It was bound to happen.

Redistricting is going to cost rural areas in North Carolina, with the state’s Piedmont region standing to make significant gains.

With Republicans in charge in both houses of the North Carolina General Assembly, there is no doubt they will redraw legislative districts to favor the Piedmont. The Raleigh and Charlotte areas and their surrounding suburbs will receive more representation – and influence – in the state House and state Senate beginning with the 2012 elections. Meanwhile, Beaufort County and other rural areas more than likely will see their influence in the General Assembly wane.

Beaufort County needs Rep. Bill Cook, a Republican who resides in Beaufort County and represents District 6 in the state House, and Sen. Stan White, a Democrat from Dare County, to fight to keep Beaufort County whole during the redistricting process. We don’t need Republicans in the General Assembly carving Beaufort County so that one part is in one House or Senate district, a second part is in another House or Senate district and a third part in yet another House or Senate district.

Whether Cook and White, both freshmen legislators, will be able to keep Beaufort County whole remains to be seen. It’s possible Beaufort County could be split. That would not be in the best interest of the county.

The question is does the GOP leadership, which will have a major voice in the redistricting process in Raleigh, care enough about Beaufort County to keep it whole, or will that leadership divide the county so it can meet its goals.

Beaufort County taxpayers pay their fair share of state taxes. Granted, Beaufort County residents combined may not pay as much in taxes as Mecklenburg County residents combined, but Beaufort County residents pay taxes under the same rules and schedules as any other taxpayer in the state.

Beaufort County deserves to be fairly represented at the state level. We contend that means keeping the county whole when it comes to redistricting.