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I don't think many towns in the south have the same mindset as Asheville! You would have to find a liberal college town (which isn't that hard). Probably Chapel Hill possibly Clemson, SC.
Asheville is very unique and there is no place that is as unique with the same mindset anywhere in the south. In my opinion of course.
I should have explained my answer above. Clemson U has a strong curriculum in football, engineering, football, and agriculture among other departments. The school nor the town is exactly a bastion of liberal thought. Oh, and it's a football town. Did I mention that? Of course, this year, the bloom is a bit off the rose.
The mindset of Asheville post brings up a point crucial to me. One of several primary reasons we are being forced out of Los Angeles and considering Asheville is the recently mandated sterilization of all dogs, with no genuine exemptions (just Catch-22, not doable in real life ones, I'll explain if folks are interested.) We own show dogs, do not sterilize them, and have told all our surrounding neighbors that if they ever see our dogs running loose, save them then call the police because it means we are dead or involuntarily unconscious by some malfeasance. ( We are currently "Anne Franking" our showdogs.)
I'm aware that Buncombe Co. has differential licensing fees for unaltered dogs. Is there any possibility that this would escalate to an outtright ban? I am terrified that a city government of 100% urban liberals, as posts claim Asheville remains, is susceptible to the falsehoods perpetrated by non-animal-owning extremists, as happened in my city. By the by, I detest my native L.A. and don't want to live any place that will become identical.
Is Asheville, with its oft vaunted liberalism, headed in the direction of "nanny state," wherein San Francisco and Los Angeles are held as the ideal of micro-managing everyone else's lives, particularly in areas wherein the government employees have zero expertise themselves? I am thinking also in terms of the unfortunate divide between urban and rural values: posters here have highlighted the difference between the values of the civic center and its elected officials, and the surrounding countryside. I don't expect prognostication as answers, but you all are the experts in your own area and can evaluate trends. Thank you all in advance.
fastfilm, I understand your concern. I can't speak for Asheville, but in the case of Winston-Salem, where they have a similar split fee for neutered/un-neutered pets, the fee structure was implemented solely to discourage indiscriminant breeding of pets (as opposed to show dogs). There is a clearly stated exemption for show animals. To the best of my knowledge, it was not implemented as a "nanny state" sort of action, but as an attempt to impact pet overpopulation. Hopefully, this is the case in Asheville as well.
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Of course, this year, the bloom is a bit off the rose. 
