The NCLM fake grassroots network

The citizens of NC who have come together over the last eight years to raise their voices to the State Legislature about ending forced annexation have had the city lobbyists, the NC League of Municipalities (NCLM) on the run and this continues.

In response to the success of the grassroots citizens, the NCLM  has created what they are calling the LINC network; which stands for Legislative Information Network of Communities.

The NCLM has been using this tool to fight the citizens efforts to change the annexation laws to end forced annexation. They have recruited city residents go along with city officials to visit legislators in Raleigh for the purpose of having these citizens tell legislators that being annexed into the city was the greatest thing to ever happen to them.

Well, anyone who pays attention to city politics knows that there are always people, who I would describe as city council "groupies", who would do anything to gain brownie points with elected officials, so I'm sure the NCLM has been able to find some of these types who would fall all over themselves to do this. I doubt they can find very many people who have been FORCIBLY annexed that are happy about it who would go. 

The NCLM is in gear for the 2010 Short Legislative Session and have sent out their first "LINC" email announcing a weekly conference call to brief municipal LINC members on legislative activity that they need to respond to. Opposing the citizens calling for an end to forced annexation is a priority item on their agenda.

The NCLM has also pulled a new tactic this year in their ongoing attempts to run away from the citizens coming to Raleigh to ask for an end to forced annexation. They changed the date that they had set for their yearly 'Town Hall Day' to June 16th after months of advertising it for June 2nd. 
StopNCAnnexation obtained permits for the Bicentennial Mall and the Halifax Mall for June 2nd and started advertising this year's rally early in the year.

StopNCAnnexation began holding a Citizens Rally in Raleigh on the NCLM's Town Hall Day starting in 2005, and the NCLM has been trying to avoid the citizens on that day ever since.  The Bicentennial Mall is the location that the citizen rally has usually been held. This year the NCLM has also blocked anyone from using the Bicentennial Mall on June 16th.

I don't think this latest move by the NCLM should stop the citizens from showing up at the Legislature on June 16th. No one has ever needed a permit to visit the legislative buildings and walk the halls to meet with legislators. Let's not let the NCLM have June 16th all to themselves in Raleigh this year.

If you were planning to attend the Rally on June 2nd, change that date on your calender to June 16th, and I'll see you there!

Cathy