I am writing in support of Vijay Kapoor for Asheville City Council. Vijay grew up in Asheville, playing YMCA soccer on weekends, sampling ice cream at the Biltmore Dairy Bar and exploring the woods off Hendersonville Road with his younger brother. He recalls that Asheville had a “mystical feel,” which he greatly missed when his father was transferred to another city.
After earning a dual degree in economics and public policy studies from the University of Chicago and a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, Vijay worked in both the public and private sectors, specializing in governmental and public-sector workforce issues. He also volunteered to provide legal support to people whose homes were in danger of foreclosure. But Vijay couldn’t forget the things that made Asheville special — the taste of the water, the sense of being part of a community and the opportunities for creative economic development.
Having brought his family back home, Vijay now runs a company that provides economic and financial analysis services to cities across the country. He helps financially challenged cities find ways of turning things around, and he has successfully mediated three nationally recognized comprehensive agreements among taxpayers, cities and public safety employees to shore up underfunded pension plans.
Vijay is running for City Council to ensure that Asheville neighborhoods have a greater voice in the preplanning of land development and redevelopment, transportation and roadway improvements, and other projects affecting our natural environment, property values and quality of life. Thanks to his efforts, the city now requires developers to notify and meet with residents as a condition for certain projects to proceed.
If elected to the City Council, Vijay will be a strong advocate for “responsible development” that allows projects to move forward only if they have effectively addressed traffic and infrastructure concerns.
— Martha McKinney
Asheville
Editor’s note: McKinney reports that she is volunteering with Kapoor’s campaign.
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