Annexation Issue In the News Today

Interesting events today that draw attention to the annexation reform debate:

GOP lawmakers discuss property rights issues, death penalty, Democrats' 'incompetence'

Posted by Mitch Kokai at 10:34 AM

Republican legislative leaders used their regular weekly news conference to cover topics ranging from high-profile property rights legislation (annexation, eminent domain) to the death penalty to evidence of Democratic "incompetence."

Click play below to view the 25:46 briefing from House Minority Leader Paul Stam, R-Wake, Senate Minority Leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, and Reps. Nelson Dollar, R-Wake, Efton Sager, R-Wayne, Pat Hurley, R-Randolph, Curtis Blackwood, R-Union, and Dale Folwell, R-Forsyth.

http://www.johnlocke.org/lockerroom/lockerroom.html?id=20902

Phil Berger spoke the most intelligently about the annexation issue.

Efton Sager was also excellent in his call for County oversight.

Blackwood did a good job highlighting some of the issues with meaningful services.

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John Hood’s article today:

Patterns of Force
By John Hood

July 14, 2009

RALEIGH – Advocates of reforming North Carolina’s extreme annexation laws have long argued that citizens ought to have the right to vote on proposed annexations, as do most other Americans.

So when state lawmakers inserted a referendum provision into House Bill 524, the 2009 annexation legislation, they evidently expected that reformers would praise their decision. Instead, reform groups such as FreedomWorks, Americans for Prosperity-NC, the Fair Annexation Coalition, and the Stop NC Annexation Coalition have responded to the provision with skepticism if not outright scorn. Now, with the NC League of Municipalities hollering about the presence of any referendum provision and reformers cool to the sham referendum in the bill, there seems to be legislative support for simply excising it.

Read more here: http://www.carolinajournal.com/jhdailyjournal/index.html

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Post on the Locker Room Blog
by Daren Bakst

I Spoke too Soon about the GOP and Property Rights
http://www.johnlocke.org/lockerroom/lockerroom.html?id=20909


Talking About Annexation on "Talking About Politics"

AND

Daren Bakst and myself will be on the Lockwood Phillips ‘Viewpoints’ Radio show at 6:15
http://www.wtkf107.com/viewpointsradio.html

New information posted to the StopNCAnnexation website about forced annexations by Woodfin and St. James.

Enjoy!
Catherine Heath
StopNCAnnexation Coalition