Virginia Daffron’s article in the [Oct 19] Mountain Xpress [“Go or No Go: Asheville Leaders and Organizations Weigh In on Bond Choice”] was well done, factual, fair and balanced, and therefore, refreshing.
There are many supporters of this bond, but as a Realtor representing real estate in this community, it stands to reason that if you are selling or buying a home, it’s in the best interest of sellers and buyers alike to know the community is willing to maintain our assets and infrastructure.
Is there a sound alternative? Perhaps it could be delayed and neglected for what some might claim to be sound reasons, but ultimately assets, infrastructure and development have to keep pace with growth. Growth in Asheville is a relatively new phenomenon to many of us. It requires an approach perhaps different than some of our residents are willing to consider. If you disagree, what are the alternatives short of doing nothing?
Don’t misunderstand or misinterpret this. Debt can be a killer. [An accompanying Xpress] article did a masterful job explaining how crushing debt severely crippled our town for decades. However, it can be also an instrument of sound financial planning.
In this case, based on where the city finds itself financially and considering what the future holds for the growth of Asheville, it makes sense to do in now. On the other hand, if there are dark clouds forming, such as no growth, shortage of good-paying jobs, global political turmoil, a new administration with ideas and policies unknown and more, they create no shortage of the things to worry about or to work on.
However, all of these issues, albeit worthy to be concerned about, affect all of us. If something of a catastrophe should befall us, we would all in the same boat ― bond or no bond. With this said, are there dark omens worthy of clouding this issue to a degree of not offering the citizens a chance to vote at this time? If not now, when? If not by us, who?
With the support for this bond also brings the responsibility to hold our elected officials, present and future, accountable to carry out their duties with credibility, transparency and honesty. If we thought that we are being harmed by the system, we would be the first to raise an army against such behavior. Moreover, if this were to happen, we suspect Asheville could never get a future bond approved.
On the other hand, there needs to be flexibility given to those in control to change priorities but only with the vote of the elected officials on those recommendations from staff and with public input, not just automatically change priorities without open debate. Elected officials are our representatives. They will be held responsible.
Workforce housing has needed and will always require some kind of subsidy if we expect to make any meaningful headway. Whether or not the fantasies of the past worked or didn’t, we need to build affordable workforce housing in this city. It’s not a secret to anyone that we live in a high cost-of-living area with a great many low-paying jobs. We should be grateful for the work of Habitat for Humanity, Mountain Housing Opportunities and … for-profit providers of workforce housing, but can we do more?
Now, maybe for the first time in decades, we have an opportunity to do something. If you have concerns or criticisms, make them apparent to our elected officials, but let’s do this one correctly. Join us in supporting this bond.
― Mike Butrum
Government Affairs Director
Land of the Sky Association of Realtors
LOL, see Mike, it’s easy for people like you to write this garbage because you live in a hot real estate market. Your commission adds up quickly I assume. Too bad you are about as dumb as a stump in regards to this letter. And expect the same government who hasn’t fulfilled its obligations to actually do it with the bonds is simply ignorant. Maybe you just want to gentrify the area even more because let’s face it, the more people who sell means more money for the likes of you.
Hmmmm….a “realtor” giving advice on taking on more debt! What a joke. Scan any list of top 20 least respected careers and you will certainly find politicians, used car salesmen, financial brokers, and of course your friendly local, licensed “realtor.” They create nothing of tangible value and derive all their sustenance from leeching (through persuasion or confiscatorily) the fruits of the labor of others…How easy for Mr. Butrum to advocate such foolish and financially unsound policies.
Just another example demonstrating the lateness of the hour folks. The end of the empire is at hand and you best have at least mentally prepared yourself and your loved ones for the worst case scenarios…
Utter hubris, pipedreams, and insider corruption and cronyism…
We as a society tolerate corruption, cronyism, and grift on a wholesale basis — city, state, and nationally, to the point that over 40% of our population gets a check that they literally steal from everyone — including themselves and their children, and the insiders of Asheville promise the glories of “bond projects” if we but add more debt slavery to our yoke…What an utterly lawless 3rd world hole we have become, but yeah I guess Mr. Butrum seems like a nice guy, probably a real good realtor taboot. So, sure put me and my children’s children down for another serving of government produced debt slavery and erosion of our purchasing power through fiat inflation…it’s a bold plan, let’s see how it works out! Ha! (shakes head, pours wee dram of Four Roses Single Barrel, and wishes the Anti-Federalists had carried the day).
Bonne chance mes amis…
“City vehicle fees just tripled.”
to THIRTY WHOLE DOLLARS. You can always tell a shyster when he uses percentages or multiples because the actual dollar amount wouldn’t fill up a pickup’s gas tank. Dear god, what a miserable repetitive bore you are. Run for office next year on your one-note crony-crony-crony platform and see how it fares.
I’m glad that the letter-writer makes the point that should the Mumpy Mumpower Economic Catastrophe happens, we’re all screwed regardless of bond holdings. Then again, Mumps believes in impending economic doom while thinking global climate change is a scam. Oh dear.
The Laws of Physics have not changed. http://www.usdebtclock.org/
Here’s a cool nugget from that clock : Total debt per citizen = $205,144
Now, I hope no one is thinking that the private bank we are indebted to is just going write all that off one day. Because that is how they think in la la land. (I don’t live in that place)
Why not? That’s Trump’s plan for the US national debt – persuade those holding US securities to accept less than they are owed.
Buhhhh-leev me, I have no optimism for either one of them and happen to agree with Julian Assange. That the deep vested interests in the USA need Hildabeast to win.
I’m sure there is a ginormous amount of provable criminality to take her down but the FBI can’t do it without the DOJ and Loretta the Joke won’t prosecute. She’s in their pocket. In a country that actually operated on The Rule of Law, it would happen but we are no longer that.
Even if, somehow, Trumpenstein gets elected he will not be the “hope and change” that people want. Just like the last guy that fed that trope in 2007 – 08, DJT will disappoint as well. I suppose it’s worth something that we wouldn’t have to endure more HRC corruption, ongoing investigations, possible indictment/impeachment. Wait….but then she and hubby would be enthroned in the history books for millenia for 2 firsts: the first hubby/wife to each be elected Prez and both to have been impeached. It has a certain ring to it!
“DJT will disappoint as well. ”
At least we get to enjoy DJT giving the media the finger.
btw the email thing is out of the DOJ’s and FBI’s control now. The NYPD is now involved and seems unwilling to bury Hillary’s crimes (pedophilia being one of them; the 650,000 emails on Weiner’s laptop apparently are pretty damning).
“Hillary’s crimes ” should read “Hillary’e apparent crimes”
oh, she’s a CRIMINAL alright…just wait til all the sh*t hits the many fans! How many Clintonistas will go to prison ? The EVIL runs SO deep within that crowd…so deep, SO EVIL.
Ya, I’m keeping tabs but am about to run out of popcorn. I think you have it reversed.
Apparently, it started with the US Attorney from the Southern Dist of NY (part of the DOJ). They’re gonna do their bit with Weinerhead but, while investigating, found that trove of email related to Clinton Inc. that they handed over to the FBI. My understanding is that the FBI are tasked with investigating and making arrests but cannot indict without the DOJ go-ahead.
Sure looks like there will be (deserved) perp-walking by some. About time!
The perp walk would definitely bring satisfaction…however 100+ years of Fabian Socialist infiltration and control of the public schools has given us the gift of a huge proportion of the populace that only cares if their welfare/EBT card is loaded up each month. Those folks not only don’t understand they don’t care and you can’t explain it to them because they will ignore you even if what you’re explaining to them is that they are taking the risk of being nuked to ash economically and very possibly physically if the “woman” who channels Eleanor Roosevelt and worships Margaret Sanger regains access to the White House and heaven forbid, a security clearance again!
There is a very significant portion of the population that quite literally does not care about cheating in elections, does not care about POTUS “No-means Yes!” frequent-flyer on Epstein’s “Lolita Express” Clinton selling radar technology to the Chinese that he was warned would be used militarily and then was, allowing them to nuke our hardened mililtary facilities a decade or more before they could have figured it out on their own, does not care that the Clintons looted Haiti after the earthquake (robbing the poorest of the poor, basically), does not care that Hillary, Bill and their people intentionally deflected attention from big Wall Street banks that robbed millions of ordinary Americans of their wealth and homes, does not care that Hillary as Secretary of State arguably was responsible for destroying two nations (Libya and Syria), does not care that Hillary appears to have been involved in running weapons (indrectly) to ISIS, including shoulder-fired missiles that can take down commercial airliners and does not care that when that operation went sideways she left Chris Stevens and others intentionally unguarded so they’d die and be unable to testify against her in the inevitable Congressional investigation (and court appearances) that would follow.
They also don’t care that Hillary was tossing classified email around like it was yesterday’s newspaper.
So just consider this folks — whatever the truth is, it will almost-certainly show up. It will show up because too many people know who have no vested interest in staying out of prison or worse and thus are compelled to keep their mouth shut.
What happens if and when it shows up after the election if Hillary is in office? She pardons herself and everyone else involved — no matter how heinous the events, no matter how ugly, no matter who got hurt or even killed.
Is that an acceptable risk when we know bad things are proved by the data on that laptop, but we don’t yet know how bad they are?
The real estate scam: 6-10% “inflation” built into every property sale.
after 30 years in real estate I have never seen that claim made anywhere …
the letter writer works AT the Board of Realtors (aka the real estate mafia) which CONTROLS the markets in every community by MAKING brokers pay BIG money to ‘belong’ to the MLS and adhere to all the MANY national ‘rules’ set forth by the NAR.