John Hood, president of the John Locke Foundation, has argued that HB 525, the annexation bill, has, through debate, been watered down so does nothing to grant residents of unincorporated areas of North Carolina counties the same protections persons in other states enjoy. Instead, it only benefits the interests of the League of Municipalities.
The bill provides an option for holding a referendum to stop proposed annexation should voters demand it, but forcing a referendum requires the collection of signatures from 15% of persons registered to vote (in the area consisting of the annexing munipality and the affected portion of the county) within ninety days. What’s more, persons already living in incorporated areas, who have an interest in spreading the pain of taxes with their friends in the county, will be voting in the referenda.
