Consistent with its strategic goal of being fiscally conservative, the City of Asheville suggests that democracy is expensive. The following is taken from material addressing the city’s interest in upgrading infrastructure.
. . . the City hereby determines that the cost of the acquisition and installation of the Projects pursuant to the Contract and Deed of Trust and the obligations of the City thereunder are preferable to a general obligation bond financing or revenue bond financing for several reasons, including but not limited to the following: (1) the cost of a special election necessary to approve a general obligation bond financing, as required by the laws of the State, would result in the expenditure of significant funds; and (2) the time required for a general obligation bond election would cause an unnecessary delay which would thereby decrease the financial benefits of constructing and equipping the Project.
In fact, they seem to prefer answering to those who can show up at public hearings to being responsive to the voting population.
