Milton, soon to be Georgia's newest county?

[Newnan]

The support for creating a new Milton county out of North Fulton is growing stronger every day as residents grow increasingly weary of high taxes and what they see as an incompetent county commission who doesn't seem to care about them. Do you think North Fulton will break away and if so, how soon?

PS. There was an editorial about this in this Sunday's AJC. It would be great if anybody could find this and post it.

[Andrea]

The support for creating a new Milton county out of North Fulton is growing stronger every day as residents grow increasingly weary of high taxes and what they see as an incompetent county commission who doesn't seem to care about them. Do you think North Fulton will break away and if so, how soon?

[davidals]

Is the max number of counties in GA still in the state constitution?

I also wonder if Atlanta would be able to consolidate with whatever remained of Fulton, or if the remainder of the unincorporated county would try to incorporate as something. Given that Sandy Springs, and whatever the other two are called, have incorporated all of whatever Milton would be, it seems redundant.

There's a similar effort - though with substantially less momentum - out west, to break up Maricopa Co in AZ into 2 or 3 counties...which would also require legislation or constitutional changes.

[AubieTurtle]

Is the max number of counties in GA still in the state constitution?

I also wonder if Atlanta would be able to consolidate with whatever remained of Fulton, or if the remainder of the unincorporated county would try to incorporate as something. Given that Sandy Springs, and whatever the other two are called, have incorporated all of whatever Milton would be, it seems redundant.

There's a similar effort - though with substantially less momentum - out west, to break up Maricopa Co in AZ into 2 or 3 counties...which would also require legislation or constitutional changes.

[davidals]

Yes, the county limit is still in effect. There was talk of trying to get two rural counties to merge so Milton could be created. I expect those counties would need a lot of incentives before the local power brokers would be willing to merge with another county in which they would have to share power. If they do go the county merger route, I hope they make it an incentive law that will result in many county mergers across the state rather than just one to enable Milton.

[Pillsbury]

Although the legislation will be introduced in January, I think there are still possibilities for compromise. However, the rhetoric in the closing days of this year's county commission election was pretty much a poke in the eye with a sharp stick to many voters in the city as well as in north Fulton.

[ironchapman]

I hope it doesn't become one, another county is the last thing we need.

However, Fulton is in a very delicate situation with it's declining tax base for the unincorporated areas as more and more areas are either annexed or incorporate themselves. If we can't find a workable solution (and I don't think we've tried enough yet), then I will support the creation of Milton County.

The way I see it, there are a few possible solutions. Here are a couple I have toyed around with:

• At approximately halfway through the county (from the Northern to the Southern borders), draw a line creating two tax districts for the unincorporated areas. Taxes collected in the Southern district will be used there and taxes collected in the Norhtern district will be used in that district.

  However, this essentially creates two counties united as one.

• Have Atlanta annex the entire county to unite all lands under one entity. (My favorite)

  However, the cities in Fulton aren't very likely going to support this.

• Have each city and unincorporated land become a "borough" united under a single government (the Fulton County government). Atlanta will still be a city like it is now, but it will be under the Fulton County government. This may require having a few laws about incorporation and city governments changed, though.

• Have all lands annexed into the nearest city. or incoporate into their own community.

  However, the need for a Fulton County as an entity for anything but traditional purposes would be eliminated as the county government wouldn't serve anyone.

• Re-form Milton County

• Leave it as it is.

[AubieTurtle]

[*]At approximately halfway through the county (from the Northern to the Southern borders), draw a line creating two tax districts for the unincorporated areas. Taxes collected in the Southern district will be used there and taxes collected in the Norhtern district will be used in that district.

However, this essentially creates two counties united as one.