Oct 30 2009
Manheimer, Croft, and Jackson for Asheville City Council
In the Asheville City Council race this coming Tuesday, several candidates are competing, but only three can be elected to the At-Large seats. I have gone over the platforms and statements of each candidate and have narrowed down the three that I would vote for if I live in Asheville. You can call these endorsements if you like; I prefer to call them my recommendations. Endorsements come from important people and institutions and I am but a humble blog administrator. In no particular order, my choices are as follows:
Ryan Croft
Mr. Croft is big on the budget and while it may not be the most sexy issue out there, it should be one of the top discussions in everyone’s mind. We are a country drowning in debt. Our Federal government has accumulated a national debt of over $11 trillion with an almost $2 trillion budget deficit for just this fiscal year. Our Congressional leaders are driving us into bankruptcy. The Asheville City Council may not have any influence over the carelessness of the Federal government, but they can keep their own fiscal house in order. Croft is committed to fighting for a balanced budget and rooting out waste and unnecessary government spending to get there, not raising taxes. Croft seems to understand that in tough economic times, tough decisions must be made and he doesn’t appear frightened to make those calls.
J. Neal Jackson
Mr. Jackson is the owner of Eagle Supermarket in downtown Asheville. Who better to know what a growing business needs than someone who possesses the experience of owning and operating his very own business in the city? Additionally, Jackson has a strong educational background with a Bachelors Degree in Psychology and a Masters Degree in Entrepreneurship. You can’t ask for better credentials in a city leader. Jackson shares Croft’s fiscal sanity and is committed to pushing the city towards employing local companies for city infrastructure needs. That’s just good sense. The local government should use its local businesses and give back to the people of the community.
Esther Manheimer
I choose Ms Manheimer because she has a strong focus on improving the overall quality of life in Asheville. It takes more than lower taxes to build a strong community, but a combination of affordability, efficient services, and environmental aesthetics. Manheimer is a backer of reducing pollution and expanding public greenways and transportation. All of these factors are important features that enhance the quality of life for all residents in a city and serve as incentives to attract more people to the community. She also is an advocate of a strong business climate and supporting new and existing entrepreneurs in the city. I think she has the right balance with the issues.
I think these three candidates would bring a nice equilibrium to the council. We have a bit of the right, a little on the left, and some consensuses right in the middle that everyone can agree on. I feel it’s important that all views get represented on the issues in order to generate the brightest ideas and solutions possible for the city.
