Beginning October 1, 2013, individuals in North Carolina will be able to sign up to purchase private health insurance through the federal “marketplace” or “exchange” established under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA or ACA). Some individuals will be … Read more

Note: This post has been replaced by this updated post:   Calculating the Majority Vote Required for Variances and Development Regulation Amendments    

One of the basic principles of local government law in North Carolina is that cities and counties have only those powers delegated to them by the General Assembly.  Another is that any action taken by a local government must be … Read more

“The historical heritage of our State is one of our most valued and important assets,” and our cities and counties are authorized to safeguard that heritage and promote the use and conservation of North Carolina’s historic landmarks and districts (G.S. … Read more

Do county property tax officials have the right to enter private property for appraisal purposes? This question keeps popping up in my in-box and on the Ptax listserv.  With good reason, too, because state law doesn’t offer a quick answer.  … Read more

Imagine a balmy autumn evening. You and your family or friends have plans to go out for dinner. The restaurant that you have in mind offers you the chance to grab a table outdoors on the sidewalk. Have you ever … Read more

In 2009 I wrote a blog post summarizing the common law doctrine of “amotion” which was recognized in several old North Carolina cases as an inherent power of a board to remove one of its members. Since there had been … Read more

Special assessments are charges levied against property to pay for public infrastructure projects (and in some limited cases private infrastructure projects) that benefit that property. They represent a form of targeted revenue generation for capital outlay. The General Assembly has … Read more

UPDATE:  The General Assembly amended the E-Verify contracting prohibition for cities and counties during the 2014 legislative session.  Under Section 13 of S.L. 2014-119,  which went into effect on October 1, 2014, the E-Verify contracting prohibition now ONLY applies to … Read more

UPDATE February 2017:  In July 2016 the federal Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals issued an injunction against enforcement of three elements of the of the 2013 legislation described in this post:  photo ID at the polls, end of same-day registration … Read more