Exploratory committee forms to study Buckhead cityhood (Atlanta, North Atlanta: neighborhoods, construction)

[ronricks]

Originally Posted by Born 2 Roll

I understand what you are saying about such a cityhood push coming about as a result of the will of the people and that Kemp would have nothing to do with putting the legislation together.

But the technical part of the legislative process is that a voter referendum on cityhood in the boundaries of the proposed city cannot move forward if the cityhood legislation is vetoed by the Governor and cannot pushed through into law by the Legislature with an override of the Governor’s veto.

The gubernatorial decision whether to sign or veto legislation that passes through the Legislature is an important part of the legislative process whether one likes it or not.

And it is not unheard of for seemingly popular legislation to receive a gubernatorial veto even after passing through the Legislature.

Governor Deal notably signed the Eagles Landing cityhood legislation into law in Spring 2018, allowing a vote on the issue by residents of the proposed city to move forward in the November general election later that year.

... That was even over the objections of those citing legitimately serious concerns about the potential negative effects of the Eagles Landing cityhood drive on the state’s bond rating, the municipal debt that the existing City of Stockbridge had accrued, the large portion of Stockbridge’s existing debt that the new City of Eagles Landing would inherit, and the negative national and international public relations optics of allowing affluent white neighborhoods to attempt to breakaway from an existing municipality with a majority-minority (majority-black) population.

(... All issues, by the way, that most assuredly would be magnified 100 times over during an extremely high-profile and extremely controversial drive for the highly-affluent and majority white Buckhead district to break away and form its own new city from the majority-black and largely working-class existing City of Atlanta.)

But Governor Deal also most notably in 2016 vetoed the highly controversial Religious Liberty legislation that passed both chambers of the Georgia Legislature with large voting majorities (almost completely along party lines with almost all of the Republican legislative majority voting for the bill, and almost all of the then-smaller Democratic legislative minority voting against the highly controversial bill).

So there is precedent for a Georgia governor signing a controversial cityhood bill into law, and there is also precedent for a Georgia governor vetoing a highly controversial bill that was seemingly popular with his own party that had passed through the Georgia Legislature with large majorities in both legislative chambers.

The religious liberty bill wasn't voted on by the people. Cityhood is voted by both the legislature and the citizens. You aren't comparing apples to apples. Two totally different things. The demographics of the city of Atlanta are rapidly changing so mentioning that Buckhead is 'white' and that existing parts of the city are black (which such a claim is becoming more dubious by the years because of shifting demographics) doesn't really mean anything every passing year that goes by. I will state again that anyone who brings race into this issue is using it as a diversion tactic to get away from the real issue we have at hand which is citizens of an area Buckhead which is comprised of over 40 different and distinct neighborhoods wanting to take control over their own planning, zoning, land use, police, fire protection, and parks and recreation—rather than having those issues decided from what has shown to become an incompetent and unethical city hall in Atlanta under KLB. Additionally, it could be that the citizens of Buckhead are tired of subsidizing and providing a honey pot of tax money for City Hall to use, abuse, misappropriate and not get the return on services and infrastructure that they are paying for all the while being ignored by City Hall in their many pleas the last 2 years for more police to stop the violent crime that has sadly become the norm. If they so choose it is Buckhead's right to explore and if legislation passes to vote on a cityhood referendum. I don't live there and never will live there and rarely visit anymore but if the citizens of Buckhead choose a clean break from city of Atlanta it their choice.

[Citykid3785]

Originally Posted by ronricks

Buckhead only occupies about 20% of Atlanta’s geography, and has about 20% of the city’s population, yet it's residents pay about 45% of Atlanta’s ad valorem taxes. Factor in sales tax and that number is higher. Thus, Atlanta citizens all within the city limits, in effect, get some of their services and use of some facilities paid for by Buckhead. It's one reason I laugh when people try to criticize and vilify people who live and work in Buckhead as they are essentially pulling much of the weight and subsidizing a large piece of the city compared to the land area and population they represent. Losing that 45% would be devastating for the city. Puts things in perspective for sure.

Wow, great stats! At times, I almost wish I came to Atlanta without having ever heard about Buckhead and it's uber rich connotation. Not because it's not true, but because it comes with a stigma that at times I think prevents me from enjoying it to the fullest.

[AnsleyPark]

If Buckhead folks want change, they should enact change through the electoral process - not tear Atlanta in two.

[Gulch]

Originally Posted by ronricks

Look at Brookhaven and Sandy Springs they are thriving being their own entities. What is being discussed has already been proven to work in Atlanta. If you want to stick your head in the sand so be it but the facts show otherwise.

There is a significant difference between what Brookhaven and Sandy Springs did (incorporation of previously-unincorporated areas), and what this proposal is doing (cleaving off an existing municipality with its own school system).

[Gulch]

Originally Posted by ATLTJL

What I don't understand is why residents of Buckhead would possibly vote against it.

What's the benefit of staying part of Atlanta?

(and if you say being able to write Atlanta, GA instead of Buckhead, GA on snail mail, I'm going to laugh hysterically for 30 minutes).

Buckhead, GA already exists, and is located 60 miles east of Atlanta.

[Gulch]

Originally Posted by AnsleyPark

If Buckhead folks want change, they should enact change through the electoral process - not tear Atlanta in two.

But then the big bad city government in Downtown doesn't get the finger.

Is there even widespread support for this among the powers that be?

[cparker73]

Originally Posted by AnsleyPark

If Buckhead folks want change, they should enact change through the electoral process - not tear Atlanta in two.

Exactly! The Balkanization of our metro is responsible for so much of what's wrong with this region from a transit, land-use and planning standpoint. @RonRicks may have a point over all about the issues, and they can't take their ball and go home if they don't like what's going on. It's like all the succession talk some right-wing states are talking about after the presidential election. Just put up candidates with policies we can all vote for.

[ronricks]

Originally Posted by Gulch

There is a significant difference between what Brookhaven and Sandy Springs did (incorporation of previously-unincorporated areas), and what this proposal is doing (cleaving off an existing municipality with its own school system).

'Buckhead' is already comprised of 40 plus existing distinct neighborhoods. If they want to explore leaving the umbrella of the city of Atlanta it is their right to do such. We have a process for this that has been used many times the last decade plus and it has proven to be not only a successful venture but also the right decision. By Georgia law any cityhood referendum must provide at least 3 services and with the tax base that Buckhead has it can take all services under the newly formed city and not have to rely on City Hall for anything. To me that solves lots of problems. The people in Buckhead get what they want and the people in City Hall who have been ignoring all the infrastructure, services, and crime issues in Buckhead no longer have to pretend that they care. Of course as already stated City Hall would lose all that tax revenue to pilfer and misappropriate and that is what this comes down to the powers that be in City Hall don't want to lose that honey pot just like they don't want to lose all the kickbacks, bribes, etc. that the airport provides for their personal wealth and extravagant lifestyles. City Hall might have just poked the Bear one too many times. I don't have an opinion one way or the other as I am not a resident of Buckhead just am discussing the many possibilities of what could happen. It took Sandy Springs 30 years to pull the trigger so anything is possible in the future with Buckhead.

[arjay57]

My impression is that the folks in Buckhead would calm down if they were getting better policing. When you have people shooting and assaulting other citizens, roaming the streets at night breaking into cars, drag racing through the neighborhoods, robbing businesses, etc., it undermines safety and creates a sense of lawlessness.

It would also help if they could get some pothole repairs and a few other things that made it feel like they were receiving more bang for the buck. Who wants to fork out $15-20K (or more) in property taxes when you're not getting the basics?

[Gulch]

Originally Posted by ronricks

'Buckhead' is already comprised of 40 plus existing distinct neighborhoods. If they want to explore leaving the umbrella of the city of Atlanta it is their right to do such. We have a process for this that has been used many times the last decade plus and it has proven to be not only a successful venture but also the right decision..

Except that the cityhood process you referenced hasn't been used to split off currently incorporated areas from existing cities.