Press release from Kim Roney:
Kim Roney, service-industry worker and piano teacher, announced her candidacy for Asheville City Council in 2020 on Thursday morning on social media. In lieu of a municipal election this week, Roney’s campaign launched to mobilize people to the polls. Running on affordable housing, a fare-free regional transit network, and a participatory democracy & budget process for the city, Roney’s message focuses on a livable and vibrant city for locals that strengthens community.
“As a community, we are woven together, and need each other, so I invite you to join me in strengthening our community bond,” Roney said in her campaign video. “We can and must Be ‘Bout It Being Better. Check your voter ID and registration today!”
Roney, establishing her work in local advocacy through community radio, was the founding member and Station Manager of 103.3 Asheville FM who covered City Council meetings for the AFM News Hour. She has attended City Council meetings for more than 4 years to advocate for issues around affordable housing, living wage jobs, fully functional and equitable public transit, climate resilience, fair elections, and economic mobility in the face of tourism industry strains.
“I’ve been in City Hall for almost five years, starting with offering public comment in support of affordable housing for workers. I’ve continued showing up because I know many can’t,” said Roney. “The work we must do to ensure a resilient community prepared for climate change includes urgent action to take better care of the planet and each other. We need deeply affordable housing, a regional transit network, and participatory democracy that realizes equity by ensuring decisions in City Hall are made with our community represented at the table.’”
Roney has served on Asheville’s Multi-Modal Transportation Commission and Transit Committee for the last three years. She has lived car-free since 2008 after committing to reduce her greenhouse gas emissions as much as possible and choosing to walk, bike, and rely on public transit. Roney believes that transit is at the intersection of equitable access, economic mobility, and environmental sustainability.
Before you comment
The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.