Wednesday, October 03, 2007

Stanly County: Norwood annexation troubling community

Norwood annexation troubling community
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1 comment:

Doug Aitken said...

Here is what I e mailed the author of the article.

Dear Ms. Rosser:

I read with great interest your September 26, 2007 article on the potential annexation in Norwood.

I am President of the Fair Annexation Coalition (FAC), a statewide organization made up of smaller groups who are each fighting their being annexed by a neighboring municipality against their will. Please visit our website at www.fairannexation.com.

What you described in your article is the way most "voluntary" annexations take place. A developer buys land outside the city limits, and petitions the local government to annex that property. He thus gets water and sewer service and the city gets the taxes on those homes he is building. All well and good, but by using a satellite annexation, homeowners caught in the middle end up being annexed later against their wishes.

I met with Speaker of the House Joe Hackney this week, and he listened carefully while I outlined the abuses being conducted by municipalities under the state's involuntary annexation law. North Carolina is one of only four states in the United States that allows a municipality to annex an unincorporated neighborhood without any vote by any citizen on the matter. Mr. Hackney has promised to appoint a Study Commission to examine possible reform of this law.

Please tell your readers that, based on history, this annexation will take place, that the citizens' input will be ignored, and that they too will soon be the target of annexation and face increased municipal taxes. Lawsuits against involuntary annexations are going on throughout the state. Hundreds of thousands of dollars are being spent on both sides. What a terrible waste of resources!

This law is strongly supported by the NC League Of Municipalities, with its over 90 paid professionals, 7 registered lobbyists, $10 million annual budget, and 541 member villages, towns, cities. These municipalities have all the power, and the citizen has none.

7:45 AM

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