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RALEIGH — Four major reforms are critical for North Carolina to get rid of forced annexation, according to a new John Locke Foundation Spotlight report. The changes would help…

Real reform of the state’s regressive annexation law does not mean getting rid of annexation generally or even city-initiated annexation. However, it should mean getting rid of the practice of forced annexation that allows municipalities to unilaterally force individuals in unincorporated areas to live within the municipalities.

During policy discussions, much is made of the greed of private individuals, but rarely is government greed mentioned. Government greed is the lust for power that consumes policymakers — the desire to do whatever it takes to stay in power and to give government more power. In the North Carolina legislature, government greed is alive and well. Ten policy examples discussed in this report reasonably attest to this lust for power.

RALEIGH – North Carolina’s new drought management law likely would permit government regulation of private wells, despite claims to the contrary. That’s the key finding in a new John Locke…

Despite claims to the contrary, North Carolina’s new drought management bill does not expressly prohibit the regulation of water use from private wells. In fact, the bill likely authorizes regulation of water use from private wells.

RALEIGH — North Carolina’s next General Assembly can promote freedom and prosperity by limiting government spending, rejecting policies that raise energy costs, and helping more parents make choices about their…

RALEIGH – The current controversy over Duke Energy’s Save-A-Watt program highlights problems linked to all government-mandated energy-efficiency plans. That’s the assessment of a John Locke Foundation analyst whose new…

Energy-efficiency programs generally have many of the same problems as Duke Energy’s heavily criticized Save-A-Watt program. Energy-efficiency programs force consumers to pay an extra hidden tax on their utility bills to subsidize financial incentives for the purchase of energy-efficient goods and services.

RALEIGH – North Carolina law places few limits on cities and towns seeking to annex property owners by force. That’s the key message in a new John Locke Foundation…

The annexation law, despite hollow claims to the contrary, imposes few requirements on municipalities and offers little protection for citizens when it comes to forced annexation. Municipalities can forcibly annex areas that do not meet density requirements.