Anti-annexation forces in town

Forget red states and blue states. At the Legislative Building today, it was red t-shirts and blue name tags.

Residents against forced annexation wore the shirts, and the pro-annexation N.C. League of Municipalities wore the name tags. All were there to talk to legislators about their issues, Lynn Bonner reports.

The anti-annexation folks are trying to pressure the legislature to approve a one-year freeze on forced annexations. They said they did not want to be forced to pay taxes for services they don't need.

The protest became irreverent at times, One woman had an anti-annexation bumper sticker attached to her pants. She said she pressed her rear end to the glass of the Senate gallery door so those inside could see her message.

They have some legislators behind them.

More after the jump.

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Forced annexation "hurts families, hurts individuals, hurts taxpayers and doesn't benefit our community in any significant way," said Republican Sen. Phil Berger, the Senate minority leader from Eden.

The anti-annexation group then held a "silent protest" march to the League of Municipalities offices. When the protesters arrived at the building where the league was planning a reception, some began to chant, "Let us in."

Susan Burgess, Charlotte mayor pro tem and league president, said she did not sense any decline in legislative support for annexation.

Annexation has served the state well for nearly 50 years, she said, and is one of the reasons for the success of its cities.

Residents should "participate in the support of the city from which they derive a lot of services," she said, and cities should be ready to provide services to areas they annex.