From a Press release from Heather Rayburn:
Where? City County Plaza – Bring your protest signs!
The draft recommendation from Rep. Tim Moffitt’s Water Study Committee was approved last week in Raleigh despite overwhelming opposition from citizens, business organizations, and elected officials in Buncombe County. The recommendation calls for the City to merge Asheville’s water system “voluntarily” with MSD by 2013 or they will do it for us. This is clearly a threat and cannot be called “voluntary” in any way.
Business voices, as well as individuals, must show opposition to this takeover from Raleigh. The Asheville Brewers Alliance came out against this decision and supports the City maintaining control of the water and so has the Asheville Downtown Association. Yet the Chamber of Commerce has inexplicably chosen to stay silent on the most important issue to impact Buncombe County in decades. Business members of the Chamber need to be heard!
We invite all those who oppose Rep. Moffitt’s Committee decision to gather at City Hall before the City Council public hearing on Tuesday, April 24 for a rally at 4:30 pm. Make your comments at the hearing and let Council know we support them – and tell Rep. Moffitt & Raleigh: Hands off our water!
Maybe there is a reason the Chamber does not agree with you ….
She doesn’t say that the Chamber doesn’t agree – she points out that they have been silent. I think it’s pretty clear that a lot of people, even people who don’t especially like the City of Asheville govt., are extremely uneasy about this power grab by Raleigh. If the Chamber were to poll their members, I think you would find that they do agree – but the leadership doesn’t want to do that for some reason.
It’s also worth reminding that MSD has already indicated they will raise water rates on current users to pay for, as Tom Hartye put it, “new construction”. Once the system is taken away from the City, Asheville residents and businesses (and current Buncombe customers) will have to pay more so as to subsidize growth in not just one, but two counties.
Shouldn’t Chamber members be allowed to weigh in on whether that’s fair?