Candidate: Christopher Chiaromonte

Political party: Yahweh and Cannabis Party
Occupation: Street minister
Education: Eight years of college, a year of seminary
Political experience: Frequent speaker at City Council meetings
Donors (top 3): None
Endorsements: “My appellate lawyer”

1) What are the best and worst steps City Council has taken in the past two years, and why?
Best: “The best so far is the postponement of the Lexington rezoning.”
Worst: “The worst is the partisan election.”

2) What plan(s) do you support for the I-26 Connector project, and why?
“From what I know, they are still trying to work with the DOT on a plan. I would support a plan that is within the realms of reality and not fantasy.”

3) What, if anything, should the city do to improve mass transit?
“The hours need to be extended so that third-shift workers are able to use the system.”

4) What specific measures, if any, should the city take to address environmental concerns?
“I believe that we have to seek and encourage investors to be willing to spend some of their profits on the future of this planet or the greedy will destroy the hopes of the children of today.”

5) What’s your position on partisan elections?
“I think that city and county elections should not be partisan because it limits the vision of the people.”

6) As a member of City Council, what would be your top three priorities?
“1) Get Raleigh to give back a larger portion of our sales taxes; 2) Look into the infrastructure problems and see what we can do to keep the city’s employees from leaving Asheville; 3) Work to see that all the people … are free under the U.S. Constitution.”

7) What living national political figure do you most admire, and why?
“Right now I have none, because those in office today are working for the special interests.”

8) Under what circumstances, if any, would you support forced annexation?
“I do not support forced annexation, but I also believe that there should be truth in advertising and that the contractors should tell their potential buyers that they could be annexed, because they have tapped into the Asheville water system.”

9) What steps, if any, do you support to promote affordable housing in Asheville?
“I support a tax incentive for those that are willing to create low-cost housing. I would also see about creating realistic housing.”

10) Would you vote for or against The Ellington high-rise project, and why?
Did not respond.

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