Asheville City Council passed the resolution voicing their support of candidate welfare (House Bill 120 headed for the Senate):
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT the City Council of the City of Asheville calls upon the North Carolina General Assembly and Governor to enact legislation that gives large towns, like Asheville, the authority to sponsor a public financing program for their elections, using local resources, with technical assistance from the State Board of Elections.
Only Bill Russell and Jan Davis voted against it. The measure, like so many camels’ noses these days, was billed as innocuous and non-binding. Such things crop up a year or so later as having raised public expectation and therefore cause not to go back on council’s word.
The only citizen who spoke on behalf of the measure was Bruce Mulkey of WNC for Change. He told of the organization’s membership, in excess of 900 volunteers, many of whom were paid campaign staff, working to get the current president in office. He viewed candidate welfare as returning America to a system of one-person-one-vote.
Speaking of paid volunteers, the city also approved the acceptance of $1500 from the federal government to pay a high-school intern.
