Grappling with their toughest budget in a decade, the Buncombe County commissioners have been debating austerity measures that would put the squeeze on many local nonprofits for the foreseeable future. And amid a still-sputtering economy, most of those groups are already struggling after years of rising demand and dwindling funding sources.
Ahead of the last election, Buncombe County was split between two congressional districts, and lines were redrawn in ways that helped Republicans get elected to the N.C. Statehouse and Buncombe County Board of Commissioners. Now, a new study shows how gerrymandering distorts elections in North Carolina, while a new poll finds overwhelming public support for changing the redistricting process.
Freshman Rep. Mark Meadows met with a group of local business leaders April 30 and shared some scalding thoughts on what he’s encountered during his first few months in Congress.
As a forcible transfer of Asheville’s water system to the Metropolitan Sewerage District clears its last legislative hurdles in Raleigh, city staff say relinquishing the system by May 15, as the bill requires, is an administrative impossibility. So what happens to the city’s water system in two weeks? “That’s a good question,” Water Resources Director Steve Shoaf says.
A malfunctioning pump at the Metropolitan Sewerage District plant sent millions of gallons of raw sewage into the French Broad River starting this morning. MSD crews hope to have the “horrible situation” repaired by early afternoon, said MSD Director of Engineering Stan Boyd, and shortly before 3 p.m. the leak was fixed. (Screenshot courtesy of a video uploaded by the nonprofit, French Broad Riverkeeper. The full video can be found in this post.)
A $330,000 reduction in Pisgah Legal Services’ state and federal funding could leave more than 2,200 local domestic-violence victims without legal assistance. The Asheville-based nonprofit is scrambling to close the gap but may reduce services.
Developments in South Asheville and Tunnel Road are up for consideration at tomorrow night’s Asheville City Council meeting, along with (of course) the city’s ongoing budget crunch.
Unlike the last budget crunch town hall, tonight’s Asheville City Council forum in South Asheville was less a public comment marathon and more of a brainstorming session. After breaking into small groups, the roughly 40 residents who attended endorsed a property tax increase, along with some cuts and some suggestions of their own, to close Asheville’s budget gap.
Asheville City Council’s in South Asheville tonight to talk about the budget crunch facing the city. Follow live Twitter updates from the meeting.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) employees of Buncombe County gained another safeguard against discrimination after commissioners gave final approval April 16 to add “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” to its list of protected classes.
Tune in here for updates via Twitter from the April 16 meeting of the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners.
The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners will vote again on a contentious plan to add language to the county’s personnel ordinance specifically safeguarding workers from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Rep. Tim Moffitt has started a new political media firm that’s gaining popularity among his GOP colleagues in the North Carolina General Assembly. However, critics question the ethics and legalities of the new venture.
Dealing with lower property values and increased funding requests and mandates, Buncombe County faces a tough picture as it prepares its budget for the next fiscal year, which begins July 1.
Dealing with lower property tax revenue and increased funding requests, Buncombe County faces a tough budget picture this year. The Board of Commissioners will meet April 12–13 for a special budget retreat to try to hash things out with County Manager Wanda Greene and other staff.
Despite poll numbers fueling speculation that he might run for U.S. Senate next year against Sen. Kay Hagan, Rep. Patrick McHenry says he’ll seek another term in the U.S. House representing Western North Carolina’s 10th District.
A vote on a living wage was delayed, the Business Improvement District was shelved, and Asheville City Council once again voted for a resolution opposing state legislation taking its water system. Also: Council will hold another budget town hall April 18 at 6 p.m. in South Asheville.
In Buncombe County, thousands of slaves toiled as cooks, farmers, tour guides, maids, blacksmiths, tailors, miners, farmers, road builders and more, local records show. And after mostly ignoring that troubled history for a century and a half, the county is now taking groundbreaking steps to honor the contributions of those former residents by making its slave records readily available online.
Discussion about the fate of the city of Asheville’s water system and the impact of a flurry of legislation coming out of the general assembly in Raleigh is on the agenda for tonight’s Asheville City Council meeting. Council will also consider a living wage requirement for some city contractors. Follow live Twitter coverage here.
To hear Asheville City Council and city staff tell it, a manageable budget gap is now a potential crisis, thanks to proposed state legislation affecting areas from the water system to business licenses. To close the $5.9 million gap, staff have proposed sharp cuts in everything from public safety to transit to parks and recreation. At a special town hall meeting today, city residents exhorted Council against certain cuts and criticized state legislators (and occasionally the city too).
Follow live Twitter coverage of this afternoon’s town hall meeting on the city of Asheville’s budget crunch, and the radical cuts proposed to close a potential $5 million gap anticipated from state legislation. The meeting begins at 2 p.m.
