Involuntary Annexation Today = Municipal Sprawl

 Nine Annexation Bills Indicate That Something is Broken!

Do involuntary annexation laws lead to citizen abuse – treating people as property?

Yes.  In just one instance of involuntary annexation in 2005, a municipal board (the Carrboro Board of Aldermen) perpetrated the following abuses:       

1)     Annexation was through a vacant half mile, non-urban area (an abuse remedied by H.1397);

2)     Annexation was without upgrading inadequate water pressure;

3)     Annexation was without providing road maintenance;

4)     Annexation was without providing access to bond improvements (sidewalks);

5)     Annexation was without providing adequate public safety protection (fire, police, and EMD);

6)       Annexation provided no value to annexed citizens; and

7)       Annexation unduly burdened, without notification, the existing municipal citizens.

Why are we “cleansing” seniors from our neighborhoods?

Involuntary annexation forces fixed income residents to leave neighborhoods that often they built because of a dramatically increased tax burden and outrageous ($20,000+) utility assessments. 

Why are we fighting in Iraq to promote democratic principles while depriving our citizens of fundamental due process?

Our troops are dying and being maimed, in part, to promote freedom of choice.  How much fairness and freedom of choice exists in our “your-voice-doesn’t-matter” involuntary annexation laws?

Why are there no citizen-oriented checks and balances on the municipal annexation process?

No neutral “honest broker” exists to keep municipalities from shaving on public safety standards for involuntarily annexed areas, much less outright lying and cheating about such standards.  Involuntary annexation promotes and encourages irresponsible municipal fiscal management.

How will you deal with the annexation-created need for municipal mergers?

The natural annexation endgame is the creation of a haphazard pattern of colliding municipalities, such as Carrboro and Chapel Hill.  The result is wasteful inefficiencies protecting political and bureaucratic turfs, while hurting local businesses and residents.

Why is local government the fastest growing employment sector of our state economy? 

Involuntary annexation laws impose economic burdens that discourage business investment.

Is the North Carolina League of Municipalities lobbying for our common welfare?

According to the NCLM, our annexation laws are perfect “as is”.  The NCLM knows who their constituents are – unelected government bureaucrats.  Do you know who yours are?

INVOLUNTARY ANNEXATION LAWS NEED TO BE FIXED.

VOTE FOR H.964!!! 

 IT’S TIME FOR A THOROUGH AND UNBIASED BLUE RIBBON STUDY.