Fulton County, Georgia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Fulton County, Georgia | |
| Map | |
 Location in the state of Georgia |
|
 Georgia's location in the USA |
|
| Statistics | |
| Founded | 1853 |
|---|---|
| Seat | Atlanta |
| Largest City | Atlanta |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
535 sq mi (1,385 km²) 529 sq mi (1,369 km²) 6 sq mi (16 km²), 1.11% |
| Population - (2005) - Density |
915,623 1,544/sq mi (596/km²) |
| Time zone | Eastern : UTC-5/-4 |
| Website: www.fultoncountyga.gov | |
Fulton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. Its county seat is Atlanta6, the principal city of the Atlanta metropolitan area. As of the 2000 census, the population was 816,006. The 2006 Census Estimate placed the population at 960,009 [1].
Fulton County is the most populous county in Georgia and is included in the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Contents |
[edit] History
Fulton County was created from the western half of DeKalb County in 1853. This occurred when, during the 1840s, that county's seat of Decatur refused to allow a railroad terminal to be built due to noise concerns. A new point was selected a few miles west, and was later incorporated as Terminus. The town was renamed twice; first as Marthasville, and finally as Atlanta.
During William T. Sherman's March to the Sea during the American Civil War, Sherman spared Roswell because he had a cousin who lived there. As a result, Roswell has more pre-Civil War historical buildings up than anywhere else in North Georgia.
The name is often assumed to be in honor of inventor Robert Fulton, who (among many other inventions) built a steamboat in 1807. This assumption is likely because this steam engine was the predecessor to the steam locomotives which built Atlanta. However, some research now indicates that it may have been in honor of Hamilton Fulton, a surveyor for the Western and Atlantic Railroad. Nonetheless the County itself claims to be named after Robert Fulton [2].
At the beginning of 1932, Milton County to the north and Campbell County to the southwest became part of Fulton County, to save money during the Great Depression. This gave the county its current awkward and long shape along 70 miles or 113 kilometers of the Chattahoochee River. Neighboring Cobb County ceded the city of Roswell to Fulton to make it contiguous with Milton, including everything east of Willeo Creek. Additionally, parts of Gwinnett County and Cherokee County were swept in.
[edit] Governance
Fulton County is governed by a seven-member Board of Commissioners, who hold concurrent four year terms. The most recent election was held in November, 2006. Fulton County has a county manager system of government, in which day-to-day operation of the County is handled by a manager appointed by the Board of Commissioners.
[edit] Politics
Atlanta is the dominant city of Fulton County, occupying the county's narrow center section and thus geographically dividing the county's northern and southern portions. Atlanta's last major annexation in 1952 brought over 118 square miles into the city, including the affluent suburb of Buckhead, and was motivated in part to maintain a majority of white voters in the city. The movement to create a City of Sandy Springs, launched in the early 1970s and reaching fruition in 2005, was largely an effort to prevent additional annexations by the City of Atlanta.
[edit] Taxation
Geographically remote from each other because of Atlanta's annexations, the northern and southern sections of the county have grown increasingly at odds over the collection of taxes and distribution of services. Residents of the affluent areas of North Fulton have increasingly complained that the Fulton County Board of Commissioners have ignored their needs, taking taxes collected in North Fulton and spending it on programs in services in South Fulton. In 2005, the Georgia General Assembly directed Fulton County, alone among all the counties in the state, to limit the expenditure of funds to the geographic region of the county where they were collected. Fulton County contested this law, known as the "Shafer Amendment" after Sen. David Shafer (R-Duluth), in a lawsuit that went to the Georgia Supreme Court. On June 19, 2006, the Court handed down a decision upholding the legality of the Shafer Amendment.
The creation of the City of Sandy Springs left fewer residents in unincorporated North Fulton to subsidize the programs and services in South Fulton, prompting a move to create two additional cities that would completely "municipalize" North Fulton. In a domino effect, the residents of South Fulton then moved to create additional cities as well.
[edit] Municipalization
Since the 1970s, residents of Sandy Springs had waged a long-running battle to incorporate their own city. They were repeatedly foiled by the Democrats, but when control of state government switched to the Republicans after the 2002 and 2004 election, the movement to create the city picked up steam.
The General Assembly approved creation of the city in 2005. The citizens of Sandy Springs voted 94% in favor of ratifying the charter in a referendum held on June 21, 2005. The new city was officially incorporated on December 1, 2005, though the county will continue to provide most services under contract through sometime in 2006.
Creation of Sandy Springs spurried a movement toward municipalization of the entire county, which would incorporate every area into a city. This would essentially eliminate the county's home rule powers (granted in the 1960s) to act as a municipality in unincorporated areas, and return it to being entirely a local extension of state government.
In 2006, the General Assembly approved creation of two new cities, Milton and Johns Creek, that would completely municipalize North Fulton. The charters of these two new cities were ratified in a referendum held July 18, 2006.
The General Assembly also approved a proposal to form a new city called South Fulton. Its proposed boundaries will include those areas still unincorporated on July 1, 2007. As a direct result, many of the existing cities are proposing annexations while some communities are drawing up incorporation plans [3].
[edit] Secession
Residents of North Fulton have long advocated that they be allowed to secede and form a new county, called Milton County, after the county that was absorbed into Fulton County during the Great Depression.
Sen. Sam Zamarripa (D-Atlanta) caused a firestorm in 2006 when he suggested that the cities in North Fulton be allowed to secede and form Milton County in exchange for Atlanta and Fulton County consolidating their governments into a new "Atlanta County."
[edit] Taxes
Fulton County has an 7% total sales tax, including 4% state, 1% SPLOST, 1% homestead exemption, and 1% MARTA. Sales taxes apply through the entire county and its cities, except for Atlanta's additional 1% Municipal Option Sales Tax to fund capital improvements to its combined and separate wastewater sewer systems and its drinking water system. [[4]][citation needed]
[edit] Transportation
Almost every major highway (and every major Interstate highway) in metro Atlanta passes through Fulton County at some point, as it contains the bulk of Atlanta and all of its downtown. Outside Atlanta proper, Georgia 400 is the major highway through north Fulton, and Interstate 85 to the southwest.
MARTA serves most of the county, and along with Dekalb County pays a 1% sales tax to fund it. MARTA train service in Fulton is currently limited to the cities of Atlanta, Sandy Springs, East Point, and College Park, along with the airport. Bus service covers most of the remainder, except the rural areas far southwest.
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport straddles the line with Clayton County to the south. The Fulton County Airport, often called Charlie Brown Field (after aviator Charles Brown) or informally West Atlanta airport, is located just west-southwest of Atlanta's city limit. It is run by the county as a municipal or general aviation airport, serving business jets and private aircraft.
[edit] Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,385 km² (535 mi²). 1,369 km² (529 mi²) of it is land and 15 km² (6 mi²) of it (1.11%) is water.
[edit] Major Highways
Interstate 20
Interstate 75
Interstate 85
Interstate 285
U.S. Route 19
U.S. Route 23
U.S. Route 29
U.S. Route 41
U.S. Route 78
U.S. Route 278
State Route 3
State Route 6
State Route 9
State Route 10
State Route 13
State Route 14
State Route 42
State Route 54
State Route 70
State Route 74
State Route 92
State Route 120
State Route 138
State Route 139
State Route 140
State Route 141
State Route 154
State Route 400
[edit] Adjacent Counties
- Cherokee County, Georgia - north
- Forsyth County, Georgia - northeast
- DeKalb County, Georgia - east
- Gwinnett County, Georgia - east
- Fayette County, Georgia - south
- Clayton County, Georgia - south
- Coweta County, Georgia - southwest
- Cobb County, Georgia - west
- Douglas County, Georgia - west
- Carroll County, Georgia - west
Fulton County, Georgia, is one of the few counties in the United States to border as many as 10 counties.
[edit] Demographics
As of the census² of 2000, there were 816,006 people, 321,242 households, and 185,677 families residing in the county. The population density was 596/km² (1,544/mi²). There were 348,632 housing units at an average density of 255/km² (660/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 48.11% White, 44.57% Black or African American, 0.19% Native American, 3.04% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 2.60% from other races, and 1.45% from two or more races. 5.89% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 321,242 households out of which 28.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.30% were married couples living together, 16.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.20% were non-families. 32.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.15.
In the county the population was spread out with 24.40% under the age of 18, 11.00% from 18 to 24, 35.50% from 25 to 44, 20.70% from 45 to 64, and 8.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 97.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.00 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $49,321, and the median income for a family was $58,143. Males had a median income of $43,495 versus $32,122 for females. The per capita income for the county was $30,003. About 12.40% of families and 15.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.60% of those under age 18 and 15.20% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Incorporated cities and towns
- Alpharetta
- Atlanta
- College Park
- East Point
- Fairburn
- Hapeville
- Johns Creek (as of 12/01/2006)
- Milton (as of 12/01/2006)
- Mountain Park
- Palmetto
- Roswell
- Sandy Springs
- Union City
[edit] Unincorporated Communities
- Campbellton
- Red Oak
- Rico
- Birmingham
- Shakerag
- Crabapple
- Sandtown
- Chattahoochee Hill Country
- South Fulton
[edit] Education
All portions of Fulton County outside of the city limits of Atlanta are served by the Fulton County School System.
All portions within Atlanta are served by Atlanta Public Schools.
Incorporated places: Atlanta (County seat) • Alpharetta • College Park • East Point • Fairburn • Hapeville • Johns Creek • Milton • Mountain Park • Palmetto • Roswell • Sandy Springs • Union City
Census-designated places: Campbellton • Red Oak • Rico • Birmingham • Shakerag • Crabapple • Sandtown • Chattahoochee Hill Country • South Fulton
