The House Finance Committee has a full calendar this morning – not the tax package, still no movement there. With 10 bills to consider, they won’t get to everything.
One of particular interest:
Senate Bill 618 that eliminates the minimum population requirement for creation of urban area revitalization municipal service districts, sponsored by Sen. Fletcher Hartsell, (R-Cabarrus). The bill would allow ALL cities to participate in urban area revitalization projects. Rep. Earl Jones asks why is this needed. Hartsell says water and sewer lines need to be replaced and this would provide for replacement of aging infrastructure. The bill permits cities to do certain types of infrastructure, impose assessments and that kind of thing. Rep. Deborah Ross, (D-Wake) says many smaller cites want to do revitalization and bring life back to urban areas. She loves the bill. Rep. Curtis Blackwood, (R-Union) asks if this allows cities to go in and tear down old buildings in the name of revitalization. Harstell says no, not now, it’s for water and sewer. He can’t say that would never happen, it just permits more cities to do what other cities can do. Rep. Larry Womble, (D-Forsyth) says it’s voluntary and he likes the bill
Bill passes on a voice vote.
This appears to extend the power and authority of municipalities, a dangerous thing with the abuses we’ve seen with annexation.
