THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 28, 1995 TAG: 9509280380
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY PERRY PARKS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ELIZABETH CITY LENGTH: Medium: 68 lines
A small but vocal group of residents opposed to merging the Elizabeth City and Pasquotank County governments promised Wednesday to pressure officials to stop the process.
About 20 people trickled into the Pasquotank County Courthouse for the first meeting of the Alliance to Counteract the City-County Merger, a meeting organized by city blacks worried about voting rights and dominated by county whites worried about taxes.
The group met amicably for an hour, rehashing their concerns about what a merger might do to their tax bills and their power at the ballot box.
``Don't be alarmed by who you see here,'' Paul Bryant, president of a city civil-rights group and leader of the anti-merger group, said of the low attendance. ``There are many more who are against this merger, but they just don't come out for this type of meeting.''
The city and county governing boards voted in March to continue studying how the governments and their services can be combined. An appointed commission has been working on the process for two years, using a tax-funded budget of $25,000.
A merger would require further approval from the local governments, state legislation, a countywide referendum and a nod from the U.S. Justice Department. But the anti-merger alliance wants to nip the process in the bud.
Bryant said the group will invite elected city and county officials to a meeting next month to persuade them to disband the merger commission.
``I'm assuming they're going to come,'' said Bryant, a candidate for City Council in the 1st Ward. ``It's in their best interest to come.''
Group members agreed that race is not an issue in opposition to the merger. But some of the first words spoken at the meeting - by William Leigh, who represents public housing residents in the city - raised the primary argument that city opponents have voiced against merger.
``We as African Americans have not forgotten the fact that we were not allowed to hold public office in the past,'' Leigh said. ``We are going to organize. We're going to speak out. . . . We're going to let them know that we do not trust the Justice Department to set things straight.''
Blacks make up a majority of Elizabeth City residents and just under 40 percent of the county population. Four of eight regularly voting City Council members are black; six of the seven county commissioners are white.
Members of the anti-merger group said they hoped their actions would persuade the elected boards that more people oppose the merger process than support it. Many of the county residents, who say they don't want the city running their affairs, claim they have talked to no one who favors a merger.
If officials don't listen to the group, Bryant said, other options will be explored, like writing a letter of opposition to the Justice Department.
The department must pre-clear any change in voting procedures in Pasquotank County to ensure fairness for minorities. Expressing significant opposition to the department would make approval of a new government body less likely.
Members also talked about petitions, write-in campaigns and even legal action as possible ways to fight the process.
Alliance members agreed that greater numbers would be required to make an impact.
``We need more bodies,'' said county resident Tom Eichler. ``I think there needs to be education in certain areas of Elizabeth City. They need to know that when we have a meeting like this, they need to be here.''
Bryant was elected president of the alliance. Pablo Massa-Cruz was elected vice president. Leigh was named secretary. All three are city residents. by CNB