A county out of control?

Well, since a majority of the Buncombe County commissioners have decided to screw us out of our right to vote on this zoning issue, I think it is time to get rid of them all. I understand that Mr. Ramsey and Mr. Stanley dissented, but they were also involved in the recent elevation of our property taxes, so let’s get rid of them all.

It appears that the majority of our citizens oppose this type of regulation. And on the outside, it appears that the three board members in favor of zoning are just protecting their own investments.

It is their duty to protect the tax base; however, what they have done is to cripple the tax base, raising the tax rate so excessively that long-term residents are being forced to sell their properties and leave the area. This is not protecting the tax base. This is driving the tax base off.

To not allow a vote on such a divisive subject is, in this writer’s opinion, totally un-American. Maybe it’s the land of the rich and home of the rich.

I ran for soil and water conservation supervisor in hopes that I could help control some of this overdevelopment, especially on our ridge tops. However, I have been told that it is none of my concern. Well, whose concern is it? It is my concern and the concern of all of our citizens. I have also been told that I need to include a disclaimer in my opinions, so here’s the disclaimer: These thoughts are the opinions of Jeff Turner only, and not the opinions of the Buncombe County Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Supervisors. Now that I have stated that, I will continue.

After watching the televised farce on the county channel and listening to the citizens of our community, it is evident to me that we just don’t matter to the elected leaders. One lady from Fairview stated that she had contacted Mr. Goforth about this issue—[saying] that was the proper way to voice her concerns; however, she must not know that his construction company, Goforth Builders, was at the top of the list of “preferred developers” in promotional material for the Southcliff project in Fairview. It seems to me very close to a conflict of interest on his part as well, especially since he was instrumental in getting city water to the area.

We, as a community, have no representation at all. The ironic thing about all of this is that I am the great grandson of a Cherokee family. The Cherokee were slaughtered or removed forcibly, and their lands were stolen. Now, Murphy’s Law is forcing the removal of the children of our oppressors. You have finally reached the pinnacle of success when you run off your own relatives. White on white. Irony all right.

— Jeff Turner
Asheville