Rep. Chuck McGrady

NC Legislators & Governor: We Oppose the Forced Taking of Municipal Water Systems! Sign up for the fight here.

Cross-posted from Scrutiny Hooligans:

It began well over a year ago when the representative from NC’s 116th district filed a bill that would forcibly merge the City of Asheville’s public water utility with the Metropolitan Sewerage District. He didn’t bother to tell Asheville’s elected officials about it, even though they were in his office the day before. Quickly backpedaling, the representative reformatted the seizure into a “Study Committee” process. The “Study Committee” went through the motions, ignored the opposition, and came up with a recommendation that mirrored the original seizure bill. The bill itself was filed this past Thursday, HB488. It is an outright taking, offering no compensation for loss of the asset.

Sen. Martin Nesbitt (Dem) spoke at the end of the League of Women Voters forum in Asheville about the fate of Asheville's water system on March 13, 2012.

The “Dr. Mumpower” Nesbitt refers to is former Asheville city councilman and former NC-11 congressional candidate, Carl Mumpower, a Republican. The “Chuck” that Nesbitt addresses is Rep. Chuck McGrady (R-Henderson), representing a House committee Rep. Tim Moffitt (R-Buncombe) set up to study whether or not the state should transfer control of the $177 million water system from the city of Asheville to a new regional commission controlled by the state. That would be the one in House Bill 488 introduced this week by Moffitt, McGrady and freshman Rep. Nathan Ramsey (R-Buncombe). Everyone opposing the deal knew the "study" was kabuki theater.

A dozen North Carolina cities and towns within the last few weeks have passed, considered or scheduled votes to approve the nonpartisan NC League of Municipalities resolution against "forced taking" of municipal infrastructure by the state.

NC Legislators & Governor: We Oppose the Forced Taking of Municipal Water Systems!

By Kathie Kline (Contact)

To be delivered to: The North Carolina State House, The North Carolina State Senate, and Governor Beverly Perdue

It has come to my attention that Buncombe County’s range war has gone largely unnoticed outside the region. Well, better saddle up, partners. Your town is next. For those who don’t have time for deep reading, here’s the story in a nutshell. It's a complicated story I don't fully grasp myself, so excuse the editorializing and lack of complete detail, but you need to know:

Raleigh is acting like rich, cattle barons.
They want our water rights.
They offer pennies on the dollar.
If we refuse, their henchmen take it by force.