Knowledge Center

Social media has become an everyday tool for city officials to share updates, highlight events, and respond to residents. But recent court decisions make clear that this convenience comes with legal risk. And that personal accounts can, under certain circumstances, be treated as an official government forum subject to First Amendment protections.

According to the National League of Cities' 13th annual State of the Cities report, local governments across the country are navigating real pressures this year, from economic uncertainty to infrastructure needs, housing shortages, and rising public health and safety concerns.

A new report from United Ways of Georgia shows that 44% of Georgia households did not earn enough to cover basic costs in 2024. That is more than 1.8 million households across the state.

The 2026 General Assembly passed Senate Bill 33, the Homeownership Opportunity and Market Equalization Act, making significant changes to how Georgia local governments may provide property tax relief to homeowners.

As a rural and small Southern city conducting their master planning process, Young Harris leaders identified gaps in their community with financial literacy and security. Combining these challenges with a population comprising largely local college students, city leaders wanted to meet the unique needs of students and their community at large.