‘We must never forget that Rep. Mike Carter is the person who defeated the practice of cities reaching out and annexing communities by ordinance. He took on a battle against one of the most powerful lobbying groups in Nashville, the Tennessee Municipal League, and won. He sponsored and passed a bill saying that no annexation can take place without first a vote of the people affected by it. He became known as the “giant killer” by its passage.
There is a long history in the passage of this legislation. During my 28 years in the Legislature (1976-2004), I served in the minority. I repeatedly sponsored legislation to stop forced annexation to the point that a special subcommittee was set up to deal with the subject of annexation. Most years they simply chose not to meet. Finally, when they did agree to meet I would take my bill in, present it, and not one time got a motion or a second to even consider it. It got lonely at times.
I won a lot of battles in my 28 years, but never this one. Four years later, the Republicans became the majority party and Mike Carter was elected and took on this battle. I passed a resolution as a member of the GOP State Executive Committee condemning forced annexation and the Tennessee Federation of GOP Women across the state got behind Mike, passed a resolution doing the same and contacted every senator and representative in the state urging them to support Mike Carter’s effort.
Rep. Mike Carter and Senator Bo Watson won the battle and passed it overwhelmingly. It was through the determination, judicial knowledge and willingness to face the giants alone by Mike Carter to accomplish this.
In my opinion he was one of the greatest statesmen I have known. We must never take away from his legacy.
Bobby Wood