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Several North Carolina city governments and their city attorneys, along with the lobbyist organization, the N.C. League of Municipalities, have been working to overturn the new annexation law that has given a voice to property owners in areas involuntarily targeted for annexation.
You have to ask yourself why the cities and the N.C. League of Municipalities are laboring — and wasting state, county, municipal and individual taxpayer money — to try to overthrow the new annexation law. Obviously, the cities want to retain forced annexation as a means to raise revenue without providing any necessary services, for starters.
i have to say this perspective bothers me a bit. I think it's intellectually dishonest. I think these people just don't want to pay city taxes.
for example, i live about 1 mile from my city's city limits; I drive into town every day and spend most of my day there. I don't pay city property taxes. However, I drive on city streets, (which are drained by city stormwater, lit by city streetlights), use city sidewalks, enjoy city parks, city golf courses, the city dog parks and tennis courts, the shows at the city amphitheater, etc., so I'm ALREADY getting city services. If I get in a wreck in the city, it's city police that take care of it. The city taxpayers help fund police , for example, which takes pressure off the county taxpayers having to actually serve the city limits with the sherriff's office.
Annexing me would simply make me pay for the services I already use. THAT is why all of the "anti-annexation" people can say, "Don't annex me, I already have the services I need!" The reason annexation exists to begin with is because there is no practical way to prevent freeloaders like me from using city services.
NC's previous liberal annexation law was one of the best things to ever happen to the state. It allowed the state's cities to take in surrounding urbanized areas, which tended to be more affluent and prosperous than the city proper. By doing so, it made sure cities could expand with growth and not be locked out of it.
i have to say this perspective bothers me a bit. I think it's intellectually dishonest. I think these people just don't want to pay city taxes.
for example, i live about 1 mile from my city's city limits; I drive into town every day and spend most of my day there. I don't pay city property taxes. However, I drive on city streets, (which are drained by city stormwater, lit by city streetlights), use city sidewalks, enjoy city parks, city golf courses, the city dog parks and tennis courts, the shows at the city amphitheater, etc., so I'm ALREADY getting city services. If I get in a wreck in the city, it's city police that take care of it. The city taxpayers help fund police , for example, which takes pressure off the county taxpayers having to actually serve the city limits with the sherriff's office.
Annexing me would simply make me pay for the services I already use. THAT is why all of the "anti-annexation" people can say, "Don't annex me, I already have the services I need!" The reason annexation exists to begin with is because there is no practical way to prevent freeloaders like me from using city services.
This is a failed analogy because you'd never be able to hold a line... Each new annexation would just put a new group "1 mile from my city's city limits". It would never end.
This is a failed analogy because you'd never be able to hold a line...
There's nothing failed about the analogy; the point is for the city's political boundaries to be able to expand, to include any urban, built-up area immediately outside the city limits.
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Each new annexation would just put a new group "1 mile from my city's city limits". It would never end.
It would end when you reached undeveloped (or very low-density) land.
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Originally Posted by Tarheelhombre
NC's previous liberal annexation law was one of the best things to ever happen to the state. It allowed the state's cities to take in surrounding urbanized areas, which tended to be more affluent and prosperous than the city proper. By doing so, it made sure cities could expand with growth and not be locked out of it.
Exactly. Bizarre how North Carolinians would look to South Carolina as an example of urban development... you know, with all those bustling SC metropolises. I guess they looked at Myrtle Beach and liked what they saw.
Last edited by Cletus Awreetus-Awrightus; 01-17-2012 at 09:24 AM..
I think these people just don't want to pay city taxes.
Other factors certainly can and will come into play...
but I tend to agree that the money objection is the rule more than the exception.
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...for example, i live about 1 mile from my city's city limits;
I drive into town every day and spend most of my day there.
I don't pay city property taxes.
I'm at the outer edge of an area that was annexed long ago.
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Annexing me would simply make me pay for the services I already use.
THAT is why all of the "anti-annexation" people can say,
"Don't annex me, I already have the services I need!"
Well said.
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The reason annexation exists to begin with is because
there is no practical way to prevent freeloaders like me from using city services.
The closest to that idea of practicality is a commuter (income) tax...
which doesn't ever quite get it done anywhere it's been tried.
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Originally Posted by MikeyKid
This is a failed analogy because you'd never be able to hold a line...
Each new annexation would just put a new group "1 mile from my city's city limits".
It would never end.
The issue there is the deliberateness of the developer building one mile from the line;
or at least close to the major commuter artery to the City:
Their "Close to town but no City taxes" ads are appealing to buyers.
But absent some OTHER overarching approach to development, growth and taxation...
you're left with either joining the Metro or burying your head in the sand.
Just because annexation isn't a perfect solution...
isn't reason enough to say it's wrong altogether.
Last edited by MrRational; 01-17-2012 at 09:25 AM..
Just another relentless power grab by government. If people want city services then they should buy in the city or petition for annexation. Talk about "taxation without representation". The new law just says the majority of owners have to agree to be annexed. Let the city make the case to convince the owners it is in their best interest. In my area we have County libraries, County parks and County water and sewer.. I don't need any city services.
There's nothing failed about the analogy; the point is for the city's political boundaries to be able to expand, to include any urban, built-up area immediately outside the city limits.
It would end when you reached undeveloped land.
Again, this is failed logic... It would only temporarily end when you reached undeveloped land - because... guess what? A developer would develop it! This is simply what they do and have always done.
We could have a discussion on how to limit sprawl - that seems to be something you'd be advocating based on how I read your mini-rant on "using services you don't pay for".
Again, this is failed logic... It would only temporarily end when you reached undeveloped land - because... guess what? A developer would develop it! This is simply what they do and have always done.
We could have a discussion on how to limit sprawl - that seems to be something you'd be advocating based on how I read your mini-rant on "using services you don't pay for".
Very interesting points, Mikey.
Also - could someone define for me what folks are referring to with "services they don't pay for but are already using." I am having trouble figuring out what this would be. I keep going thru/ a mental list of city services that someone outside of that city could be taking advantage of and not paying for and I can't come up with anything.
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