POLITICS

Senator watching City Council districts deliberations

Mark Barrett
mbarrett@citizen-times.com
This map shows districts for Asheville City Council considered by the General Assembly last year.

Frequent Asheville antagonist Tom Apodaca may have retired from the state Senate, but one of his causes still has life.

Sen. Chuck Edwards, R-Henderson, says he is watching to see what City Council does about electing some of its members by district and that state legislation to impose districts is a possibility if council lets the issue drop.

And former Councilman Joe Dunn is heading up a new group of district supporters who he says will "go around City Council" and take the issue directly to legislators because they believe council efforts to look at the issue are only "window dressing."

Apodaca is a Hendersonville Republican who was a state senator until resigning last year to set the stage for becoming a lobbyist. Shortly before he stepped down, he pushed a bill through the Senate in 2016 that would have six of council's seven members elected by district, only to see it go down to defeat on a 59-47 vote in the House that saw several House Republicans join almost all the chamber's Democrats in opposition.

But as Mayor Esther Manheimer pointed out recently, the outcome could be very different if a similar bill pops up this year.

Buncombe's House members opposed the bill and some of the Republicans who voted against it said they were angered because the measure violated rules against taking up local legislation during the General Assembly's short sessions, held in even-numbered years, if legislators representing the area in question disagree. Resentment over what some in the House viewed as strong-arm tactics by Apodaca and the Senate on various issues and a court decision overturning changes the legislature made in Wake County elections may have been factors also.

The rule against controversial local bills doesn't apply this year and legislators are unlikely to be focused on settling scores with Apodaca. Manheimer said some legislators from outside the Asheville area said after the 2016 vote that the city should address the issue if it wanted to avoid action by the General Assembly. The legislature has adopted several controversial laws changing local elections across the state since Republicans took office.

"This could happen to us. They've done it to other communities," Manheimer said.

Council could change the way its members are elected itself, the legislature could pass a law making the change or it could happen through a referendum of city voters. The latter method would require the city to settle on a map of districts and related issues before the public votes. Council directed city staff Jan. 12 to come up with a process to gauge city residents' desires.

Edwards took Apodaca's place last year and his legislative district takes in much of southern Buncombe County, including areas where it appears that interest in district elections is strongest.

"I certainly have had many folks from my portion of Buncombe County ... mention that they don’t feel they have adequate representation," he said Wednesday. "I’m excited that Asheville City Council recognizes the need to correct that problem. I would hope the state legislature would not have to get involved, but certainly would do so if necessary."

Dunn, a Republican who lives in South Asheville, said he sees districts as a way to restrain council's liberal tendencies in addition to assuring there will be council members from different parts of the city.

"All we want is some balance. We're not trying to take it over. We're not trying to make it a conservative thing," he said.

Dunn is concerned by the bond issue city voters approved last year, along with other city spending.

Council, he said, has "gotten more progressive, more liberal and it's out of hand. ... I think you've got a North Asheville/Montford voting cartel up there."

Manheimer said most council members have not taken a public position on districts and the upcoming city effort will be more than just going through the motions.

"We're asking the community whether or not there's an interest in districting and if we're able to determine there's a strong interest ... I think we're obligated to take some action," she said.

Mayor Esther Manheimer
Sen. Chuck Edwards, R-Henderson
Former senator Tom Apodaca