Michelle Pace Wood, Democrat, candidate for District 3, Buncombe County Commissioners

Posted on by Xpress Staff

Party Democrat
Slogan Your Voice For Jobs
Profession Small Business Owner
Residence Candler
Funding Report to be filed soon. Top donors are Ben Pace ($1,000) and Jamie Pace ($1,000).
Endorsements None

1. Do you favor A) creating a regional water authority, B) giving the existing system to the Metropolitan Sewerage District or C) leaving it under Asheville’s control? Why?
The General Assembly has the ability to vote and implement any of these three options. If the county becomes involved, I would favor a local solution that takes into consideration the investments made by everyone and does not open the door for privatization or charging customers differential rates.

2. Do you support granting domestic-partner rights and/or benefits to Buncombe County employees? (Yes/No) Why?
Before I could agree to any changes in benefits, I would like to see a study of the budgetary impacts. Emerging solutions should apply to every employee, not just one group. We should try to hold tax rates while supporting and addressing the needs of our Buncombe County employees.

3. Do you favor offering tax breaks and other economic-development incentives to companies that agree to move here or expand existing facilities and hire local workers? (Yes/No) Why?
Yes, if targeted. There’s no question that, in today’s competitive marketplace, local incentives are a big factor for companies looking to expand. We have to be mindful of our budget and offer targeted incentives to companies that will bring new industries, grow local businesses or hire local workers.

4. Do you think the county should make funding the Connect Buncombe greenways a high priority? (Yes/No) Why?
Yes, I favor greenways if the budget allows, and parks are equally distributed throughout Buncombe. The western and southern regions of Buncombe County are under-serviced. Due to budget issues, the county referred a western park request to private funding. I would encourage utilizing grants and private funding for greenways.

5. What’s the most important role of county government in job creation?
To create an atmosphere of stability and support that encourages new and local businesses to make long-term investments that benefit the future of Buncombe County.

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