Democratic state legislators — Sen. Julie Mayfield (District 49) and Reps. Lindsey Prather (District 115), Brian Turner (District 116) and Eric Ager (District 114) — held a town hall March 20 at the Ferguson Auditorium at A-B Tech, the same location as U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards‘ March 13 gathering.
The four elected officials addressed a number of issues, including the potential impact of federal cuts on the community. According to their presentation, there are 7,600 federal workers living in District 11, which encompasses all of Asheville and most of Western North Carolina. These workers represent 2.2% of the area’s total workforce.
Additionally, the presentation noted that an estimated 62,000 residents in Buncombe County are enrolled in Medicaid. The largest cohort — about a third — are between the ages of 6 and 18.
The four legislators also celebrated the Disaster Recovery Act of 2025 – Part 1. The act provides $524 million in total aid for WNC and marks the first bill Gov. Josh Stein signed into law. It is the fourth Tropical Storm Helene recovery bill that has gone through the legislature since the storm, Prather added.
According to Turner, North Carolina is estimated to receive $15 billion in recovery funds from the federal government. He noted that the amount falls short of the $60 billion the state is seeking.
The evening also featured a Q&A with the 300-plus audience members. Questions included concerns over the Trump administration, clean energy, public school funding, agriculture, immigration and economic output. Constituents also asked how they could make an impact.
Legislators encouraged residents to show up at town halls, contact federal representatives, focus on local candidates, defend fellow community members from bigoted comments, volunteer, attend protests and continue to find joy because “that’s an act of resistance in itself,” Prather said. “Protect your own mental health. This is a marathon, not a sprint; pace yourself.”
Was was Sen. Warren Daniel? His district covers parts of Buncombe County.