Couple of articles out today on the N.C. General Assembly’s supposed attack on cities, one from the AP:
Two years have passed since historic anti-annexation legislation became law, and the Republican-led General Assembly still isn’t finished trying to take the powers and clout of North Carolina’s municipalities down a few more notches.
..And the other from the N&O:
Even in a state that has grown increasingly urban, North Carolina cities are on the defensive, fighting to keep prized assets and local control against a legislature that appears intent on taking them.
Three cities – Charlotte, Asheville and Raleigh – face the loss of signature assets. Small towns, like bigger cities, fear significant revenue drains.
It’s not just municipalities that have felt the sting. Senate bills would redraw school board districts in Wake and Guilford counties and change the way members in each are elected.
As you can probably imagine, both articles cite respective bills to undo the Dix land deal and create a regional airport authority for Charlotte-Douglas Airport. Strong evidence has been presented that the Dix land deal is a bad one; meanwhile check out the latest Meck Deck post pointing out that supporters of the airport authority also happen to be members of the Jerry Orr cult. (If you don’t who Jerry Orr is, he’s the current aviation director Charlotte-Douglas, and my guess is his role wouldn’t change under an airport authority.)
Look understand concerns expressed by Republican Rep. Ruth Samuleson about the legislature “overreaching at the local level.” In that case, maybe the best thing cities can do to avoid such overreaching is keep their budgets in balance and not have their hands out for funds from higher levels of government whether it’s state or federal. I cringe every time I hear a local official talk about ‘free money’ from the state or the feds.
Yes I said earlier I try to avoid political relativism, but I have to point out once again this cuts both ways, notably Rep. Ed Hanes’ bill to delay Forsyth County’s property reval until 2016, a prime example of legislators doing local politicians’ dirty work.
