It’s finally (pre)official – state Sen. Brandon Beach (R-Alpharetta) Thursday prefiled SB 324, which would give residents of the Buckhead section of Atlanta the opportunity to vote to create their own municipality outside of the city of Atlanta.
The debate over the Buckhead Cityhood movement has already raged for months, but now the real battle will begin under the Gold Dome, largely split along party lines as most Atlanta legislators as well as both remaining mayoral candidates have come out strongly against the idea. State Representative Betsy Holland (D-Atlanta) and State Senators Jen Jordan (D-Atlanta) and Sonia Halpern (D-Atlanta), whose districts encompass parts or all of Buckhead, have all pledged to fight the secession movement.
But with the backing of Beach, as well as influential Republican Senators Clint Dixon (R-Buford), Jeff Mullis (R-Chickamauga), and Butch Miller (R-Gainesville), the pro-cityhood side will have powerful allies as it attempts to navigate the impending legislative battle. It also may have the public on its side – a recent UGA poll for the AJC showed that 54 percent of Buckhead voters say they are in favor of Buckhead cityhood, while just 39 percent said they were opposed. And an internal poll from Buckhead City Committee over the summer showed 61 percent of Buckhead residents supported the opportunity to vote for themselves on cityhood.
“Since the summer of 2020, the rise in crime throughout the city of Atlanta has been alarming and has caused many citizens to feel for their safety, even in broad daylight,” said Beach Thursday. “Over the past few weeks, we have heard testimony first-hand from Buckhead residents who feel their needs are not currently being addressed and what the proposed incorporation would entail. I believe it is now the time for citizens in the Buckhead neighborhood of Atlanta to have the ability to determine for themselves whether to form their own city and establish services which would be more responsive to their needs. I look forward to working with stakeholders at all levels to move this legislation through the process during the 2022 session.”
Dentons attorney Edward Lindsey, a former state representative who co-chairs the Committee for a United Atlanta, didn’t directly hit on the legislation in a statement given to InsiderAdvantage:
“The Committee for a United Atlanta is focused on encouraging Buckhead residents to get out and vote in the upcoming mayoral runoff and to insist that the candidates seeking our support commit to effectively combating crime and instituting needed reforms to improve the lives of all Atlanta residents. We wish all in Buckhead would do the same, and work in collaboration with our next Mayor to make Buckhead and all of Atlanta safer and more prosperous.”
Should the bill pass, the vote could be on the ballot as soon as the November general election.
