I ask all Asheville citizens to join me in supporting Kim Roney for City Council in our upcoming election on Nov. 7. Kim won my confidence and loyalty when I watched her donate tens of thousands of hours as our full-time volunteer station manager at Asheville FM, a precious community resource that she co-founded with other Asheville residents. Not one to rest on her laurels, Kim continually fought to make Asheville FM a more useful resource for everyday people from marginalized corners of our community.
This chapter of Kim’s life demonstrates perfectly who Kim is: She has more integrity than almost anyone I’ve ever met, and she puts her muscle where her mouth is, working in common cause with those who are being pushed aside by Asheville’s rapidly gentrifying economy. She has served on Asheville’s city Transit Committee in recent years, leading the way on city transit policy with a proposal for fare-free public transit for all.
That’s not just a good idea for people who have to ride the bus or want to ride the bus. That’s good for drivers, who would benefit from reduced traffic on our tiny, overburdened streets. And before you balk at increased taxes and spending, the astonishing fact is that if we stopped charging city transit riders bus fare, the city would save more money in overall expenses than it would lose in revenues. Certainly, this is a proposal we can all rally around.
Kim understands the needs of everyday people because she is everyday people, working in Asheville’s service industry and using public transit, even while rising through the ranks of city leadership. We need Kim Roney’s voice and perspective on City Council.
— Perrin de Jong
Asheville
Editor’s note: De Jong reports that he is a campaign volunteer for Roney.
LOL, raise taxes and wonder why gentrification happens. Sounds more like busing in the low wagers to work.