Annexation bill heads back to committee

There is a bit of bad news for opponents of forced annexation. A bill that would give North Carolinians the right to vote on whether they want to be annexed into the city limits has been sent back to Committee. The bill passed the House Finance Committee last week, and was being heard on the House floor yesterday. Local Representative Carolyn Justice says it doesn't appear the House leadership wants the bill to come to a vote. The House speaker cast the tie-breaking vote to send the bill back to committee. It may be considered by the Appropriations Committee early next week, but lawmakers are working against the clock as the legislative session will likely wrap up in the next several weeks. Representative Justice says if the bill doesn't pass this session, these annexation reforms won't be eligible for discussion again until 2011.