BRUCE'S PRIORITIES

Bruce believes as a candidate for County Commissioner he must clearly state what he feels are the pressing issues that need attention.

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1. Bruce will focus on infrastructure. This includes but is not limited to critical systems such as our water system, our roadways, our electrical grid, and our internet accessibility. The water system failure during the winter of 2022 exposed a failing of management in preparing for inevitable problems resulting from an aging and neglected water system. Many in our county still cannot get reliable internet. The buildout has been too slow. Increased traffic on our roads has created a headache for all of us. Bruce will balance smart development with quality of life and strive to mitigate traffic problems, especially on secondary and rural roads.
    

2. Bruce will work to improve safety and security in our downtown and our communities. Bruce is a strong advocate of justice, fairness, and compassion. He believes in the rule of law. He will support law enforcement, fire and first responders, and work to improve the environment in which they serve the community. Bruce will encourage prosecutors to implement penalties as provided by law.
    

3. Schooling and Education is the Future. Bruce will work to see that our schools teach the basics: reading, writing, math, science, and history. Further, he believes children need to be schooled in practical tasks like understanding debt, interest, budgeting, establishing and using credit, civics, and career development. He believes in mandatory testing and performance-based grade-level promotions. Teachers need to have the ability to control their classrooms and prevent the chaos of a few from disrupting the educational experience of the many. Measured discipline in schools must be brought back. Additional SROs in schools would be a first step.
    

4. Affordability and Quality of Life is an Overriding Issue. Bruce believes that our county has become unaffordable for too many of us. Increasing land values and the associated increase in taxes are driving longtime residents out of the county. High taxes cannot be allowed to drive longtime and legacy residents out of their homes. Bruce will work to cap taxes on residents and give them a way to remain in their homes. Further, he will work to make more land in the county buildable by expanding our sewer and water service.
    

5. Bruce will make protecting our greatest resource - the environment - a priority. Nothing speaks more about our area than its mountains, waterfalls, and forests. He believes this is a big reason so many choose to move here, and why we need to protect it from harm. Bruce’s record on the environment goes back 40+ years as owner and operator of The Pisgah Inn and tells an unwavering story of care, innovation, and protection.
    

6. Diversity and inclusion in local government only make sense if it applies equally. Bruce believes our present governing bodies are one-sided and skewed. Both Republicans and Democrats want their party to have control. Everyone - of every race, gender, and political persuasion - has a stake in the community. That is why Bruce decided to become an unaffiliated candidate. He sees value in the opinions and views of both parties. To that end, he pledges to be open-minded, to listen to all sides, and to make decisions based on what is best for the County and its future.
    

7. Bruce believes in smart development. He is against unbridled development. Any development must consider traffic impacts, the culture of the neighborhood involved, the impact on the environment, and the effect on the quality of life in our county. Bruce is business-friendly, especially for those invested in our local character and culture. He will work to contain onerous regulations and support small businesses so they can thrive. Bruce believes small local businesses are a big part of what makes our community special.