A bill meant to change the way cities and towns annex property owners is headed back to committee.
The bill was drafted in response to long-festering anger over municipalities' ability to annex property owners against their will.
The proposed bill leaves neither municipalities nor annexation opponents happy.
"It must be a pretty good bill if everybody is upset," said Rep. Bruce Goforth, an Ashville Democrat and co-sponsor of the bill.
Good bill or not, Rep. Mickey Michaux, a Durham Democrat and senior budget writer in the House was afraid it would be an expensive bill.
More after the jump.
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The bill would give new duties to regulate and monitor annexations to the Local Government Commission, an arm of the state Treasurer's office that approves municipal debt. Michaux said the new duties could cost money and could throw the state budget out of balance.
"All of these things are going to add additional duties to the Local Government Commission for which we have to pay," Michaux said.
Bill supporters wanted the bill to just get a look from the legislature's fiscal research staff, which could have it back on the calendar as early as Thursday. Michaux wanted it to go to his appropriations committee for a look, a more time-consuming process.
Speaker Joe Hackney broke a 59-59 tie and sent the bill back to Michaux's committee.
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Re: Annexation bill sent off the floor
The league leads my representative around on a pound puppy leash. I hope they wake him up so he will vote to keep annexation. They are real impressed with him.