Georgia senators to vote on bills allowing Buckhead to secede from Atlanta
Buckhead City Committee CEO and resident discuss seceding from Atlanta following an increase in crime.
Georgia state senators are set to vote Thursday night on whether to allow the wealthy neighborhood of Buckhead to vote on possibly splitting from Atlanta and become its own city.
Residents in the suburb of the Democrat-run city have called for change as rampant crime has pushed the community to a breaking point.
Maryam Schwegman, a Buckhead resident, explained her reasons for wanting to be an independent city Thursday on "Fox & Friends First" after her home was invaded in broad daylight.
Schwegman said she was left feeling "extremely helpless" after a man broke into her home last June. She was working from her home office when she heard glass shatter.
"It was about 2:30 on a Friday afternoon, right about the time where my children come home from school. So I figured it was probably one of them clowning around," she told host Todd Piro.
"I went outside of my office to see a strange man in the middle of my living room and in daylight robbing me."
Schwegman said she immediately called 911 but was unable to get in touch with a live operator. She called again and again with no luck.
"It was just a very eye-opening experience. I was extremely, extremely lucky and fortunate that the outcome ended the way that it did. I was safe, and my kids still had a mom," she said. "But at the end of the day, the intruder got away."
Buckhead, one of Atlanta's most affluent suburbs, is the subject of a bill to secede from the city. (iStock)
Two bills to allow the Buckhead district to become its own city passed a Georgia Senate committee on Monday. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp's administration has raised concerns, however, arguing it could violate state laws.
Bill White, volunteer CEO of the Buckhead City Committee, brought attention to the crime crisis in 2021, arguing Atlanta’s liberal policies emboldened criminals and failed the police department.
White said stories like Schwegman’s are the reason the community is pushing to become its own city. He said residents of Buckhead want to create their own law enforcement system and put a "smackdown" on crime.
"It’s time for a change," White said Thursday. "Everybody wants to vote on this, so let us vote. It's the American way."
Buckhead resident Malanikai spoke out about her experiences Thursday on "Fox & Friends" after living in the community for more than 15 years. She said the common ground for all residents — regardless of whether they are for or against seceding — is that they want to vote.
Malanikai said she originally moved to the area for safety, which has only gotten worse.
"I’m just a regular, hard-working person who lives in Buckhead, and who’s seen the decline," Malanikai said. "We want something done about it."
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White called it a "historic" day ahead of floor vote.
"We're counting on our lieutenant governor, Bert Jones, to lead the way and bring this over the top," White said. "You know, it's the American way. We're just asking to let us vote."
If both legislative chambers and Kemp approve, residents of the neighborhood could vote on the matter in November 2024.
Fox News' Louis Casiano contributed to this report.
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