One of Atlanta’s wealthiest and whitest enclaves got one step closer Thursday to forming its own city after a contentious three-hour hearing before a state Senate committee.

Supporters and opponents of the creation of Buckhead City traded jabs about the motives behind the push to leave Atlanta. Supporters say the streets of Buckhead have become a playground for lawless behavior, while opponents claim Buckhead’s true motivations are race-based and argue stripping Atlanta of the tax revenue generated by Buckhead would bring Georgia’s largest city to its knees.

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