Regulating video gaming and gambling of one sort or another has vexed state and local governments in North Carolina for the better part of two decades. A recent court opinion held the current version of the state’s ban on internet … Read more

The city council is about to take action on a proposed rezoning of property. The rezoning will enable undeveloped land to be used for an office and retail business park. Suppose that the council has before it a planning staff … Read more

It’s pop quiz time!  Is the following statement true or false? No one can buy real property in North Carolina without first paying all of the property taxes owed on the property. Answer: False. Well, not entirely false.  But not … Read more

Here is a question that came to me from a North Carolina public employer not too long ago.  An employee regularly includes “Put Your Faith in the Lord” as part of his closing on emails, whether the emails are to … Read more

It’s happening more and more frequently, in large and small jurisdictions across North Carolina. It may come by email, personal delivery, or even in a good old -fashioned letter, signed, sealed and delivered by snail mail. It’s the massive public … Read more

Looking to drum up new business, Tony Gazzo makes a public records request to the Rockyham County property tax office for a report listing the names, addresses, and amounts owed for all real property owners who are delinquent on their … Read more

It’s budget time for local governments, and the fun should not be reserved just for finance and budget staffers.  Tax officials need to play an important role in the process, too.   The Local Government Budget and Fiscal Control Act … Read more

Along Broken Dreams Boulevard, not far from Main Street, an abandoned mill overlooks a troubled neighborhood. Once a thriving residential area with inexpensive mill housing (single family homes and duplexes), the neighborhood is now typical of a declining mill village. … Read more

Ralph Kramden is working his way through the morning paper, waiting for his second cup of coffee to kick in. He suddenly jumps up, knocking his coffee to the floor in the process. “Alice, did you see what those yahoos … Read more

The town’s governing board wants to be more transparent. They direct the clerk to post all agendas, attachments, minutes, and budgets on the town’s website.  The IT director, who manages the website, suggests that these documents should be converted to … Read more

Where to put the new landfill?  The county commissioners are feeling the pressure.  The site in the east will upset the folks in the Eastville area, and the site in the west will upset the Westoners.  One commissioner has an … Read more

A short while ago I wrote about the state constitutional provisions on redistricting, noting the argument that for decades North Carolina might have been drawing legislative districts at the wrong time. The state constitution can be read to say that … Read more

[Update:  In 2013 the N.C. Supreme Court reversed the Court of Appeals decision discussed below.  See this blog post for more details.] In the first of three decisions we are expecting on internet sweepstakes, the N.C. Court of Appeals ruled … Read more

Blight City is looking to revitalize a portion of its downtown. Over the past ten years the area has fallen into disarray and contains many abandoned, dilapidated buildings. Working with a couple of local developers, the city has developed plans … Read more

A really hot topic is occupying the city council: to allow food trucks or not to allow food trucks, that is the question. Local restaurants are opposed, but the trucks are really popular and may revive downtown foot traffic. The … Read more

Having received lots of emails and phone calls after my earlier post on this topic, it seems worthy of a sequel.  Here’s a few of the more interesting questions from across the state this past week. How creative can a … Read more

The town council makes decisions on special use permit applications under the Macomb zoning ordinance. The council is in the midst of a hearing on an application from Malcolm Tucker for a special use permit to build a new shopping … Read more

UPDATE Summer 2024: The legislature further limited the authority for local governments to mandate connections. The specifics are discussed here.  UPDATE October 5, 2015: The legislature enacted S.L. 2015-246, which, effective August 1, 2016, prohibits a city, county, sanitary district, … Read more

Students of local government law learn first and foremost that all local governments get their powers from the state. In North Carolina, local authority comes primarily from local and general laws enacted by the General Assembly. A particular city may … Read more

Voting for president is weird. When we go to the polls at the general election in November and think we are voting for one candidate or another, we’re not.  Not a single North Carolinian voted for John McCain or Barak … Read more