Recent criticism of the progressive policies of Asheville and Buncombe County governments seems to depend on clever, biased, but unsubstantiated remarks rather than obvious facts and history. Instead of detailing the continuing decrease in state funding that has resulted in the reduction in local programs, personnel and services, critics blame the city and county officials.
Since 2011, however, the GOP-controlled legislature has systematically cut programs for education, health care and juvenile justice, for example, by strangling the state budget.
In addition, in trying to keep property taxes reasonable and unable to create other fair local taxes, local government is hamstrung to create much additional revenue because of legislated restrictions. Again, due to state rules, we cannot even use much of the significant amount of tourism taxes to improve local problems.
Now with the federal government beginning to chop away at regional staffing for weather warnings, national parks, health care, education, addiction recovery and veterans support, more strain and suffering will likely occur. Tariffs, the removal of immigrant workers and unrelenting food and energy prices will keep the cost of living high. Our local economy and working families will feel the impact keenly.
Despair and fear may lead to anger and blame. False claims of “saving money” and “eliminating fraud” are propaganda meant to divide citizens as a powerful, wealthy elite seeks to solidify their power and control. But you can only fool most of the people some of the time.
North Carolinians and most Americans will, at the ballot box and in personal actions, bring our democracy back into balance as fact and truth prevail.
— Frank L. Fox
Asheville
