Bruce has accomplished something that very few candidates have done. Thanks to you, and thousands of your neighbors, he has collected the necessary number of signatures to qualify him as an unaffiliated candidate on the November ballot.

 

Your support made it possible for voters in District 2 to have a choice. The choice is between the incumbent – a liberal, partisan Democrat – or Bruce – a fiscal conservative, nonpartisan, business owner.

 

Bruce is a commonsense local who has owned and operated the Pisgah Inn for 45 years.

If you are not satisfied with the way Buncombe County is going, then vote to change it.

Bruce O’Connell is the choice. Learn more about him here.

 

Bruce’s position on critical issues includes:

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Education - Back to basics. Reading, Writing, Math, History, Civics, Science

• Promote and strive for higher expectations from the system and students.

• No more mediocrity.  No more participation awards.

• Bring back respect, discipline, and consequences for actions in and out of the classroom.

• Add more real world, practical education to the curriculum. Teach how to make a household budget, manage debt and what a good work ethic looks like.

• Promotions/rewards for teachers should be based on merit (absolutely no DEI). 

• No gender studies until at least high school. 

• 100% parent’s rights to know everything that is going on in their schools and with their children.

 

Crime -  I am, and all of us should be, 100% supportive of all law enforcement.

• There should be consequences for actions.

• Enforce the laws we have. Judges should not legislate from the bench. 

• We should strengthen the penalties for assaulting law enforcement officers.

• We should cooperate with ICE and customs enforcement.

 

Taxes- I want to reasonably cap property taxes for locals.

• I want to cut wasteful spending which is rampant and obvious in our County budget.

• I am a proponent of private property rights.

 

Budgets – As a family, you need to live within a Budget – Our county needs to do the same.

• I want to dig into the budget to find and eliminate wasteful spending.

• We need to focus on failing infrastructure. Make this a priority.

• We have had enough with expensive studies that seemingly never end.

 

Reparations – I am against them.  I believe in Equality not Equity.

• We must focus on the ability for all citizens to become successful with a hand-up, not a hand-out

 

Sanctuary City Status for Asheville – I am against it

 

Hotels and Tent Cities for the Homeless – I am against it.

• We should seek to help those who are here but not entice the homeless to come to Buncombe County.

 

Affordable Housing – I will work to cut burdensome regulations and make construction costs more affordable.

• I am a proponent of extending sewer and water service.

• I would encourage developers and offer incentives to them for long-term affordable housing projects.

 

DEI – People should be judged based on merit, ability, and performance.