Bill Reynolds

Age: 67
Residence: Black Mountain
Occupation: Small-business owner
Education: (left blank)
Party: Republican
Political experience: No previous office held.

1. Do you support allowing individual municipalities to enact their own campaign-finance reform ordinances?

No. All candidates should have same rules.

2. Do you believe the state’s ethics law for legislators is adequate? If not, how would you change it?

No. They have no real teeth and should not be enforced by legislators.

3. What’s your position on the proposed passenger-rail service between Raleigh and Western North Carolina?

Too expensive to start and probably will not sustain itself.

4. Would you support state funding for renovating or rebuilding the Asheville Civic Center? Why or why not?

No. This is a local issue and should be kept that way.

5. Do you support a public-funding option for Council of State candidates, similar to the judicial public-financing system approved in 2002? Why?

No. Government is too involved in our lives already.

6. What do you plan to do to ensure equitable distribution of state lottery funds to WNC?

Lottery should be stopped as is and then totally revamped. Also funds taken away should be restored.

7. Name three state budget areas or items that should be reduced and three that should be increased.

Too much is being spent in most cases already. Adjust present expenditures.

8. Would you approve additional local-option rooms-and-meals or food-and-beverage taxes for Buncombe County? Under what circumstances?

Depends on how and where they would be used.

9. As WNC’s land prices skyrocket, would you support tools — such as the property-transfer tax or inclusionary zoning — to help communities keep housing affordable?

Definitely not zoning; property-transfer tax more reasonable.

10. What most distinguishes you from your opponents in this primary?

My age and experience.