Ballot Pedia, Bo Hess

Robert Hess graduated from Western Carolina University with a Bachelor's and Master's degree in social work. He also obtained a Master of Public Health with a focus on Leadership in Practice from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Robert Hess currently works as an adjunct professor at Western Carolina University. He serves as co-chair to the Buncombe County District Attorney's Jail Reduction and Addiction Taskforce, and is a co-founder of The Cellphone Project. He has experience in social work and addiction specialities. 

Roberto (Bo) Hess previously ran for election to the U.S. House to represent North Carolina's 11th Congressional District in 2022 but did not win.

Candidate website

Believes public services like libraries, parks, and recreation are essential for community building and environmental health. Supports greenway expansion to maintain biodiversity, reduce urban heat, and provide clean air and community spaces.

Believes environmental stewardship and public spaces can combat loneliness and build social resilience. Supports community building through public services like parks and recreation.

Believes environmental stewardship and public spaces can combat loneliness and build social resilience. 

Supports bolstering funding for community partners and stakeholders, emphasizing their vital daily work.

Supports bolstering funding for community partners and stakeholders.

Believes that a thriving, compassionate community is achieved when every resident is safe, feels a sense of belonging, and has access to equal opportunities and a protected environment. Invites support to make Asheville the best home for all.

Believes that a thriving, compassionate community is achieved when every resident is safe, feels a sense of belonging, and has access to equal opportunities and a protected environment. 

Believes every resident deserves to thrive with access to essentials like nutritious food, reliable shelter, and personal safety. Supports providing a Living Wage for all public employees.

Believes every resident deserves to thrive with access to essentials like nutritious food, reliable shelter, and personal safety. 

Believes in ensuring access to essentials like nutritious food, reliable shelter, and personal safety for everyone. Plans to live in a city that "cares for the people who make it great."

Believes mental wellness should be a fundamental right and envisions a community where everyone is supported, valued, and empowered.

Believes "mental wellness" should be a fundamental right.

Believes Asheville should adopt sustainable practices to harmonize with nature. Supports community efforts to preserve natural splendors for future generations.

- Believes public services like libraries, parks, and recreation are essential for community building and environmental health. Supports greenway expansion to maintain biodiversity, reduce urban heat, and provide clean air and community spaces.
- Believes environmental stewardship and public spaces can combat loneliness and build social resilience. 
- Supports bolstering funding for community partners and stakeholders.
- Believes every resident deserves to thrive with access to essentials like nutritious food, reliable shelter, and personal safety. 
- Believes "mental wellness" should be a fundamental right.

Public Services

Believes crime is a symptom of deeper social issues and supports addressing root causes like poverty and drug abuse through policy and partnership. Plans to invest in social services, mental health support, and rehabilitation programs.

Supports expanding the community paramedic program and intensifying mental health and crisis intervention training for first responders to ensure compassionate, effective care for those facing mental health crises.

Believes ensuring residents' safety and well-being requires innovative solutions to address crime, poverty, and drug abuse.

Believes in creating a future where every citizen feels secure and valued by implementing innovative strategies to reduce crime and build a safe community.

Believes in leveraging technology and data to enhance public safety while respecting privacy and improving security. Plans to implement these tools responsibly.

Plans to leverage technology and data to enhance public safety while respecting privacy and improving security. 

Believes in reducing jail populations and addressing addiction issues. As co-chair of the Buncombe County District Attorney's Jail Reduction and Addiction Taskforce, works on initiatives to improve public safety.

Believes the pandemic has highlighted the urgent need for compassionate action on mental health and addiction. Said, "We stand at a critical juncture where mental health is projected to become the leading cause of mortality in the next 15 years."

- Believes crime is a symptom of deeper social issues and supports addressing root causes like poverty and drug abuse through policy and partnership. Plans to invest in social services, mental health support, and rehabilitation programs.
- Supports expanding the community paramedic program and intensifying mental health and crisis intervention training for first responders to ensure compassionate, effective care for those facing mental health crises.
- Plans to leverage technology and data to enhance public safety while respecting privacy and improving security. 
- Believes in reducing jail populations and addressing addiction issues. As co-chair of the Buncombe County District Attorney's Jail Reduction and Addiction Taskforce, works on initiatives to improve public safety.

Public Safety

Supports raising public employee starting salaries to a living wage and incentivizing private businesses to do the same.

Supports raising public employee starting salaries to a "living wage" and incentivizing private businesses to do the same.

Believes in minimizing disparities in start-up funding to empower entrepreneurs. Supports fostering an environment that encourages innovation and enterprise.

Believes in "leveling the economic playing field" by minimizing disparities in start-up funding for budding entrepreneurs.

- Supports raising public employee starting salaries to a "living wage" and incentivizing private businesses to do the same.
- Believes in minimizing disparities in start-up funding to empower entrepreneurs. Supports fostering an environment that encourages innovation and enterprise.

Economy

Supports enhancing accessibility and funding for mental health practitioners in city schools, believing early intervention can change lives.

Believes in the importance of educating future clinicians and social work professionals. As an adjunct professor at Western Carolina University, demonstrates commitment to higher education.

Believes in the importance of educating future clinicians and social work professionals.

Supports expanding teen summer work programs and after-school initiatives to engage youth positively, providing constructive activities, reducing idle time, and building community and responsibility.

- Supports enhancing accessibility and funding for mental health practitioners in city schools, believing early intervention can change lives.
- Believes in the importance of educating future clinicians and social work professionals.
- Supports expanding teen summer work programs and after-school initiatives to engage youth positively, providing constructive activities, reducing idle time, and building community and responsibility.

Education

Believes in ensuring access to essentials like nutritious food, reliable shelter, and personal safety for everyone. Supports living in a city that cares for its residents.

Believes addressing housing and employment inequities can tackle mental health issues at their root.

Plans to implement regulations ensuring urban growth harmonizes with the environment, preserving green spaces and minimizing ecological impact.

- Believes addressing housing and employment inequities can tackle mental health issues at their root.
- Plans to implement regulations ensuring urban growth harmonizes with the environment, preserving green spaces and minimizing ecological impact.

Housing & Urban Development

Supports public transportation to ensure efficient and reliable access to work, education, and healthcare for all citizens.

Believes a well-connected city empowers its citizens by providing efficient and reliable access to public transportation, enabling easy access to work, education, and healthcare facilities.

Believes Asheville must be prepared and resilient by ensuring the city’s independence and self-reliance in safeguarding critical infrastructure against threats. Plans to protect infrastructure from sophisticated terrorist attacks and cyber threats.

Believes Asheville should "emerge stronger and more united" by fortifying infrastructure and preparing for all eventualities.

Supports regular audits and upgrades to physical infrastructure, ensuring resilience against threats to water, sewer, and electricity systems.

Plans to enhance safety infrastructure in Asheville by improving lighting in areas most affected by crime and accidents.

Believes in "fortifying Asheville’s infrastructure for a secure future." Supports improvements to roads, bridges, public transit, and overall infrastructure.

- Believes a well-connected city empowers its citizens by providing efficient and reliable access to public transportation, enabling easy access to work, education, and healthcare facilities.
- Believes Asheville must be prepared and resilient by ensuring the city’s independence and self-reliance in safeguarding critical infrastructure against threats. Plans to protect infrastructure from sophisticated terrorist attacks and cyber threats.
- Supports regular audits and upgrades to physical infrastructure, ensuring resilience against threats to water, sewer, and electricity systems.
- Plans to enhance safety infrastructure in Asheville by improving lighting in areas most affected by crime and accidents.

Transportation & Infrastructure

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Roberto (Bo) Hess

Robert Hess currently works as an adjunct professor at Western Carolina University. He serves as co-chair to the Buncombe County District Attorney's Jail Reduction and Addiction Taskforce, and is a co-founder of The Cellphone Project. He has experience in social work and addiction specialities. 


As of July 10, 2024, Roberto (Bo) Hess’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Believes community feedback and engagement are essential for effective public services. Encourages using a portal or sending letters to share thoughts and ideas with Bo and the team.

- Believes public services like libraries, parks, and recreation are essential for community building and environmental health. Supports greenway expansion to maintain biodiversity, reduce urban heat, and provide clean air and community spaces.
- Believes environmental stewardship and public spaces can combat loneliness and build social resilience. Supports community building through public services like parks and recreation.
- Supports expanding teen summer work programs and after-school initiatives to engage youth positively, providing constructive activities, reducing idle time, and building community and responsibility.
- Supports bolstering funding for community partners and stakeholders, emphasizing their vital daily work.
- Believes that a thriving, compassionate community is achieved when every resident is safe, feels a sense of belonging, and has access to equal opportunities and a protected environment. Invites support to make Asheville the best home for all.
- Believes every resident deserves to thrive with access to essentials like nutritious food, reliable shelter, and personal safety. Supports providing a Living Wage for all public employees.
- Believes community feedback and engagement are essential for effective public services. Encourages using a portal or sending letters to share thoughts and ideas with Bo and the team.
- Believes in ensuring access to essentials like nutritious food, reliable shelter, and personal safety for everyone. Plans to live in a city that "cares for the people who make it great."
- Believes mental wellness should be a fundamental right and envisions a community where everyone is supported, valued, and empowered.
- Believes Asheville should adopt sustainable practices to harmonize with nature. Supports community efforts to preserve natural splendors for future generations.

- Believes crime is a symptom of deeper social issues and supports addressing root causes like poverty and drug abuse through policy and partnership. Plans to invest in social services, mental health support, and rehabilitation programs.
- Supports expanding the community paramedic program and intensifying mental health and crisis intervention training for first responders to ensure compassionate, effective care for those facing mental health crises.
- Believes ensuring residents' safety and well-being requires innovative solutions to address crime, poverty, and drug abuse.
- Believes in creating a future where every citizen feels secure and valued by implementing innovative strategies to reduce crime and build a safe community.
- Believes in leveraging technology and data to enhance public safety while respecting privacy and improving security. Plans to implement these tools responsibly.
- Believes in reducing jail populations and addressing addiction issues. As co-chair of the Buncombe County District Attorney's Jail Reduction and Addiction Taskforce, works on initiatives to improve public safety.
- Believes the pandemic has highlighted the urgent need for compassionate action on mental health and addiction. Said, "We stand at a critical juncture where mental health is projected to become the leading cause of mortality in the next 15 years."

Believes fostering innovation and enterprise empowers individuals and families to pursue entrepreneurial dreams.

Believes in "Economic Security for Every Ashevillian." Supports policies that enhance economic stability for all residents.

Believes economic security should be a right for all residents and supports building a prosperous, equitable, and inclusive Asheville.

- Supports raising public employee starting salaries to a living wage and incentivizing private businesses to do the same.
- Believes in minimizing disparities in start-up funding to empower entrepreneurs. Supports fostering an environment that encourages innovation and enterprise.
- Believes in "leveling the economic playing field" by minimizing disparities in start-up funding for budding entrepreneurs.

- Supports enhancing accessibility and funding for mental health practitioners in city schools, believing early intervention can change lives.
- Believes in the importance of educating future clinicians and social work professionals. As an adjunct professor at Western Carolina University, demonstrates commitment to higher education.

- Believes in ensuring access to essentials like nutritious food, reliable shelter, and personal safety for everyone. Supports living in a city that cares for its residents.
- Believes addressing housing and employment inequities can tackle mental health issues at their root.
- Plans to implement regulations ensuring urban growth harmonizes with the environment, preserving green spaces and minimizing ecological impact.

- Supports public transportation to ensure efficient and reliable access to work, education, and healthcare for all citizens.
- Believes a well-connected city empowers its citizens by providing efficient and reliable access to public transportation, enabling easy access to work, education, and healthcare facilities.
- Believes Asheville must be prepared and resilient by ensuring the city’s independence and self-reliance in safeguarding critical infrastructure against threats. Plans to protect infrastructure from sophisticated terrorist attacks and cyber threats.
- Believes Asheville should "emerge stronger and more united" by fortifying infrastructure and preparing for all eventualities.
- Supports regular audits and upgrades to physical infrastructure, ensuring resilience against threats to water, sewer, and electricity systems.
- Plans to enhance safety infrastructure in Asheville by improving lighting in areas most affected by crime and accidents.
- Believes in "fortifying Asheville’s infrastructure for a secure future." Supports improvements to roads, bridges, public transit, and overall infrastructure.

As of July 8, 2024, Roberto (Bo) Hess’s website did not contain information on this issue.

- City council members work together to set and implement city policy. 
- The city council is tasked with ensuring the health, comfort, and safety of residents of the city.
- City council members work with the mayor to govern city departments, such as the police department, fire department, transportation department, and parks and recreation department. 
- City council members represent either the whole city or residents of a specific district. 