The General Assembly has adjourned and finished it’s business for now.  But the fight on forced annexation is not going away.

As you may recall, House Bill 2367, (evolving from recommendations by the House Muncipal Annexation Study Committee), calling for a moratorium on forced annexation passed the House but stalled in the Senate Rules Committee under Sen. Tony Rand?s (D-Cumberland) direction.  

The issue stays alive however due to a Joint Legislative Study Commission on Municipal Annexation.  The new study committee has not yet been assigned and has not met. But we are hopeful that it will move along and substantive recommendations will be made to reform North Carolina?s forced annexation laws.  

Grass roots efforts (and here and here and here), concerned community leaders, and yes, the Locke Foundation are not going to let this issue rest.

Rep. Bruce Goforth (D-Buncombe) a leader of the efforts in the House, recently responded to the Ashville Citizens? Times here.  He mentions 1,000 citizens who testified in over 15 hours of during public hearings across the state.  
And also says,

?North Carolina has annexed more than 316,000 people from 1990?1998 while the national average is 40,000. You mention mischief ? in the N.C. House we had more than other members who thought it was time to do something. They are listening to their constituents and not to lobbyists for the League of Municipalities. The League has said there needs to be changes made to tighten the law ? however six months later it has still not come to the table with recommendations.?

The Locke Foundation has played a key role in the forced annexation fight by providing analysis and papers on the issue and will continue to provide research and data to decision makers and grass roots groups.  See more on forced annexation here and here and here and here or better yet, just go here and search “annexation.”

What would John Locke himself say?  His central political principle: rights in property are the basis
of human freedom and government exists to protect them and to preserve
public order.