N&R reports Sen. Trudy Wade’s bill restructuring the Greensboro city Council has passed committee —“in what appeared to be a party line vote” and could be taken up by the full Senate as early as today:
Wade said the maps meet all the federal and state requirements. “They are drawn geographically and they try the best they can to keep communities together and not split up precincts,” she said.
Ultimately the Democrats said they heard overwhelming opposition to the bill from Greensboro residents. They pushed to amend the bill to require a voter referendum before any Senate Bill 36 changes are adopted.
“I am having trouble understanding why we in Raleigh need to tell the citizens of Greensboro how to conduct their local government,” said Sen. Jane Smith (D-Robeson), who proposed the referendum requirement.
On the subject of voter referendum, first-term state Rep. Pricey Harrison, D-Guilford —along with fellow Guilford Democrat Cecil Brockman — is sponsoring HB 179, which would amend the state Constitution to require that all proposed legislative changes to local governments be by referendum only.
