Donna wrote last week about local governments hiring lobbyists to advocate on their behalf, using of course, taxpayer money to do so.  Now, add Asheville to the list of municipalities hiring lobbyists, not only to lobby in Raleigh but DC as well – to the tune of $100,000 in taxpayer money.  Vice Mayor Esther Manheimer argued, “a liaison to the General Assembly is crucial when it comes to local issues being discussed in Raleigh.”  Weren’t Representatives Susan Fisher, Patsy Keever and Tim Moffitt, Senators Tom Apodaca and Martin Nesbitt and Congressman Heath Schuler elected to represent Asheville’s local issues?

The next time your County Commissioners ask for a tax increase, you might ask if they’ll use it to pay lobbyists.  Perhaps a better idea is to let the voters decide who will represent the interests of the district – and not waste money!