A budget, housing and monuments take center stage at the last Council meeting before the summer break, with more on the horizon Above: Asheville City Council member Gwen Wisler. File photo by Max Cooper. The spring and early summer are typically a big time for local politics. City government —

The Burton Street community faces down I-26 as the controversial interstate plans advance and criticisms about local and state government arise Above: The sign for Burton Street’s community center. Photo by Emily Foley. The Interstate 26 connector project has stirred debate for nearly 20 years between the city of Asheville,

While Council is set to pass a budget tonight, it will still be months before it’s clear if all city workers will actually get a living wage Above: the description of a U.S. Cellular Center job from the city of Asheville’s website last year, paying below a living wage. Asheville

The public weighs in on the budget’s ‘moving parts’ while Council gets an earful, wrangles over numbers and disagrees on a few key points Above: Mayor Esther Manheimer during the June 9 budget hearing. Photo by Max Cooper. As the Blade (and some of the area’s other media as well)

Local government’s biggest — and most underrated — public hearing of the year happens tomorrow. Inside the city’s $154 million budget, from tax hikes to living wage, why it matters and what it means Above: City Hall under renovation, photo by Bill Rhodes. It’s easy, for those watching the goings-on

The city budget rolls out, with uncertainty over a living wage increase, a survey reveals mixed opinions on the city’s performance and Council divides with developers over housing incentives Above: Asheville City Council member Cecil Bothwell, file photo by Max Cooper The summer is often the meat of the city’s political

Behind the controversial definition of ‘workforce housing’ and the larger debate over local government’s power to solve Asheville’s housing crunch Above: The site of the future RAD Lofts development in September, with dissenting graffiti painted on its sign. “Workforce housing” is back in the city news again. This perhaps shouldn’t

The city manager tries to put the brake on living wage increases, Council wrestles with short-term rentals and a split vote on a new development as local government heads into a tense summer Above: City manager Gary Jackson, file photo by Max Cooper As summer comes on Asheville City Council

Council runs into multiple demanding situations, including the housing crisis and a public irate about the actions of a power giant, in a packed meeting Above: Asheville City Council member Gordon Smith. File photo by Max Cooper As our longtime readers know, our Council reports usually come out on the

Council moves forward with ‘minor’ fee changes — and ending the downtown fare free bus zone — sparking a debate about transparency Above: a sign on South French Broad Avenue noting the boundary of the city’s fare free bus zone. Asheville City Council’s April 14 meeting was another short one