We occasionally get phone calls from local government officials who are concerned that the mayor – or in the case of a county, the chair of the board of commissioners – has not signed an ordinance or has not signed … Read more

A national retailer plans to locate a new big box store on a large vacant lot adjacent to an existing single-family neighborhood. The town council is holding a hearing on a special use permit application for project. The zoning ordinance … Read more

Assume you are a county attorney who gets a call from the tax collector asking your advice on whether the tax office should start foreclosure proceedings on Parcel A.  The property is valued at $25,000 and the county holds a tax lien … Read more

UPDATE September 2013:  A superior court judge affirmed the power of amotion for removal of a county commissioner. The judge’s order is summarized here. With apologies to Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, and with assurances that I haven’t left out … Read more

One news outlet reported that in exchange for constructing a data center in North Carolina, Apple Inc. will be reimbursed by North Carolina local governments for “50 percent of tax revenue on real estate property — buildings and land — … Read more

Now that local governments are digging in to the requirements that apply to American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grants, I’ve started to get questions about developing bid protest procedures.  Are these procedures required?  If so, what should the procedures look … Read more

Many local government officials, reticent to increase their unit’s property tax or other tax rates, look to alternative revenue sources to support general government services and activities. One potential source of revenue is that generated from the fees and charges … Read more

I sometimes get questions about the ubiquitous “approved as to form,” which appears on official documents, signed by the local government attorney. Is this just typical boilerplate, or is it a legal requirement for a contract, ordinance, or other official … Read more

Your local government is planning a major construction project, and the engineering firm working with you on the project has strongly recommended prequalifying contractors before bidding.  The engineer tells you that this will ensure that the bids you receive are … Read more

UPDATE August 2013: For more recent information on this topic, click here. True or False — State law prohibits a local government or public authority from assessing surcharges on customers who remit payment of taxes, assessments, or fees by credit … Read more