Archive for April 2011
We have received word that Local Democrats have begun to bombard the Republican members of the North Carolina General Assembly with emails and phone calls against Rep. Tim Moffitt’s Bill HB471. This Bill would allow District Elections for our Board of Buncombe County Commissioners, bringing representation closer to the people of the Buncombe County.
While Democrats continue to spread false information about the Bill locally and now in the General Assembly, we can do something to help our Republican Representative Tim Moffitt and encourage our fellow Republican GA members to support HB471 by letting our voices be heard.
Please take a moment and write a short letter in support of HB471. I have included all email addresses to the Republican members of the GA below. Just copy and paste and let your voice be heard.
Harold.Brubaker@ncleg.net, Leo.Daughtry@ncleg.net, Jerry.Dockham@ncleg.net, Julia.Howard@ncleg.net, Danny.McComas@ncleg.net, Edgar.Starnes@ncleg.net, Mitchell.Setzer@ncleg.net, Mitch.Gillespie@ncleg.net, John.Blust@ncleg.net, Mark.Hilton@ncleg.net, Roger.West@ncleg.net, Jeff.Barnhart@ncleg.net, Linda.Johnson2@ncleg.net, Paul.Stam@ncleg.net, Tim.Moore@ncleg.net, William.McGee@ncleg.net, David.Lewis@ncleg.net, Phillip.Frye@ncleg.net, Carolyn.Justice@ncleg.net, Fred.Steen@ncleg.net, George.Cleveland@ncleg.net, James.Langdon@ncleg.net, Nelson.Dollar@ncleg.net, Larry.Brown@ncleg.net, Dale.Folwell@ncleg.net, Bryan.Holloway@ncleg.net, Bill.Current@ncleg.net, Pat.Hurley@ncleg.net, Ric.Killian@ncleg.net, Ruth.Samuelson@ncleg.net, Thom.Tillis@ncleg.net, Marilyn.Avila@ncleg.net, Pat.McElraft@ncleg.net, Hugh.Blackwell@ncleg.net, Jamie.Boles@ncleg.net, Justin.Burr@ncleg.net, David.Guice@ncleg.net, Darrell.McCormick@ncleg.net, Grey.Mills@ncleg.net, Shirley.Randleman@ncleg.net, Johnathan.Rhyne@ncleg.net, Efton.Sager@ncleg.net, Sarah.Stevens@ncleg.net, Dan.Ingle@ncleg.net, Frank.Iler@ncleg.net, John.Faircloth@ncleg.net, Craig.Horn@ncleg.net, Chuck.McGrady@ncleg.net, John.Torbett@ncleg.net, Glen.Bradley@ncleg.net, Bill.Brawley@ncleg.net, Rayne.Brown@ncleg.net, Jeff.Collins@ncleg.net, Bill.Cook@ncleg.net, Jimmy.Dixon@ncleg.net, Mike.Hager@ncleg.net, Kelly.Hastings@ncleg.net, Mark.Hollo@ncleg.net, Jonathan.Jordan@ncleg.net, Stephen.LaRoque@ncleg.net, Tim.Moffitt@ncleg.net, Tom.Murry@ncleg.net, Gaston.Pridgen@ncleg.net, Norman.Sanderson@ncleg.net, Phil.Shepard@ncleg.net, Michael.Stone@ncleg.net, Harry.Warren@ncleg.net
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School Advisory Councils
At the April meeting, the school board unanimously passed a motion to allow parents and community members to volunteer to serve on Advisory Councils and other school committees. An on-line application will allow an equal opportunity for parents and community members to apply to serve on an Advisory Council or school committee. The school board will then appoint volunteers selected from this pool of applicants. Volunteer background checks will also be conducted to ensure the safety of our children.
Equity for Strings Program
A motion to have the administration look into expanding the string orchestra program from one semester to a full year was unanimously passed. Violins are a very economical instrument ($200), particularly in these challenging times, and many music stores have affordable rent-to-own programs. Please contact your school board members to show your support for this program.
Buncombe County Parents Want More Educational Choices
Charter Schools are forced to turn students away due to maximum enrollment caps. The result of the recent lotteries at these local public charter schools:
- Evergreen (expeditionary learning model) – 458 applicants for 25 openings. Maximum enrollment 408.
- Artspace (arts integrated education)- 220 applicants for 26 openings. Maximum enrollment 382.
- Francine Delaney (individualized, hands-on study)- 314 applicants for 27 openings. Maximum enrollment 162.
Do parents want more educational choices for their children? According to data from the John Locke Foundation that appears to be the case in Buncombe County. The percentage of Buncombe County students attending traditional public schools has fallen from 81% in 2008-09 to 80% for the 2009-10 school year. The remaining 20% are enrolled in private schools (3,161), homeschools (3,098 ) and charter schools (888 – this number could rise if the cap on charter schools is lifted). Buncombe County ranks third in the state for the number of homeschool students. The NC state average education market share is 87% for traditional public school students; which raises the question as to why only 80% of BCS parents are choosing traditional public schools for their children.
How can traditional public schools offer parents the educational choices they want for their children? We can make under-enrolled public schools more attractive by offering open-enrollment county-wide, possibly making them magnet schools or using different learning models.
Due to more parents choosing alternatives, Buncombe County Schools have room for 3,000 – 5,000 more students (depending on the formula used to calculate capacity). If we don’t maximize the space we have in under-enrolled schools, the money to operate and staff them is not being used efficiently. Other school districts have been re-drawing attendance lines to better balance their schools or selling off assets (school buildings). We also have an opportunity to make our education delivery more effective and attractive.
Save the Dates
Tuesday, April 26th @ Noon – Budget Work Session – Open to the public – Administrators will present proposed BCS budget at the central office in the school board auditorium, 175 Bingham Rd., Asheville, NC 28806.
Thursday, May 5th @ 6:30pm – Regular School Board Meeting – Open to the public – View agenda at the BCS website under Board of Education
Please contact Lisa Baldwin with your comments or call me at 628-9537. To reach your school board members or superintendent visit www.buncombe.k12.nc.us to find email addresses and phone numbers.
The following message comes from the NCGOP, regarding this year’s annual state convention. Please visit their convention website and make your reservations!
The North Carolina Republican Party announced Congressman Mick Mulvaney, member of Congress from South Carolina’s Fifth Congressional District, will speak at Saturday’s luncheon at the 2011 North Carolina Republican State Convention.
Congressman Mulvaney beat long-time Democratic incumbent John Spratt in 2010 and will share with us why it is paramount to the future of our country for North Carolina Republicans to work to defeat our own Democratic members of Congress in 2012.
Learn more about Congressman Mulvaney at his campaign website www.mulvaneyforcongress.com
Please visit www.NCGOPConvention.com and sign up today for the “Early Bird Rate” for the Complete Package Deal which entitles you to hear from Congressman Mulvaney and Andrew Brietbart on Saturday, Congressman West on Friday evening and soon to be announced speakers for Saturday night and Sunday morning.
Hotel Update
The Hilton Riverside-Wilmington, the Official Hotel of the 2011 NCGOP State Convention, is sold out!
To accommodate all those that wish to travel and have not made accommodations yet, the NCGOP has set up a second room block. Our room block is now available at the Comfort Suites, at 4721 Market Street in Wilmington and rooms are available at a rate of $115 a night and may be reserved by calling 910-793-9300. Just ask for the “NCGOP” rate.
Go to www.NCGOPConvention.com for more information.
Message from the Chairman
Chairman Hayes filmed a message, inviting all North Carolinians to come to Wilmington and be a part of the 2011 NCGOP State Convention.
We’re very fortunate to have a new conservative blog here in Western North Carolina that discusses local political issues from a conservative perspective. Check out The Dogwood Caucus. From their “About Us” page:
The Dogwood Caucus is an independent, conservative news source for Buncombe County , NC .
We seek to be a voice of reason in an otherwise slanted array of local, state, national and occasionally international political news and opinions. We also intend to see that conservative viewpoints are included in today’s debates so that we may ensure a principled and accountable future for our region, state and nation.
While we are not associated with any political party, we welcome the input of those from across the political spectrum. This blog is not an arm of any Republican or Tea Party organization.
FROM: Henry Mitchell, Chairman, BCGOP
Buncombe Democrats Taken Over By The Far Left
The Asheville Citizen-Times reported on Friday that former Buncombe County Legislator Bruce Goforth, a lifelong democrat, recently changed his party registration to unaffiliated. Mr. Goforth who served four terms in the house, voted with the Democrats on most every issue, served as Democrat caucus whip, and arguably was the most influential house legislator from Western North Carolina in the past term of the General Assembly. The newspaper stated “he didn’t feel like a Democrat anymore in Buncombe County, which has been taken over by the party’s progressive wing.” “It’s so far left there, I don’t feel I am a Democrat there.”
On behalf of the Buncombe County Republican Party I would like to applaud and recognize Mr. Bruce Goforth on his recent decision to change his party affiliation from Democrat to Unaffiliated and also to congratulate him on his new position as special adviser and assistant on economic development efforts to N.C. House Speaker Thom Tillis. His appointment, along with that of Buncombe County resident Charles Thomas as the N.C. House speaker’s Chief of Staff, will give our community a greater voice in state government.
Former Rep. Goforth has shown real political courage and has exhibited sound, reasonable judgment on realizing along with other conservative democrats that the progressive, left wing democratic party is disconnected with and does not represent many people within its own party. Times and attitudes are changing and Goforth is aware that we must change the way we govern here in Buncombe County and across North Carolina. The former conservative democrat is a small business owner and knows how the economic downturn has affected employers and business owners across the region and state. He believes in putting the need for jobs before playing politics.
Mr. Goforth’s decision follows the Buncombe County Democrat Party executive committee’s vote to appoint 28-year-old Drew Reisinger as Buncombe County Register of Deeds over thirty year Register of Deeds veteran Joann Morgan. Former Register of Deeds Otto DeBruhl had endorsed Ms. Morgan for the position following his retirement after over three decades of service to this county. Mr. Reisinger, an unemployed Democrat Party campaign worker, had no experience in the Register of Deeds office. Following Mr. Reisinger’s appointment, many long time employees have announced their retirement from the office.
Instead of focusing on improving our community’s economy, schools, and opportunities for everyone, it is clear that the Buncombe County Democratic Party is pursuing such an extremist liberal agenda that even the most loyal, lifelong Democrats like Mr. Goforth & Ms. Morgan are being purged from it’s ranks. We believe that a small minority in this county pushing this leftist agenda is bringing substantial harm to Buncombe County. However, the light switch has been turned on by Mr. Goforth and will continue to grow brighter as voters realize the progressive radical left wing of the Democrat party does not represent their real interests or true beliefs.
As Ronald Reagan said: “I didn’t leave the Democratic Party. The party left me.”
The BCGOP would like to extend a hand of cooperation to all and or any conservative Democrats or unaffiliated voters in Buncombe County who desire and seek a local party that will respect and represent their true conservative principles and core values.
Only by focusing on creating good paying private sector jobs, cutting unnecessary government spending, making government more efficient and avoiding tax increases, can people realize the American Dream not only here in Buncombe County but across the state.
