Our Newest Cities: Johns Creek and Milton (Atlanta: how much, employment)

[backfist]

I thought I'd pick the brains of locals who have heard about Johns Creek and Milton becoming Fulton County's newest cities. In some ways, it's relevant to potential newcomers, so I'd like their opinion too.

My first thought was ... well ... why? If it's independence from Fulton that the residents and [new] government wanted, then why is their infrastructure and city services dependent upon primarily upon Fulton County? And why would Fulton agree to provide those services to a residents and new government who all but said "you suck and we're leaving you"?

My next thought was yet one more rebellious body pulling their revenues from the Fulton tax base, while remaining dependent upon Fulton's infrastructure. Now, since neither of these new cities are going to be employment centers for the vast majority of their residents, it means that there are two more incorporated 'burbs with 100,000 people who will sustain themselves at the expense of Fulton.

Finally, I thought: wake up Atlanta. These people are using you and you don't even realize it. You think all they want is to get away from you, but in reality they want to get away from you and take your tax benefits with them. Wake up. Clean up. Straighten up.

So what are others' thoughts on this new phenomenon of cityhood?

[xxman777]

The reason for the new cities is much more complicated then that. Governments are required to provide a similar level of service to all their constituents. That means residents in south Fulton have to be provided with the same level of service as residents in north Fulton. Some might say that this seems fair, but it also means that things like police and fire response times need to be the same. In heavily populated areas like north Fulton emergency response times of less then five minutes are not only needed, but pretty easy to provide. In rural areas like south Fulton emergency response times are generally a lot higher, which means the county ended up building a lot of extra infrastructure to provide that similar level of service.

Even though there isn’t much of an employment base in the north, property values are much higher. Plus there isn’t much employment in south Fulton either. So what you end up with is the North supplying a extremely disproportion amount of the tax revenue and receiving adequate services while the south supplied very little tax revenue and received a lot of services.

Second, sure the counties are dependent on county services, but this is typically only for a short time period while the city gets on its feet. This is a fairly normal practice but give it a few years and the cities should be providing most of the services themselves. Sure they are paying for the services, but only for the services they receive, not for services being provided to south Fulton. The reason the county is willing to provide the services is they have to. They can receive a small premium off the services while attempting to downsize. They have the infrastructure and the employees, if they can make a little money they have to do it. It doesn’t matter how much they hate the new cities.

P.S. In this case Atlanta isn't getting used because they are also a seperate city so their taxes go into a seperate pot then the rest of Fulton County and their services come out of city of Atlanta taxes not Fulton County taxes.

The city of Atlanta is used by suburban counties in many other ways but that is an entirely different thread.

[jxu66]

North Fulton is in the process to secede from Fulton County to recreate old Milton county. But that requires a Georgia consitutional amendment. That's next thing to be watch.

[backfist]

And that's kinda where I was going with this; forgive me for not being clear.

I find it troubling that Fulton County would lend it's services--even at a price--to residents who would contribute to Fulton's demise. Not demise in a literal sense, but certainly financially, infrastructurally, culturally, etc.

These kinds of secession seem to be driven more by identity politics than anything practical.

[stvincent]

Originally Posted by backfist

And that's kinda where I was going with this; forgive me for not being clear.

I find it troubling that Fulton County would lend it's services--even at a price--to residents who would contribute to Fulton's demise. Not demise in a literal sense, but certainly financially, infrastructurally, culturally, etc.

These kinds of secession seem to be driven more by identity politics than anything practical.

I have lived in Atlanta all my life and I have noticed that people like to live in bubbles. Whether these bubbles be according to race, class, religion, or otherwise...it seems that Atlantans like living among those just like them. John's Creek and Milton are upper middle class communties. I think a big part of seeking incorporation was to ensure that these communties do not change in character or economic makeup. Southerners are afraid of change because it threatens their bubble.

The breakdown of Fulton County was a long time coming. The North County has NOTHING in common with the southern portion. Atlanta does not bridge the gap but further separates north from south. South Fulton residents will lose if Milton County is recreated because it is so scarcely populated but its not right to expect that North Fulton is supposed to carry South Fulton until it can finally develop its land and generate a more substantial commercial tax base.