HOW I WOULD HAVE VOTED – Chris Pelly
Living Wages
Council approved a resolution setting a living wage for City of Asheville full and part-time employees and contract employees working on General Service contracts $30,000-$90,000 in value.
Jan Davis voted No.
I would have voted Yes.
Caledonia
Council failed to rezone properties located on Caledonia Rd and Finalee Ave from Institutional to Residential. A super-majority of six votes was required to pass. Residents of Kenilworth strongly urged Council to vote Yes on the rezonings.
Jan Davis voted No.
I would have voted Yes.
Early Voting
City Council approved four early voting sites. There is a nationwide movement to suppress the vote by requiring photo IDs, shortening the Early Voting period and cutting back on Early Voting sites. I want to encourage more voting, not less.
Jan Davis voted No.
I would have voted Yes.
Pedestrian Bridge at Hillcrest
City Council voted to reopen this bridge after several pedestrian deaths.
Jan Davis voted No.
I would have voted Yes.
Domestic Partner Benefits
Council approved domestic partner benefits for City employees; to include health insurance, bereavement and family medical leave.
Jan Davis voted No.
I would have voted Yes.
Signs
City Council approved more signs and larger signs for the Ingles store at 863 Brevard Rd., more than our sign ordinance calls for. I believe that Asheville residents want fewer and smaller signs and believe the sign ordinance should be enforced.
Jan Davis voted Yes.
I would have voted No.
51 Biltmore Parking Deck
Council voted to pay over $3 million for a part of the property at 51 Biltmore (which had a tax value of $870,000 for the whole thing). With construction costs, the city will spend over $14 million and still be paying it off 25 years from now.
Jan Davis voted Yes.
I would have voted No.
Deregulation of Downtown Development
Council voted for a portion of the Downtown Master Plan which gave up City Council review of downtown development, and also increases the size of developments from 100,000 sq. ft. to 175,000 sq. ft. The plan is so unpopular that the Buncombe County Democratic Convention voted to ask that Council repeal it.
Jan Davis Yes.
I would have voted No.
WHAT I STAND FOR – Chris Pelly
Strong Neighborhood Voice:
As a long-time neighborhood activist from east Asheville, I believe in the value of organized communities. In my Haw Creek neighborhood our community association provided a structure for residents to become involved resulting in two new parks and the beginnings of a sidewalk system. At the city-wide level, the Coalition of Asheville Neighborhoods has long served a vital role in protecting the quality of life within our community. Our city is better served when neighborhoods are organized as this provides a voice and a forum for citizens to make their collective wishes known.
Equal Treatment for All:
I believe Asheville City Council sets an example of our values by how we treat our citizens. Equal rights and full citizenship for ALL should be our standard.
Education:
As the parent of three children who have attended and graduated from both Asheville City and Buncombe County Schools, I recognize each school system is unique. As a member of Asheville City Council, I will work to ensure Asheville students of today and tomorrow will have access to the same high level of education my own children enjoyed.
Proposed legislation would limit state-level school funding to one school district per county beginning 7/1/11. Any discussion to consider merging Asheville City with Buncombe County must be a deliberate process involving all stakeholders with the primary focus being the best interests of students. With a combined annual budget of $350 million (AC-T 4/24/11), projections are that combining systems would save $11 million, or about 3% of their combined annual budgets. City and county school leaders have already begun merging on transportation matters and I support continuing efforts to avoid duplication of services. However, with historical differences and its own supplemental funding, Asheville City schools are in a unique position. As a member of Asheville City Council, I will support an independent city school system as the best and most accountable model for serving our students.
Affordable Housing:
I believe decent, affordable housing should be a part of most multi-unit developments and that there should be a place in our neighborhoods for affordable single family homes, too. People should be able to live AND work and play in our City.
Why is affordable housing important? Affordable housing leads to a strong, growing community. It attracts new business, which increases jobs and expands the tax base.
The benefits of homeownership, as well as a stable renting population, are numerous. Owners have a much greater stake in their communities and tend to remain in their homes longer, adding a degree of stability neighborhoods. Homeowners most often take a great deal of pride in maintaining and improving their property – and that enhances the neighborhood. Renters that have affordable rents are less likely to default and/or abandon their lease. Affordable rent equals stable renters. Studies show that stable neighborhoods lead to lower crime rates and increased educational achievement.
In Asheville, our need for affordable housing is great. According to “The State of Housing in North Carolina,” the shortage of affordable housing in the state affects 20.7 percent of homeowners and 33.4 percent of renters who spend more than 30 percent of their income on housing payments. Frequently this shortage includes lack of decent housing, as many live in substandard conditions. This has to change.
A Living Wage for Workers:
One of my goals as a member of City Council is to leave no stone unturned in an effort to bring good, green, sustainable jobs to our area. We have to re-educate our unskilled and semi-skilled workers with tools to compete on the global market. Workers deserve jobs that pay a living wage. Workers should not have to have several jobs in order to live a decent life in Asheville.
A wage increase for semi-skilled workers is not on the horizon. Wages in North Carolina are expected to decrease for semi-skilled workers as lower-paying service jobs replace manufacturing jobs lost in disappearing industries. About half of the state’s new jobs will be considered low-skill jobs according to the NC Commission on Workforce Development. These low-skill jobs will pay only about 60 percent of the state’s current average earnings, making affordable rental housing an even more pressing issue.
City Council’s Fiscal Responsibilities:
I believe a primary function of Asheville City Council is ensuring essential city services are delivered with consistent quality and in a cost-effective manner.
Asheville City Council is also responsible for responding to current needs and anticipating future needs. Whether energy-saving programs or increased demand for services, council members, working in partnership with city residents, must be prepared to propose solutions to evolving constituent needs.
Sidewalks and Greenways:
With demand growing for safe walking and bike riding options, I will support expanding our sidewalk and greenway networks to ensure all neighborhoods are adequately served. Using our city’s Pedestrian Plan and Greenway Master Plan as guides, I will work to ensure improvement plans are implemented.
Comprehensive improvements may require a voter-approved bond referendum. My support will be conditioned upon significant public input into the process.
