Atlanta: Local Government, Essay Example

Introduction

The local government in Atlanta, Georgia faces critical challenges, as there are many decisions that must be addressed, including the growth of the metropolitan area, the housing market, and the public transportation crisis, in addition to poverty and education. This large metropolitan city possesses considerable stress as a result of the need to balance its interests with the needs of local residents, who thrive as a result of industry and other opportunities within Atlanta as their primary sources of income. The local government has a responsibility to serve in a role as a provider, supporter, and regulator as a means of achieving order within the city and in restoring and renewing the faith of its people.  The city is a mecca for employment, shopping, tourism, and residential living; therefore, it is plausible that local government should be complex and multifaceted in order to meet the demands of local residents as their needs continue to change and evolve (Suggs, 2011).

Analysis

For many people, Atlanta is a place to call home, with many familiar faces and opportunities; however, the local government has many important decisions to make in the coming years in order to better manage its infrastructure, including its transportation system (Stokes, 2012), as well as educational needs and housing trends. These factors require a greater understanding of the impact of local growth on the people living in Atlanta and the governance that is shared. However, Atlanta’s mayor, Kasim Reed, has made a number of controversial points in recent years that have turned heads, yet have enabled people to think differently about important problems that the city faces (The Huffington Post, 2014). Reed’s view is that the federal government should be less of a concern and instead, the focus should be on local governments and in particular, mayors and the city council (The Huffington Post, 2014). This perspective is relevant because it sheds light on the shift of Atlanta’s mayor towards a governance structure that recognizes the needs of local residents and supports their future endeavors (The Huffington Post, 2014). Nonetheless, significant work is required in order to overcome local funding challenges for a slew of infrastructure projects and residential needs, such as improved public transportation, expanded educational opportunities, reduced poverty, a stable housing market, and growth in the private sector, among others. As a result, the city faces a transportation predicament that is extremely difficult to overcome without significant capital and resources in order to achieve the desired outcomes (Suggs, 2011).

Atlanta’s local government must identify methods of improving these systems that are attractive enough to local residents that they will support them over the long term (Jaffe, 2011). Furthermore, federal funding is severely limited and highly competitive to fund many infrastructure projects; therefore, in order to improve programmatic efforts, local residents and officials must consider other alternatives that will be feasible in providing the financing that is necessary for project improvements throughout the city that will alleviate some of these concerns (Jaffe, 2011).

Conclusion

Improving Atlanta’s local government is a unique concern for local residents because the current system is severely limiting on many levels; yet there is opportunity for growth in some sectors that must be considered. As a result, it is important to identify the resources that are necessary to support the city’s growth, rather than its regression. Since local government is such a challenging issue, it is important for the people of Atlanta to recognize their role in improving this process and in working with the mayor and city council in a cooperative manner in order to improve the infrastructure that is required to meet the needs of local residents and visitors to the Atlanta metropolitan area in the coming years.

References

The Huffington Post (2014). Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed Explains Why We Should ‘Stop Worrying About’ The Federal Government. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/22/kasim-reed-federal-government_n_4646357.html

Jaffe, E. (2011). Fixing Atlanta’s transportation mess, with pennies. The Atlantic Cities, retrieved from http://www.theatlanticcities.com/commute/2011/10/fixing-atlanta-transporatation-mess-pennies/295/

Stokes, J. (2012). T-SPLOST pros and cons. Atlanta Journal-Constitution, retrieved from http://blogs.ajc.com/atlanta-forward/2012/07/17/t-splost-pros-and-cons/

Suggs, E. (2011). Atlanta at heart of area’s transit issues. Atlanta Journal-Constitution, retrieved from http://www.ajc.com/news/news/state-regional-govt-politics/atlanta-at-heart-of-areas-transit-issues/nQthr/