Big Government the Republican Way

Trudy Wade

The NC General Assembly is meddling in the self-government of the state's cities again. A bill introduced in the NC Senate by Trudy Wade (R) would completely restructure the Greensboro city council so that maybe Republicans can take control of it. You can read all the details in the Greensboro News&Record.

It's another naked power grab from Raleigh.

One of the sitting Greensboro council members, Republican Zach Matheny, whose seat would essentially be eliminated, said the legislation "seems to be in opposition to core Republican principles."

“Republicans — and I am one — want efficient government and less government,” Matheny said. “This is a big government move using the government to give more power to big government. It seems like the antithesis of what we would normally support.”

“I believe this is punitive, because we have been a very progressive city,” Mayor Nancy Vaughan said. Vaughan's powers would be greatly curtailed by the new bill, taking away her vote on the council except in cases of a tie.  “So we’re being singled out — I can’t see any other reason Greensboro should be treated any differently than any other North Carolina city.”

To which the Town of Boone expelled a giant sigh and said, "Welcome to our world!"

It wasn't enough for the Republicans in the General Assembly to gerrymander the state into pretzels to maintain their oppressive power. Now they're gerrymandering the cities to stomp the hell out of democracy there too.