Name: Nancy Nehls Nelson
Profession: Retired AT&T Bell Labs Project Manager
In up to two words, describe your political affiliation: Democrat
In one brief sentence, describe yourself and why you’re running: I am an engaged community advocate that has the experience to be a significant voice on the Buncombe County Commission balancing the needs of the individual with our greater community needs. This, I believe, is the heart of our democracy.
General questions
These questions are about problems, challenges or topics facing county government and how you would try to deal with them if elected.
1. Housing costs have steadily risen in the area, outside the city of Asheville as well as within. What steps should the county take to deal with the affordable housing crisis?
County government must continue to seek best practices aligned with other comparable areas in the country, and meet and discuss with builders the pathways to reduce costs, and to partner with groups that are currently trying to increase affordable housing supply. Also, we must figure out a way to increase access to public transportation so that those who move further into the County have access to their jobs and county services located in Asheville.
2) The State of Black Asheville report reveals multiple inequities — in fields like education, housing, health and more — affecting the African-American community in both Asheville and Buncombe County. What steps would you support to address these issues?
The county and all municipalities must be proactive in pushing state legislators to recover needed traditional public school dollars and Medicaid funding from the federal government. Families at the bottom of the economic scale suffer when social programs are cut or derailed. This is unacceptable. We must continue to fund the government programs and the non-profits who buoy up that segment of our population, like the Community Health Service and the Family Justice Center. Continuing to improve our education programs from pre-K to college will address hopelessness and inequity.
3) What do you see as the appropriate circumstances for a commissioner to question or criticize appointed staff? What is your overall assessment of the current performance of the county manager and top county staff?
Codes of conduct, best practices and civil interaction are all covered in the School of Government’s Guidebook on serving as a County Commissioner. It is unfathomable that inappropriate behavior can be tolerated without being immediately reported and addressed.
4) According to the N.C. Department of Education, Buncombe County Schools have $10,225 in revenue per student, as compared to $13,125 for Asheville City Schools. What steps should the county take to ensure that this revenue gap doesn’t result in services for students in county schools falling behind?
This gap has existed for over 50 years because the City of Asheville has a special voter-approved tax that funds per student revenues. The state needs to reevaluate their commitments to traditional public schools and the teachers of NC. If the state stepped back up to funding levels which halted in 2008, then the county could utilize more of its current funding for education. Additional STEM programs at all levels of education, world language classes at the elementary level and international Baccalaureate programs for global learning are just a few ideas that would keep county students moving forward in their ability to compete in today’s job market. State funding again needs to be available for classroom materials and textbooks, too. County money has long supplemented state funding to provide assistance to our education needs and that will continue at whatever level the county can budget.
5) Buncombe County’s seen more development as population and tourism in the area increases. Do you believe the county’s current development rules are adequate to deal with this situation? If not, how would you change them?
The County Planning Board is in the middle of revisiting subdivision ordinances as we speak and doing an excellent job. Affordable housing is an issue that will be with us as long as we depend on tourists and visitors to fund our local economy. As a commissioner, I want to get ahead of the curve on how land use and development will affect specific areas. When I sat on the Weaverville Planning Board, I became familiar with their 2012 Master Plan, which gives significant guidance about where commercial development, industrial concerns and countryside rural housing should occur in their jurisdiction. The municipalities outside of Asheville have some good ideas that would benefit the entire county development issues.
Yes/No
These questions are about specific proposals the commissioners have or may consider, and how you would vote on them. The first word of each answer must be Yes or No. An explanation of one’s position — or an alternative proposal — may follow.
6) Do you support the current distribution of hotel tax revenue to the Tourism Development Authority?
Yes. Although I would like to see the allocations lean more for county infrastructure in the future. I understand that there is a historical precedence that the TDA has complete control over the distribution. I believe any money coming into our county benefits us.
7) Would you endorse the repeal of the provision of HB2 prohibiting local governments from passing nondiscrimination ordinances?
Yes. This is a disastrous bill and has lost our state millions of dollars.
8) Do you support the $34,359 bonus allocated to County Manager Wanda Greene as part of this year’s budget?
I decline to answer this one because my opponent was named in this situation, and because I am not currently a Commissioner and therefore do not have enough information.
9) Durham County recently changed its living wage rates so that all county workers make at least $15 an hour. Do you support a similar step in Buncombe, setting a base wage of $15 an hour for all county employees?
Yes. I would support investigating this step once I become part of the commission.
10) Will you approve county funds to support the proposal, backed by the city-county African-American Heritage Commission, for a monument on Pack Square marking the contributions and history of local black citizens?
Yes. This should be a totally inclusive effort, and funding should include money from Asheville, private donations, grants as well as the county.