ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) —

Asheville City Council candidates in this November’s election are split on the recent tax increase, with three in favor of the new budget and three against.

On the same night the council voted to approve the controversial Business Improvement District, or BID, it approved a tax increase.

The budget passed on June 11 included raising the starting salary for firefighters and police officers to $50,000 and increasing all other full-time city employees’ pay by 4.11 percent or a $2,400 annual increase, whichever is greater for each employee.

Property taxes for Asheville residents will increase from 49.80 cents to 51.76 cents per $100 of assessed valuation, amounting to a 3.93 percent increase. County officials estimated owners of a home valued at $400,000 will pay an additional $78.40 per year in taxes.

BUNCOMBE COUNTY TRIMS SIZE OF TAX INCREASE IN FINAL BUDGET

The vote passed with a 4-3 split with the council members running for reelection voting differently. Councilwoman Sage Turner voted yes, while Councilwoman Kim Roney voted no.

“I was the swing vote on the budget,” Councilwoman Turner told 828newsNOW. “We needed to get our public servants above $50,000 starting pay.”

Turner has since changed her mind because of grants given to the city after the vote passed.

“We’ve been awarded new monies … I have proposed we amend the increase” to decrease the burden on taxpayers, Turner said.

Roney could not be reached for comment.

FIVE OF SIX ASHEVILLE CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATES SUPPORTED BID

With an election only months away, the vote has come under intense scrutiny, including from candidates challenging Roney and Turner for the three council seats up for election.

“They shouldn’t have raised taxes,” perspective councilmember Tod Leaven said. “They should’ve just done it.”

Leaven said he would have reluctantly voted to increase taxes.

“The city was financially run poor because it didn’t keep up with infrastructure maintenance,” he said.

Leaven believes the tax increase would not have been necessary if the city had maintained its buildings, roads and garages years ago.

“That would have been a no,” said Bo Hess, who is in the running for one of the open council seats after losing his bid for a U.S. Representative seat in 2022. “There were so many ways we could have had pay increases without raising taxes. We have $1.25 million just sitting there.”

He believes that money should have been used before burdening taxpayers further.

“We don’t forget those who protect us,” said Candidate C.J. Domingo, the only Republican in the race.

Domingo called for discussing tax increases “in the budget fight early,” not later as was the case with the most recent increase.

Despite his reservations, Domingo stated, “If we could not have fit it in earlier in the process, yes, I would’ve voted for it … If that’s what it takes, that’s what it takes.”

“I would have voted no on the budget as presented,” said Kevan Frazier, a challenger in the six-way race. “My challenge is they still voted a deficit budget.”

Dissatisfied with the result, Frazier said, “I don’t think it’s wise to dip into savings.”