Points of Change in H845

1. All North Carolina taxpaying landowners in a would-be annexed area must receive water and sewer connections at no cost to them if they agree to be annexed. This ends the practice of passing these costs, often thousands of dollars, to citizens and forcing them from their homes.

2. All North Carolina taxpaying landowners will have the option, at their request, not the city’s, to opt-in to the free connections to water and sewer service. Property owners will have 60 to 90 days to "opt-in". Even though water and sewer connections will be free, most people still value their freedom to make their own choices. This honors the principle that citizens, not governments, know what is best for them.

3. All North Carolina taxpaying citizens in a would-be annexed area have the opportunity to override a city’s annexation decision, just like Congress does for the President. If 60% of taxpaying landowners choose not to permit an annexation, it won’t happen. Plain and simple. 120 days is given to return your decision to the County Tax Assessor.

4. The city is barred from attempting to annex an area for two years after the citizens have said no. The practice of instant annexation re‐runs will stop.

5. No more shoe-string or road-width annexations where thin strips of land or even streets are used as an excuse to call the annexed area “contiguous” to the city.

6. The distinction between small and big cities is obliterated. Those who live outside the city don’t have anything to do with the size of the neighboring city, and the rules for annexation shouldn’t vary depending on the size of the city. All cities should be held to the highest annexation standards contiguity and urbanity.

7. All other city services must be provided on the same basis as the services already available in the city. If the services aren’t provided, or if a city attempts to provide them at a conveniently slow pace once taxes are being collected, the annexed citizens can petition the LGC for abatement of taxes if services aren’t provided within 30 days. Cities can no longer annex unwilling residents, demand timely tax payments, and refuse to deliver timely services. 

8. If a city misbehaves, the annexed taxpayers can challenge the annexation in court and a judge can award them attorney fees if they win. This forces cities to think seriously about adhering to the law. The cities cannot continue to ask forgiveness rather than permission, and hide behind high legal fees as a barrier to being held accountable by the citizens.

9. Companies who own land and pay taxes will have a voice. If cities tax them, cities have to listen to them. All of them.