UPDATE September 2013: During the 2013 legislative session, the General Assembly modified the distribution of Powell Bill funds to municipalities.

UPDATE September 2013: During the 2013 legislative session, the General Assembly modified the distribution of Powell Bill funds to municipalities.

Recently, the General Assembly enacted S.L. 2011-164 (SB 8) to remove the 100-school cap on the total number of charter schools that could be authorized in the State. Before its enactment, SB 8 went through a number of iterations. Several versions of the bill included provisions that authorized counties to provide funding to charter schools for capital outlay funding.

Recently, the General Assembly enacted S.L. 2011-164 (SB 8) to remove the 100-school cap on the total number of charter schools that could be authorized in the State. Before its enactment, SB 8 went through a number of iterations. Several versions of the bill included provisions that authorized counties to provide funding to charter schools for capital outlay funding.

As summarized in my recent post, the new annexation reform law requires cities to extend water and sewer services to annexed areas if the owners of a majority of properties in the area request service. The law requires the city to offer to each eligible owner of real property the opportunity to obtain water or sewer service, or both, “at no cost other than periodic user fees.” G.S. 160A-58.56(b).

As summarized in my recent post, the new annexation reform law requires cities to extend water and sewer services to annexed areas if the owners of a majority of properties in the area request service. The law requires the city to offer to each eligible owner of real property the opportunity to obtain water or sewer service, or both, “at no cost other than periodic user fees.” G.S. 160A-58.56(b).

First Amendment analysis of government employee speech is seldom a precise exercise.  The law is complicated.  The courts are firm in their notion that the cases turn on their facts and hard-and-fast rules are not really available. Let’s look at a real-life North Carolina situation and see how the free speech issues might play out.  The names have been changed to protect me.  In fact, I just completely made them up.  But the circumstances really happened.

First Amendment analysis of government employee speech is seldom a precise exercise.  The law is complicated.  The courts are firm in their notion that the cases turn on their facts and hard-and-fast rules are not really available. Let’s look at a real-life North Carolina situation and see how the free speech issues might play out.  The names have been changed to protect me.  In fact, I just completely made them up.  But the circumstances really happened.

As the economy continues to drag, more and more local governments are relying on foreclosures to improve their tax collections.  I’ve blogged previously about the foreclosure process here and here.  Today’s post responds to a couple of interesting questions attorneys and tax officials have raised in recent weeks.   But first, a few general observations and reminders.

As the economy continues to drag, more and more local governments are relying on foreclosures to improve their tax collections.  I’ve blogged previously about the foreclosure process here and here.  Today’s post responds to a couple of interesting questions attorneys and tax officials have raised in recent weeks.   But first, a few general observations and reminders.