oversees the activities of about 7,5 employeesof city government and has been considered a strong mayor who hasnevertheless faced many challenges during her time in office (Grossman andFulton 1). All of thesevariables add up to the recognition that Franklin's success is instrumentalin turning around Atlanta, which five years ago was "a bloated mess with a$82M deficit" that was "seen as hopelessly corrupt" and which "now has anethics plan which, to the surprise of many local skeptics has yet toembarrass the city ("The Well-Dressed Pragmatist," 1)." People in Atlanta are still not convinced that Franklin was right toraise property taxes and also not convinced that she has given sufficientattention to the problems of the poor. She isoften criticized for siding with big business like Coca-Cola. increasing property taxes to generate much-needed revenue; . Nevertheless, she isconnected to many important corporations, having held some 3 board postsbefore taking office and having served as first, the top woman executive inthe team bringing the Olympics to Atlanta, and second, having served asAtlanta's city manager (Jonsson, 2). coping with the struggle over control of the Atlanta Airport and the jobs and contracts for vendors that come with it; . For example, Franklin has little authority over the city's publicschool system. Available at www.city-data.com/us/cities/The-South/Atlanta- Municipal-Gov.Anonymous. Works CitedAnonymous. "Atlanta Mayor's Job Getting Tougher." USA Today, 27 Nov 2 2. In this briefreport, an analysis of the governmental and political structure of Atlantawill be offered, demonstrating that as a largely African-American city thatis nevertheless multicultural and diverse in terms of its population,Atlanta represents the "New South" at its very finest. It is governedby a mayor and a 16-member city council that is managed by a councilpresident. Available at www.lamarwillis.com/city/council.htm. This coalition represented a major changein the basic political structure of a city long dominated by African-American males, dating back to the leadership of Julian Bond, Andrew Youngand those who followed them. Shortly after taking office, as noted by Grossman and Fulton (1),Franklin worked with county and state officials to pull together a complexset loans and agreements that brought in about $3 billion in upgrades andrepairs to Atlanta's leaky sewer system. Franklin's time in office has been somewhat controversial, in partbecause she has not been afraid to challenge the status quo and make thekinds of unpopular decisions that many more experienced politicians mighteschew.

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