Recent Crimes in Wealthy Atlanta Enclave Reignite Push for Buckhead Cityhood
Barnini Chakraborty, Washington Examiner, June 25, 2022
A recent spate of criminal activity in one of Atlanta’s wealthiest enclaves has rattled residents, fueled frustration over police protection, and given oxygen to a nearly shuttered campaign seeking secession from Georgia’s largest city.
In the past two weeks, there have been multiple shootings and other crimes committed in the tony area of Buckhead.
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Bill White, CEO of the Buckhead City Commission, told the Washington Examiner that rising crime rates and a lack of arrests and prosecutions have made residents feel like they are “living in a war zone” and believes the only option is a clean cut from the capital city.
White has been leading the push to break off from Atlanta and faults rising crime rates on Atlanta’s former and current mayors, Keisha Lance Bottoms and Andre Dickens.
White said Dickens talked a big game about fighting crime during his campaign but has failed to make good on his promises after being elected.
“The only campaign promise he has fulfilled to Atlanta is he continues to defund the police,” White told the Washington Examiner. {snip}
White claims Dickens has insulted “our intelligence while seriously endangering our lives.”
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Opponents of the creation of Buckhead City have long claimed the true motivation for it is race-based and argued stripping Atlanta of the tax revenue generated by Buckhead would bring it to its knees.
