Since July 2023, Buncombe County and the City of Asheville have been entrenched in what they dub the “Stop the Harm” audit. This initiative, recommended by the Community Reparations Commission and with a staggering price tag of $174,375, aims to scrutinize both internal and external programs of the county and city governments. The chosen organization for this audit, Florida-based Carter Development Group, boasts an extensive portfolio in similar projects across the nation.
Concerns and Criticisms
The audit’s purported focus is on identifying and rectifying instances of harm, particularly within the African American community. However, its origins lie in the recommendations of a commission dominated by left-leaning voices, including incumbent Kim Roney, who is seeking reelection to the City Council this November. Roney, who aligns herself with the Democratic Socialists of America, has consistently advocated for the redirection of funds away from vital services, such as law enforcement, and into initiatives aligned with her political agenda.
Some citizens of Buncombe County have concerns over the disproportionate allocation of taxpayer funds to projects with dubious efficacy and ideological motivations. The reality is that our hard-earned money is being squandered on initiatives driven by a radical left-wing agenda, without proper oversight or accountability.
This “Stop the Harm” audit has been underway for months, yet its necessity and efficacy remain questionable. It comes at a time and was prompted by many of the same stimuli that finds the city’s police force reeling from severe staffing shortages. Both the police staffing issues and the taxpayer funding of the Community Reparations Commission are directly attributable to the policies of our liberal local government representatives. Instead of focusing on bolstering public safety and infrastructure maintenance, taxpayer dollars are funneled into initiatives aimed at addressing so-called “systemic racism,” a concept largely based on statistical inferences rather than documented instances of harm.
Questionable Recommendations
Several of the recommendations made by the “Stop the Harm” audit include:
- Implementing policies aimed at achieving racial equity, which prioritizes diversity quotas over merit-based hiring practices.
- Utilizing taxpayer funds for initiatives perceived as ideologically driven rather than focusing on essential services.
- Mandating additional Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) training for city and county employees.
- Emphasizing community-based approaches to law enforcement by diverting resources away from traditional policing methods.
- Advocating for reparations programs that lack clear metrics for success and accountability.
Call to Action
Let’s band together as a community to champion transparency, accountability, and fiscal responsibility from our elected officials. It’s crucial that we ensure taxpayer dollars are allocated wisely and efficiently to tackle the genuine challenges confronting our community. We cannot overlook the fact that both Asheville City and Buncombe County have levied taxes on our hard-earned incomes, channeling millions into initiatives like “reparations” activities and construction of a downtown bathroom with shower facilities for the homeless.
Silence is not an option. It’s time to take action. Reach out to your representatives and insist that they refrain from allocating any further public funds without instituting transparent accountability measures and measurable success criteria. Better yet, perhaps they could focus on the real issues facing our community.
Resources for Further Action
To further empower our community in holding our local government accountable, we’ve compiled a list of resources for your reference:
- Full Audit Report: Access the complete “Stop the Harm” audit report to delve deeper into its findings and recommendations. Click here to download the report.
- Presentation Document from the Reparations Commission Meeting: Review the presentation document used at the Reparations Commission meeting, which sparked the “Stop the Harm” audit. Click here to view the presentation.
- Email Template for Contacting Local Government Officials: We’ve drafted an email template that you can use to express your concerns directly to local government officials and candidates. Simply sign your name and send it off to make your voice heard. Click here to access the email template.
