“We must elect candidates who are committed to legislating robust, fair funding for public schools in a fast-changing and complex 21st century.”
Tag: N.C. General Assembly
Showing 43-63 of 114 results
Letter: It’s high time to expand Medicaid in NC
“We should all be calling Sen. Berger and Rep. Moore to demand a vote this summer on Medicaid expansion for North Carolina.”
From AVL Watchdog: Travel industry controls North Carolina’s room tax laws
A bill that would have changed the distribution of Buncombe County’s controversial hotel tax to better benefit local government is likely dead until at least next year. The change would have reduced the share of room tax money to market and advertise Asheville as a tourist destination.
Letter: Caskey works to recruit higher-paying jobs
“Brian Caskey, Democratic candidate for the Senate’s 48th District, is part of the Mills River team working to bring higher-paying jobs to our area.”
Letter: Time for a gas tax hike
“It would have the added bonus of helping out our air and climate, too.”
Buncombe reports COVID-19 outbreaks in two long-term care facilities
County officials said Aston Park Health Care Center and Deerfield Retirement Episcopal Skilled Nursing Home both had active outbreaks of the disease, defined by the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services as two or more lab-confirmed cases in staff or residents. They did not share the specific number of cases reported for each outbreak.
News roundup: $5M in tourism relief passes GA, Pack Library launches senior outreach
The legislative change allows the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority to use $5 million from its Tourism Product Development Fund — which previously had to be allocated to nonprofit entities or local government and spent on capital projects — for grants of up to $50,000 in support of tourism businesses other than lodging.
Biz in brief: Buncombe TDA grants, Salute to Small Business Week
Local businesses are bringing creativity to bear on pandemic-related closures and plans for business revitalization following the end of restrictions. They could get some help: Sen. Chuck Edwards of Hendersonville announced he will introduce legislation to the N.C. General Assembly to allow the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority to make grants to tourism businesses to support their reopening.
Letter: Help make voting accessible to all
“NextGen North Carolina is calling on the North Carolina legislature to adopt a universally accessible vote-by-mail policy that ensures all North Carolinians can cast their ballots this November.”
Buncombe board split on direction for next phase of COVID-19 response
The commission’s Democratic members passed direction for expanded community testing and contact tracing over the objections of its Republican contingent. Joe Belcher, Anthony Penland and Robert Pressley stressed their commitment to ensuring the county’s safety but expressed concern over the process by which the resolution was introduced and some of its terms.
Letter: Smith says he’s a progressive Democrat for state Senate
“We have an old state law from the 1980s that’s forcing us to spend 75% of our tax revenue on more advertising for tourism. Almost no other county in North Carolina has to do this, and it’s one of the main reasons I’m running to be our next state senator.”
2020 Primary Voter Guide: Q&A with candidates for local, national offices
In preparation for the March primary, Xpress sent questions to all candidates in contested races for their party’s nomination to various local and national offices. Responses from candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives, N.C. General Assembly, Buncombe County Board of Commissioners and Asheville City Council are all collected here.
Letter: Remillard promises to put community interests first
“We need a representative in Raleigh who will restore honor and integrity to the General Assembly and who will work in a bipartisan way to build a stronger North Carolina — one that does not leave our children’s education, our health and our environment behind.”
Letter: No vote, no voice for Montreat and others
“There can be no justification for the willful and arbitrary cancellation of an election.”
Letter: Contact legislators to support ERA
“I feel adding the ERA will protect all Americans from discrimination and offer equal protection under the law regardless of gender.”
Letter: City Council needs to fight for climate action
“Council had the courage to fight the state over the election process. Let’s hope they find the courage to choose to fight over this life-and-death climate emergency.”
Letter: Lawmakers must adequately fund mental health care
“I urge our lawmakers to adequately fund life-changing mental health care for the good of our society, economy and future.”
From CPP: Judges block NC congressional elections with current maps
A three-judge panel issued an injunction late Monday blocking use of the current North Carolina congressional district map in the 2020 election. Although not yet compelling the “coequal branch of government” to draw new maps, judges noted that legislators could proceed to do that on their own and thus avoid any disruption to the election schedule.
News Briefs: New N.C. House maps for Buncombe, Eastern Band re-elects Sneed
As currently drawn, the proposed districts would shift representation for large areas of Buncombe County. A 2011 state law also required that districts for the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners match those of the county’s House representatives. As currently drawn, the maps would move Commissioner Jasmine Beach-Ferrara from District 1 to District 2, shift Al Whitesides from District 1 to District 3 and reassign Amanda Edwards from District 2 to District 1.
Uphill Battle
ASHEVILLE, N.C.
Buncombe board debates ICE detainer bill
Republican members of the board argued that their Democratic colleagues were out of place in issuing official letters against pending state HB 370, which would require Buncombe County Sheriff Quentin Miller and other sheriffs throughout North Carolina to comply with federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer requests on penalty of removal from office.