“I think they should worry about getting the money for the schools back to normal and luring big companies to relocate here.”
Tag: cost-of-living
Showing 1-19 of 19 results
County passes 2024-25 budget, property tax increase
The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners voted 6-0 on June 18 to approve a $440 million general fund budget for fiscal year 2024-25. Chair Brownie Newman said the decision to raise taxes is not easy, and this was the toughest budget season he’s been through in his 12 years on the commission.
Letter: What happens if firefighters can’t afford Asheville?
“As other Asheville firefighters have done, many of them will have to find higher-paying jobs in their chosen craft in another community or make a complete career switch.”
Police officers struggle to afford Asheville addresses
Roughly 86% of Asheville Police officers live outside of the city limits, according to Asheville Police Department spokesman Samantha Booth.
Letter: Why locals get ‘emotional’ about Asheville’s changes
“But I watched this little city that I loved transform by the spending of millions on tourism and catering to all things tourist-oriented.”
Food and beverage workers union eyes future growth
Asheville Food and Beverage United seeks to interrupt “the abusive culture that just keeps being perpetuated,’” explains Jen Hampton, the union’s lead organizer. Her work in the service industry spanned over 30 years, with the last 16 in Asheville.
Letter: The numbers don’t add up for teachers
“As a professional educator with a college degree, will she be able to purchase the house in: (A) five years, (B) 10 years, (C ) 15 years or (D) never?”
Letter: It’s time to raise teachers’ pay
“It is embarrassing how low teacher pay is in North Carolina and especially Asheville with the higher cost of living.”
Letter: Applauding county pay increases
“I applaud the raise in pay. The cost of living is outrageous for all and especially those paying for those who do not need assistance, just lazy.”
Letter: Young people can’t afford Asheville
“It’s infuriating to see so many people complain about lack of affordable housing and then in the same conversation oppose new developments.”
Q&A with Vicki Meath, executive director of Just Economics of WNC
Many issues are close to Vicki Meath’s heart. She has spent her life in community organizing, working on environmental justice with Western Colorado Congress and striving to raise Ohio’s minimum wage with Cleveland Jobs With Justice. In 2010, she joined Just Economics of Western North Carolina, a nonprofit that advocates for a living wage, as […]
Letter: TDA needs to listen to concerns
“This kind of denial of how tourism has negatively impacted people who live here will only infuriate them more.”
Letter: Downtown hotels should pay living wage
“As real estate prices climb and cost of living goes up and up, the only solution is to pay workers more.”
Extreme Salamandering
ASHEVILLE, N.C.
Letter: If artists leave, Asheville loses out
“They are smart to leave for a more affordable area and will continue to be able to sell at galleries around the country, but Asheville has lost out.”
Backyard to the old drawing board
ASHEVILLE, N.C.
“… and the ink’s red glare…”
Asheville, NC
Little Big City Blues: Asheville’s growing housing crisis
Surrounded by mountains and crammed into a 45-square-mile valley, the city of Asheville is bursting at the seams, suffering from a severe housing shortage, skyrocketing rents and home prices, overcrowded streets with no place to park, and an abundance of lower-paying, tourism-based jobs.
Economic “snapshot” of Buncombe: low unemployment, low wages, high cost-of-living
The North Carolina Justice Center has released economic snapshots for the last two years for many of the state’s counties. Buncombe’s reveals lower-than-average unemployment but a tough rental market, below-average wages and high cost-of-living.
