Jason Sandford
Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.
Holly Jones has answered those questioning whether or not she’s still got the fire in the belly for another run at Ashvegas City Council – she’s in.
During her past couple of years on council, Holly has gotten married and adopted a child. All that, on top of her job as exec director at the Y-Dub. That’s a lot of responsibility. Observers of the local political scene wondered whether she still wanted to put up with the butt-numbing, 6-hour-long council meetings and all the other crap you’ve got to do to be an active member of council.
Jones has often appeared to be a tortured political soul on council, with her head and her heart pulling in opposite directions. The big example was the Wal-Mart vote. Jones voted for the Wal-Mart, but she wept like a baby through her entire explanation of her vote, which seemed to indicate that she didn’t really want to vote for it.
It’s frustrating to watch, because we think there should be no question – vote your conscience. If you’re not for it, just don’t vote for it. Pretty simple, but apparently not for Jones.
In a letter recently mailed across town, Jones says she’s ready for more.
Here’s a sample:
For many people in Asheville, politics today is very discouraging. It may not be possible to change the direction our country is headed overnight, but we can change the direction we are going in Asheville. This fall the people will elect three members of City Council and the mayor. It is my hope to serve on a new council with a majority of members who want to take Asheville in the progressive direction that our community wants it to go.
With those words, Jones is clearly appealing not only to her Democratic base of city voters, but to the growing bloc of more liberal voters in the city who call themselves “progressives.” I call them the Dennis Kucinich voters, because they really showed their strength in Asheville during the ’04 presidential election.
They’re well organized and dying to show they’re a force. We can only wait and watch.
