Aside from being one of only two states
in the nation to pass Medicaid expenses to local governments (N.Y. is
the other, though they are in the process of phasing this practice
out), North Carolina has the privilege of being one of only seven
states that permits forced annexation.  As Donna Martinez points out in a CJ Exclusive picked up by the Tryon Daily Bulletin, this distinction will continue to be supported by the North Carolina League of Municipalities. 
“The league’s intent,” said Martinez, “is to block efforts to curb
local government power and, in the process, give citizens the ability
to rebuff annexation efforts they do not support.”  With this
power, local governments gain quick access to tax revenues that are, in
some cases, slowly used to increase services to the newly
annexed.  In Columbus, some residents are speaking out with the
help of the Center for Local Innovation’s Chad Adams. 
Their point?  Annexation is occurring because town revenues are
low, and the promise of services comes at a disproportional increase in property
taxes.  The annexation was defeated,
when the Mayor– who at first supported annexation – decided that the annexation measure needed more citizen input and broke the tie
vote.