Letter: Berthiaume would be kind, realistic leader

Graphic by Lori Deaton

We’ve lived in the mountains of North Carolina for more than 20 years. We’ve seen big changes, from local to international, affect our mountain communities. The city of Asheville deserves a leader who will bring our residents together to meet such challenges and plan a vibrant future. Our city needs a smart, kind, thoughtful and realistic leader.

We believe that our city needs Maggie Ullman Berthiaume on City Council.

In both public forums and private conversations, we’ve seen Maggie lean into difficult topics, proceeding with kindness, integrity, openness and realism.

Maggie understands that not everyone in our city agrees with each other. We’ve observed her address those who disagree with her with respect, honoring each person’s needs and reasons. We’ve seen Maggie broaden her perspective in response to listening to and learning from others.

As tourists continue to visit our city and new residents continue to move in, our city faces significant challenges.

We believe Maggie will work respectfully with residents and business owners to adequately fund social services staff and police officers to support those in greatest need and those in harm’s way. She’ll find ways to adequately fund critical infrastructure repairs and improvements to keep us healthy, productive and proactive. Maggie will encourage job growth within the city, diversified across industries.

When you vote this fall, please join us in choosing Maggie as one of your three votes for Asheville City Council.

Remember to vote on or before Nov. 8! Voting by mail is easy and convenient: [avl.mx/8ii].

— Benji Burrell and Kathryn Blount
Asheville

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2 thoughts on “Letter: Berthiaume would be kind, realistic leader

  1. Enlightened Enigma

    we don’t need ‘kind and realistic’ without genuine LEADERSHIP skills which is the biggest problem in the city !!!

  2. indy499

    She really does sound like a magician.

    “We believe Maggie will work respectfully with residents and business owners to adequately fund social services staff and police officers to support those in greatest need and those in harm’s way. She’ll find ways to adequately fund critical infrastructure repairs and improvements to keep us healthy, productive and proactive. Maggie will encourage job growth within the city, diversified across industries.”

    To even pretend to accomplish most of that list will require massive tax increases on top of our already insanely high city taxes or a huge redeployment of existing expenditures. Which is it or is she not really going to attempt any of the things you describe?

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