The Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce has endorsed the bond measures that will appear on the upcoming election ballot.
“Buncombe County is a great place to live, work and play,” said Kit Cramer, President of the Asheville Chamber. “These bonds will help ensure it stays that way by increasing housing inventory and providing funds to support land conservation and greenways.”
“One of the Chamber’s guiding principles is pragmatism. We’re about getting things done and solving problems in our community,” Cramer said. “We support the County bonds as a pragmatic approach to addressing needs. The housing and open space bonds align with current County programs and with long-term goals. And, the bond money should allow the County to leverage additional dollars.”
The 30 business leaders who comprise the voting body of the Asheville Chamber Board of Directors approved a resolution to endorse the bonds.
Supporting funding for affordable housing for working families is one of the Chamber’s public policy priorities, reflecting the importance the issue has for area businesses. In the recent State of the Workforce: Western NC employer survey, employers cited housing cost and availability of housing as the most significant obstacle to talent recruitment and retention, with 84 percent saying it was very challenging or extremely challenging.
Meanwhile, open space and recreation are key contributors to quality of life for residents.
“In our recent survey of member businesses, two-thirds of responding businesses supported both bonds,” said Zach Wallace, Vice President of Public Policy for the Asheville Chamber. “We encourage Buncombe County voters to learn more about the bonds and to vote yes.”
Visit www.betterwithbonds.org for information about the bond referendum including plans for how the money will be used and frequently asked questions.