06 LC 97
0850S
The
House Committee on State Planning and Community Affairs offers the following
substitute to HR 1791:
A
RESOLUTION
Commending
the Association County Commissioners of Georgia and the Georgia Municipal
Association for creating the Council of Local Governments; urging the Council of
Local Governments to address several issues that create conflict between cities
and counties; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS,
cities and counties are important partners to the State of Georgia in providing
a high quality of life for residents across the state; and
WHEREAS,
cities provide centers of commerce, a sense of place, a variety of municipal
services, and a government that is closest to the people; and
WHEREAS,
county governments within Georgia have traditionally provided constitutionally
mandated services and have served as administrative units for the provision of
state services; and
WHEREAS,
the role of cities and counties has evolved over the years as state and local
governments have struggled to accommodate Georgia's swelling population;
and
WHEREAS,
actions of the General Assembly of Georgia have at times resulted in duplication
of services, competition for revenue, and confusion over the proper role of
cities and counties; and
WHEREAS,
the adjustment of municipal boundaries through annexation continues to be a
point of contention between counties and municipalities; and
WHEREAS,
a few issues straining city-county relations surface each year in the
legislature prompted by attempts at state-wide solutions to local problems;
and
WHEREAS,
particularly in urban and urbanizing counties, where counties provide urban-type
services in addition to traditional county services, the potential for problems
and
conflicts resulting from annexation related to land use, revenue, and service delivery increases significantly; and
conflicts resulting from annexation related to land use, revenue, and service delivery increases significantly; and
WHEREAS,
vibrant, prosperous, and responsive local governments working cooperatively with
one another and the state are vital to the future health and prosperity of
Georgia; and
WHEREAS,
the Association County Commissioners of Georgia and the Georgia Municipal
Association, acting through their respective Board of Managers and Board of
Directors, have created the Council of Local Governments as a forum for the
elected officials participating in each association to discuss areas of
agreement and disagreement.
NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of
this body commend the Association County Commissioners of Georgia and the
Georgia Municipal Association for their foresight in creating the Council of
Local Governments as a venue to openly and candidly address areas of conflict
and to identify areas where cities and counties can work together on a common
and focused agenda.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that proposals for amending current annexation law in a way
that would resolve the conflicts between counties and cities should be discussed
and proposed by representatives of counties and cities rather than by the
General Assembly.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the House of Representatives strongly urges that the
Georgia Municipal Association and the Association County Commissioners of
Georgia make every effort to resolve the problems created by annexation for
counties, school districts, and the public.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this body urges the Council of Local Governments to
address several of the top issues that create conflict between cities and
counties, including service delivery, local government revenues, and land use,
and to make any recommendations for legislative or administrative
action.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the House of Representatives urges that legislation to
resolve the problems of annexation be jointly prepared and proposed by the two
associations in time for consideration in the 2007 session of the General
Assembly.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized
and directed to transmit an appropriate copy of this resolution to the
Association County Commissioners of Georgia, the Georgia Municipal Association,
and the Council of Local Governments.