ATLANTA (Feb. 23, 2009) – Citing the need for citizens to be able to “touch and smell” their government, Senator Eric Johnson (R-Savannah) joined the battle to recreate Milton County by proposing Senate Resolution 392. In 1931, during the Great depression, the existing Georgia Counties of Milton and Campbell went bankrupt and were merged with Fulton County. Fulton is 529 square miles in area and 70 miles from end to end. Fulton is Georgia’s most populous County. One million people (1 in 10 Georgians) live in the County. Fulton is larger than 8 states. It contains the City of Atlanta and the State Capitol. It is densely populated and heavily taxed.
Since the Georgia Constitution caps the number of counties, an amendment is required. If approved by a supermajority of the General Assembly and the voters, SR 392 would simply allow any former counties to be exempt from the cap.
“For our republic to stay strong, people must maintain their power over their government. When government gets too large, power shifts away from the governed. Fulton County has become dysfunctional, unresponsive and burdensome. That is not due to its people. It is simply too big. Restoring the traditional counties will return the traditional balance of power to the people and make all three governments more responsive and fiscally responsible,” said the Senator.
Johnson’s proposed constitutional amendment would allow the two new counties to determine by local act what type of government they wish to establish and how it should be funded. Johnson modeled this after witnessing the outsourcing and privatization of services in the new municipalities of Sandy Springs, Johns Creek and Dunwoody.
Johnson stated, “I believe in the smallest government possible where decisions are made as close to the taxpayers as reasonable. Therefore, if we are going to create any new counties, why not let the people decide if they want a sheriff or want to contract it out? Why not let them decide whether they want to fund education with a property tax, or a sales tax or another method?
A similar proposal by Rep. Jan Jones (HR 21) has passed out of Committee and is in the House Rules Committee awaiting a floor vote.
For more information on the Georgia State Senate, please visit www.senate.ga.gov.
Sen. Eric Johnson of the 1st Senate district serves as the chairman of the Ethics Committee. He represents Bryan County and portions of Chatham and Liberty counties. He may be reached at 404.656.5109 or via e-mail at eric.johnson@senate.ga.gov.
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release:
February 24, 2009
For Information Contact:
Raegan Weber, Director
Kallarin Richards, Senior Communications Specialist
kallarin.richards@senate.ga.gov
404.656.0028