[Date]

Senator Apodaca & Senator Nesbitt
North Carolina General Assembly
Raleigh, NC 27601-1096

Re: Annexation Reform

Senators Apodaca & Nesbitt,

Please follow the lead that local Representatives Thomas and Goforth have taken with regard to annexation reform, both locally, here in Buncombe County, and for the great State of North Carolina, with the introduction of House Bills 86 and 87.

I urge you to work together or separately to sponsor and introduce similar legislation to the Senate with the intent of making 2007 the year of annexation reform in the State of North Carolina.

Clearly, you are familiar with how the current related statutes are being applied across the state, and in Buncombe County in particular, and how it is causing undue hardship, and major turmoil. As you know, areas that are forcibly annexed are unfairly tax-burdened, and typically do not receive compensatory services in line with their newly imposed taxes. In addition, residents of areas targeted for annexation are not able to vote for or against the City Council members who propose to annex them, raise their taxes, and impose their rule. This is a fundamental injustice.

Thankfully, with the NC Supreme Court ruling "Nolan vs. the Village of Marvin" in January 2006, the legal system is starting to recognize the unjust ways the laws have been applied over the years. It's time to take legislative action to avoid further costly court battles, and make our municipalities return to fair and responsible governing!

There is a ground-swell of support for this new type of legislation, and voters are taking notice. This is the year to act, and bring North Carolina's annexation-related statutes up to date with the rest of the majority of our great United States.

Please put forth every effort to get annexation reform legislation introduced, through Committee, and voted into law in 2007!

If there is anything I can do to help, please let me know.

Respectfully,
[Name]
[Address]
[City, State & Zip]
[Phone number]


 

Click Here to download a copy of the above letter.