Buncombe County

Candidate website

Supports tripling conservation investments and leading a $30M Open Space bond for conservation and nature recreation.

Supports investing public funds in conservation, greenways, and housing for working families, seniors, and essential workers.

Believes in proactive and sustainable growth by prioritizing conservation, creating wildlife corridors, and ensuring equitable recreational access. Plans to prioritize housing in developed areas with existing infrastructure and near key transportation corridors.

Believes in proactive and sustainable growth by prioritizing conservation, creating wildlife corridors, and ensuring equitable recreational access. 

Believes in the importance of community service and aims to inspire future leaders to improve and sustain Buncombe County. Cares deeply about the community's health and prosperity for future generations.

Believes in the importance of community service and aims to inspire future leaders to improve and sustain Buncombe County.

Believes in a thriving community where essential workers like teachers, firefighters, and grocery store employees can live locally. Supports diverse contributions to ensure environmental, economic, and social health in the community.

Believes in a thriving community where essential workers like teachers, firefighters, and grocery store employees can live locally. 

Supports enhancing community infrastructure, including water and broadband, and values conservation and community engagement through events like the opening of Pisgah View State Park.

Believes leaders should "listen more and talk less" to understand community issues. As a community leader, organized events to foster discussions and understand diverse opinions.

Believes leaders should "listen more and talk less" to understand community issues, including through hosting discussions. 

Plans to hold a town hall with county and town staff and elected leaders to clarify government roles and collaborate on community issues.

Believes transparency and oversight are crucial for community trust in public services. As a Commissioner, established a General Obligation Bonds Community Oversight Committee and ensured annual independent audits and a transparency webpage for bond investments.

Established a General Obligation Bonds Community Oversight Committee and ensured annual independent audits and a transparency webpage for bond investments as Commissioner.

Supports distributing food and essential services during COVID.

Supported distributing food and essential services during COVID.

- Supports tripling conservation investments and leading a $30M Open Space bond for conservation and nature recreation.
- Supports investing public funds in conservation, greenways, and housing for working families, seniors, and essential workers.
- Believes in proactive and sustainable growth by prioritizing conservation, creating wildlife corridors, and ensuring equitable recreational access. 
- Believes in the importance of community service and aims to inspire future leaders to improve and sustain Buncombe County.
- Believes in a thriving community where essential workers like teachers, firefighters, and grocery store employees can live locally. 
- Supports enhancing community infrastructure, including water and broadband, and values conservation and community engagement through events like the opening of Pisgah View State Park.
- Believes leaders should "listen more and talk less" to understand community issues, including through hosting discussions. 
- Plans to hold a town hall with county and town staff and elected leaders to clarify government roles and collaborate on community issues.
- Established a General Obligation Bonds Community Oversight Committee and ensured annual independent audits and a transparency webpage for bond investments as Commissioner.
- Supported distributing food and essential services during COVID.

Public Services

Supports expanding broadband access and career tech education to boost small business development and job opportunities.

Believes excessive spending on pensions, benefits, and payroll indicates inefficiency. Supports the idea of "doing more with less" to improve fiscal responsibility.

Believes excessive spending on pensions, benefits, and payroll indicates inefficiency. 

Believes an inclusive and proactive approach is essential for sustaining and growing a diverse business environment, including small businesses, family-owned ventures, and larger corporations.

Supports "supporting and growing our Leicester Farmers Market."

Supports active involvement in supporting local businesses.

Supports helping small businesses thrive by addressing labor issues, trade, taxes, and regulation.

- Supports expanding broadband access and career tech education to boost small business development and job opportunities.
- Believes excessive spending on pensions, benefits, and payroll indicates inefficiency. 
- Believes an inclusive and proactive approach is essential for sustaining and growing a diverse business environment, including small businesses, family-owned ventures, and larger corporations.
- Supports "supporting and growing our Leicester Farmers Market."
- Supports active involvement in supporting local businesses.
- Supports helping small businesses thrive by addressing labor issues, trade, taxes, and regulation.

Economy

Believes in thoroughly assessing the impacts of operating two school districts and listening to parents and staff to make well-informed decisions. Supports a strong public school system as "the backbone of our community."

Believes in thoroughly assessing the impacts of operating two school districts and listening to parents and staff to make well-informed decisions. 

Believes in fighting to make schools the best they can be. Supports improving K-12 school policies.

Believes in increasing public school funding and expanding educational resources. As a Commissioner, increased public school funding and expanded rural broadband access.

As a county commissioner, increased public school funding and expanded rural broadband access.

- Believes in thoroughly assessing the impacts of operating two school districts and listening to parents and staff to make well-informed decisions. 
- Supports improving K-12 school policies.
- As a county commissioner, increased public school funding and expanded rural broadband access.

Education

As of June 14, 2024, Terri Wells’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Public Safety

Believes maintaining existing affordable homes is crucial alongside new construction. Supports using bond funds to rehabilitate homes, ensuring stability for seniors and working families.

Supports using bond funds to rehabilitate homes, ensuring stability for seniors and working families and to maintain affordable housing opportunities.

Believes affordable housing and conservation are crucial, as evidenced by supporting a $40 million bond for housing and a $30 million bond for conservation. Plans to establish a five-person oversight committee to manage the funds over 20 years.

Believes affordable housing and conservation are crucial, as evidenced by supporting a $40 million bond for housing and a $30 million bond for conservation with a five-person oversight committee to manage the funds over 20 years.

Supports conserving rural land to balance urban development and preserve farmland in Buncombe County.

Believes better housing management is needed locally. Plans to research more before voting on the bond referendum, with spending being a "deal-breaker" for her.

Plans to research more before voting on the bond referendum, with spending being a "deal-breaker" for her.

Believes there is an ongoing “conversation” about the intersection of affordable housing, short-term rentals, and demographic shifts.

Believes understanding government functions helps people see how policies, like affordable housing investments, impact lives. Questions how Buncombe will ensure high-quality affordable housing.

Believes understanding government functions helps people see how policies, like affordable housing investments, impact lives. 

As County Commissioner, secured funding for land conservation and affordable housing. Supports strategies to protect farmland and open spaces.

As county commissioner, secured funding for land conservation and affordable housing.

- Supports using bond funds to rehabilitate homes, ensuring stability for seniors and working families and to maintain affordable housing opportunities.
- Believes affordable housing and conservation are crucial, as evidenced by supporting a $40 million bond for housing and a $30 million bond for conservation with a five-person oversight committee to manage the funds over 20 years.
- Supports conserving rural land to balance urban development and preserve farmland in Buncombe County.
- Plans to research more before voting on the bond referendum, with spending being a "deal-breaker" for her.
- Believes there is an ongoing “conversation” about the intersection of affordable housing, short-term rentals, and demographic shifts.
- Believes understanding government functions helps people see how policies, like affordable housing investments, impact lives. 
- As county commissioner, secured funding for land conservation and affordable housing.

Housing & Urban Development

Believes in "connecting our communities to high-speed broadband internet."

Supports "Pivotal Bond Measures" to improve transportation and infrastructure, including roads, bridges, and public transit.

Believes in accessing funding for infrastructure repairs and upgrades.

Believes in collaborating with partners to plan for future infrastructure needs.

- Believes in "connecting our communities to high-speed broadband internet."
- Supports "Pivotal Bond Measures" to improve transportation and infrastructure, including roads, bridges, and public transit.
- Believes in accessing funding for infrastructure repairs and upgrades.
- Believes in collaborating with partners to plan for future infrastructure needs.

Transportation & Infrastructure

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Terri Wells

Ballotpedia, Bruce O'Connell

As of June 14, 2024, Bruce O'Connell’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Opposes using reserve funds to balance the budget and believes promising no tax increase for political gain is irresponsible.

Believes cutting wasteful spending and focusing on essential expenditures is better fiscal policy. Said, "The idea that this is good fiscal policy is not going to fly with the taxpayers."

Believes cutting wasteful spending and focusing on essential expenditures is better fiscal policy. 

Believes in fighting government overreach to protect small businesses. Said, "Bruce has the courage to fight government overreach."

Believes in fighting government overreach to protect small businesses. 

Believes in charging different prices or rates for goods or services, including the use of discounts or other benefits or imposing penalties.

- Opposes using reserve funds to balance the budget and believes promising no tax increase for political gain is irresponsible.
- Believes in fighting government overreach to protect small businesses. 
- Believes in charging different prices or rates for goods or services, including the use of discounts or other benefits or imposing penalties.

Believes schools should teach core subjects and practical life skills like budgeting and civics. Supports mandatory testing, performance-based promotions, classroom discipline, and increased SRO presence.

Supports mandatory testing, performance-based promotions, classroom discipline, and increased SRO presence.

Believes in adding "real world, practical education" to the curriculum, including teaching household budgeting, debt management, and work ethic.

Believes education should cover basics like reading, writing, math, science, and history. Supports teaching practical skills such as understanding debt, interest, budgeting, credit, civics, and career development.

Supports teaching practical skills such as understanding debt, interest, budgeting, credit, civics, and career development.

Believes in restoring "respect, discipline, and consequences for actions" in education. Supports policies that reinforce these values in K-12 schools and beyond.

Believes in restoring "respect, discipline, and consequences for actions" in education and supports policies that reinforce these values in K-12 schools and beyond.

Believes promotions and rewards for teachers should be based on merit, excluding "DEI."

Opposes gender studies in K-12 education, stating, "No gender studies until at least high school."

Believes in "100% parent’s rights to know everything that is going on in their schools and with their children."

Believes in "parent’s rights to know everything that is going on in their schools and with their children."

Believes in returning to fundamental subjects in education: reading, writing, math, history, civics, and science.

Emphasizes returning to fundamental subjects in education, mainly reading, writing, math, history, civics, and science.

Believes in promoting and striving for higher expectations from the education system and students.

Denounced current leadership's "woke ideology that seeks. to take our money, punish our work, destroy our education, dishonor our history, and divide our people."

- Supports mandatory testing, performance-based promotions, classroom discipline, and increased SRO presence.
- Believes in adding "real world, practical education" to the curriculum, including teaching household budgeting, debt management, and work ethic.
- Supports teaching practical skills such as understanding debt, interest, budgeting, credit, civics, and career development.
- Believes in restoring "respect, discipline, and consequences for actions" in education and supports policies that reinforce these values in K-12 schools and beyond.
- Believes promotions and rewards for teachers should be based on merit, excluding "DEI."
- Opposes gender studies in K-12 education, stating, "No gender studies until at least high school."
- Believes in "parent’s rights to know everything that is going on in their schools and with their children."
- Emphasizes returning to fundamental subjects in education, mainly reading, writing, math, history, civics, and science.
- Believes in promoting and striving for higher expectations from the education system and students.
- Denounced current leadership's "woke ideology that seeks. to take our money, punish our work, destroy our education, dishonor our history, and divide our people."

Believes in strengthening penalties for assaulting law enforcement officers.

Supports improving safety and security, advocating for justice, fairness, and compassion, and backing law enforcement and first responders.

Supports being "100% supportive of all law enforcement."

Is "100% supportive of all law enforcement."

Plans to improve safety and security in downtown areas and communities.

Believes in protecting the personal safety of service users and the public.

- Believes in strengthening penalties for assaulting law enforcement officers.
- Supports improving safety and security, advocating for justice, fairness, and compassion, and backing law enforcement and first responders.
- Is "100% supportive of all law enforcement."
- Plans to improve safety and security in downtown areas and communities.
- Believes in protecting the personal safety of service users and the public.

Believes high property taxes are driving residents out and plans to cap taxes and expand sewer and water services to make more land buildable.

Supports offering incentives to developers for long-term affordable housing projects.

Believes in smart development that considers traffic, neighborhood culture, environmental impact, and quality of life. Supports small local businesses and aims to contain onerous regulations.

Supports small local businesses and aims to limit heavy regulations.

Supports cutting regulations and reducing construction costs to make housing more affordable.

Believes that affordability and quality of life are critical issues, stating that the county has become unaffordable for many residents.

Believes in reasonably capping property taxes for locals.

Believes in strong private property rights.

Believes in "smart development" for housing and urban development. Supports policies that promote efficient and thoughtful growth.

Believes in "smart development" for housing and urban development and supports policies that promote efficient and thoughtful growth.

- Believes high property taxes are driving residents out and plans to cap taxes and expand sewer and water services to make more land buildable.
- Supports offering incentives to developers for long-term affordable housing projects.
- Supports small local businesses and aims to limit heavy regulations.
- Supports cutting regulations and reducing construction costs to make housing more affordable.
- Believes that affordability and quality of life are critical issues, stating that the county has become unaffordable for many residents.
- Believes in reasonably capping property taxes for locals.
- Believes in strong private property rights.
- Believes in "smart development" for housing and urban development and supports policies that promote efficient and thoughtful growth.

Plans to improve infrastructure, including water systems, roadways, electrical grids, and internet accessibility, while balancing smart development and mitigating traffic issues.

Believes we need to prioritize addressing failing infrastructure.

Believes addressing failing infrastructure should be a priority.

Supports leveraging business experience to manage infrastructure, including roads, bridges, public transit, and ongoing maintenance.

Plans to focus on infrastructure, including roads, bridges, and public transit.

- Plans to improve infrastructure, including water systems, roadways, electrical grids, and internet accessibility, while balancing smart development and mitigating traffic issues.
- Believes addressing failing infrastructure should be a priority.
- Supports leveraging business experience to manage infrastructure, including roads, bridges, public transit, and ongoing maintenance.
- Plans to focus on infrastructure, including roads, bridges, and public transit.

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Bruce O'Connell

- County Commissioners create and pass laws at the county-level. These laws show up in very tangible ways, such as determining how much you pay property and sales tax rates, public transportation, and maintaining infrastructure.
- County Commissioners are responsible for preparing and passing the county budget. The budget determines how much funding goes to various public services, such as public transportation, law enforcement, repairing roads, and maintaining infrastructure.
- County Commissioners oversee the administrative duties of your county’s government to ensure the safety, comfort, and well-being of county residents.
- County Commissioners can create, change, or abolish offices, positions, departments that are not required by law. 
- County Commissioners are elected to 4-year terms, with no term limits. Typically, you only vote for the County Commissioner that represents your county commission district.