Twelve employees of Buncombe County Schools and the Asheville Area Arts Council Executive Director spoke during the proposed 2023 county budget public hearing. Buncombe County Schools employees attested that they had not received a pay increase in over a decade. While we’ve not independently verified that, we believe them. Shame on the Buncombe County Board of Education and the County Commissioners for allowing that to happen! Shame! Both were happy to grant the school board members a 340% pay increase last year. What have they been spending our money on instead? Well, you know the answer to that.
We’ve been reporting to you for a year on the county and City throwing every penny they could find at attending to the homeless. And now they want to spend your money to pay reparations o black residents and fund the department of equity and inclusion. Meanwhile, our teachers and other school district employees look for ways to supplement their incomes. Do those priorities align with your values?
The proposed budget will be approved at the next County Commissioners’ meeting on June 21, whether you like it or not. The commissioners have demonstrated that they only care about your thoughts and opinions when they mirror their own. Just pay your taxes and shut up.
