Raleigh, N.C. – The two issues, Eminent Domain and Forced Annexation, are in direct opposition to ‘private property’ rights according to respondents of Civitas Institute’s June 2008 DescisionMaker poll.
When asked if the state should have the power to forcibly acquire property from a private citizen for the use of economic development, 92 percent responded ‘no’, 5 percent would support the measure, and 3 percent were not sure.
“Private property rights are at the very core of our society which any level of government should work hard to protect and recently we see lawmakers at the state level shying away from their duty by allowing HR 878 to die in the Senate,” said Francis De Luca, Executive Director of the Civitas Institute
House Bill 878, a proposed amendment to North Carolina’s constitution, was drafted to protect tax payer’s private property from the effects of Eminent Domain. The measure passed the House but has languished in the senate since May, 2007.
When asked if if they would support a one-year moratorium on forced annexation, which would take homeowners into a cities political boundaries without their consent, 51 percent responded ‘yes’, 37 percent no, and 12 percent were not sure.
“Forced Annexation is simply an easy way for local government’s to increase revenue and their reach, without upsetting their current voters,” stated De Luca.
Cities in North Carolina have used Forced Annexation as standard practice over many years when expanding municipal limits. Recently, the N.C. House Finance Committee approved a measure to enact a moratorium through June 30, 2009. This legislation has not made it to the full house yet.
“In both measures, you see local government not respecting private property rights in search of that extra dollar of revenue, when they should be looking at cutting costs not increasing revenues,” concluded De Luca.
The Take Back Our State Rally on Wednesday, June 25th will be held in Raleigh, N.C. The rally will include over 750 citizens from various parts of North Carolina who regard Eminent Domain and Forced Annexation as a threat to private property rights.
The study of 600 registered voters was conducted June 11-13 by Tel Opinion Research of Alexandria, Virginia. All respondents were part of a fully representative sample of registered voters in North Carolina. For purposes of this study, respondents interviewed voted in either the 2002, 2004 or 2006 general election or were newly registered voters since 2006. The voters were interviewed using live callers.
The confidence interval associated with a sample of this size is such that: 95% of the time, results from 600 interviews (registered voters) will be within +- 4% of the “True Values.” “True Values” refer to the results obtained if it were possible to interview every person in North Carolina who had voted in either the 2002, 2004 or 2006 general elections or were newly registered voters since 2006.
SHOULD THE STATE BE ABLE TO FORCIBLY TAKE PROPERTY FROM A
PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL AND SELL IT TO ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL IN
ORDER TO FOSTER ECONOMIC DEVELOMENT?
# %
YES 30 5
NO 554 92
NOT SURE 16 3
A PROPOSED ONE-YEAR MORATORIUM ON FORCED ANNEXATION WOULD
BRIEFLY STOP CITIES FROM FORCING HOMEOWNERS INTO THEIR
POLITICAL BOUNDARIES WITHOUT OWNER CONSENT. DO YOU
SUPPORT THIS ONE-YEAR TIME OUT ON FORCED ANNEXATION?
# %
YES 307 51
NO 221 37
NOT SURE 69 12
REFUSED 3