Senators Halpern, Esteves, and McLaurin stand united against Republican attempts to ‘play politics’ with their districts
Yesterday, a cohort of Republican senators introduced SB 114, a bill which would incorporate the “City of Buckhead City,” separating the neighborhood of Buckhead from the rest of the City of Atlanta.
In response to this legislation, the Senators representing Buckhead– Senator Sonya Halpern (SD-39), Senator Jason Esteves (SD-6), and Senator Josh McLaurin (SD-14)– released the following statement:
“Collectively, we represent the entirety of the Buckhead neighborhood of Atlanta in Georgia’s State Senate, and we stand united in our position that the City of Atlanta should and will remain united. The vast majority of our Buckhead constituents oppose efforts to separate their community from the City of Atlanta, and we are committed to defending their interests under the Gold Dome. We will not allow outsiders to play politics with our districts as a means of distraction from the issues that really matter. Together, we remain laser-focused on the legislative priorities our constituents elected us to advance including public safety, education, healthcare, and the economy. We encourage our colleagues to do the same.”
Senator Randy Robertson, a resident of Cataula, introduced SB 114 along with eight cosponsors, none of whom represent portions of the City of Atlanta.
Similar legislation to establish “Buckhead City” was introduced in the 2022 legislative session but failed without critical support from Governor Brian Kemp. Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones has stated that “Buckhead City” is not part of his legislative agenda this year.
Senator Halpern, a resident of Buckhead, was first elected to represent the 39th District in 2018. She currently serves as Chair of the Senate’s Fulton County Delegation.
Senator Esteves was elected to represent the 6th District in 2022 after previously serving on the Atlanta Board of Education for nine years. Senator Esteves serves as Vice-Chair of the Atlanta Delegation.
Senator McLaurin, a resident of Buckhead, was elected to represent the 14th District in 2022 after previously serving in the Georgia House of Representatives for four years. He serves as Vice-Chair of the Senate’s Fulton County Delegation.
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