How Buckhead’s Secession From Atlanta Would Destabilize the Entire State
A renewed effort to sever the whitest and wealthiest area of Atlanta from the rest of the city would have sent the region into a financial tailspin.
Luxury homes in the Buckhead area of Atlanta, which is reviving its efforts to secede from the city.
Photographer: Elijah Nouvelage/BloombergA group of Georgia lawmakers has revived efforts to sever the tony, upscale neighborhoods of Atlanta’s Buckhead from the rest of the city — a move that city leaders say could end up financially ruining the entire Atlanta metro region, if not the whole state.
On Monday, a state senate committee passed two bills that would allow for residents of the wealthiest and whitest areas in Atlanta to vote in November 2024 to secede from the city and create a new municipality called Buckhead City. However, the full state senate rejected the legislation Thursday evening with 33 senators voting against it. Still, the movement isn't going anywhere: Proponents pledged to continue supporting secession in future legislative sessions.