FreedomTalks

Columbus votes no on annexation

Chris Dailey

November 18, 2005

Opponents of a proposed annexation by Columbus were smiling Tuesday night.
Mayor Kathleen McMillian ended months of heated debate when she provided a tie-breaking vote Tuesday to defeat the annexation that would have added about 254 acres and 360 residents to the town.

Council members Richard Hall and Tommy Melton voted against the annexation, while Mark Feagan and Becky Rome voted in favor of it.
The vote then turned to McMillian.

“I was expecting this,” said McMillian, referring to her deciding role. “If (the area) was being voluntarily annexed it would be okay, but it’s not voluntary.

“The people have actually spoken against it very adamantly. At public hearings we’ve heard from them and I have heard them on the phone and I believe if I put myself in the same situation I would feel the same.”

For that reason, she said, she must vote “no” on the annexation, a statement that drew strong applause from the audience.

Most of the residents in the proposed annexation area have strongly objected to the plan, which they say would have brought them higher taxes but little, if any, benefit.

Councilman Melton started the annexation discussion Tuesday saying he hadn’t heard from a single resident who spoke in favor of the annexation.

Instead, he said the town has heard from many residents who feel “forced annexation is not the American way.”

He said he welcomes anyone, such as developers, who request to be part of the town. But he urged the council to “do the right thing,” and rejected the forced annexation.

North Carolina is one of only seven states in the country that permit “forced” annexation if areas meet certain criteria showing that they are developed to “urban standards.”

The Town of Columbus began working on the proposed annexation in September of 2003, and selected the proposed area following a review by the Isothermal Planning and Development Commission.

The area included Shamrock Forest, Woodland Acres, Blanton Street and Hayes Road.
Town officials said at the time they launched the annexation process that they were interested in possibly reducing the tax burden on current residents.

The town has struggled at its current tax rate to generate sufficient revenue to cover costs in its general fund. Expanding the tax base, or adding taxable properties, would have generated more revenue for the town without having to raise the tax rate.

The town expected to get about $125,000 net in its general fund as a result of the annexation.

Town officials have emphasized that Columbus is in good financial condition and did not need the additional revenue from the annexation. The town has been able to transfer revenue from its water/sewer fund to meet general fund shortfalls. Columbus Town Manager Glenn Rhodes reported Tuesday night that the town currently has $1.3 million in the bank.

Without additional revenue from the annexation, though, the town likely will face the same challenging budget decisions it’s had in recent years. This year the town council was presented a long list of needs, and opted to raise the tax rate by 5 cents per $100 of property valuation to meet a portion of the needs.

The town will at least continue to get a boost in revenue from new building.
Rhodes says the town can expect additional revenue in its general fund from the growth happening inside and around the town.

He said additional commercial developments inside the town will bring more tax revenue, and some developments just outside the town limits may soon request annexation.

This entry was posted on Monday, November 21st, 2005 at 9:27 am and is filed under States. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.