Name as it appears on the ballot:  Nimasheena N. Burns

Age: 36

Party affiliation: Democrat

Campaign website: www.BurnsForDurham.com

Occupation & employer: Director of Project Management and Communications, The North Carolina Department of Military and Veterans Affairs

Years lived in North Carolina: 36

1.) In your view, what are the most important issues currently facing Durham County? If elected, what would be your top three priorities? 

Connecting Durham Residents to Employment and Training

Supporting School Renovations, Repairs and Teacher Pay

Building an Inclusive Economic Development Ecosystem and Supply Chain

2) What in your record as a public official or other experience demonstrates your ability to be effective on the Board of Commissioners? Please be specific.

a. I earned my Bachelors in Communications and Political Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.   It is there that I polished my rhetorical and analytical research skills. My previous work history showcases my planning and strategizing expertise. Earning my Masters in Public Affairs – Quantitative Analysis and Government Relations Track, from North Carolina Central University, provided me the opportunity to hone in on my managerial skills in the field of government.  I also am currently a student a Brown University working towards a second Masters in Cyber Security.  I was in the Leadership North Carolina Class of XXII.  I was named the Government Relations Chair for the class of XXIII.

b. I was tapped by Secretary Larry D. Hall of North Carolina Department of Military and Veterans Affairs to publish the state’s first defense supply chain study and the state’s first definitive defense cluster analysis; I co-founded the North Carolina Defense Industry Diversification Initiative. Governor Cooper recently recognize her for the development of the NC Defense Industry Diversification Initiative and for her pilot program for NC companies entitled U.P.G.R.A.D.E.;  This is a multi million dollar small to medium enterprise investment initiative. I was recently been tapped by the US Department of Defense to work with Center for Regional Economic Competitiveness to develop best practices for contractors looking to develop enterprise wide cybersecurity plans. Developed Cyber Security tool kit and curriculum for the States Defense contractors to fulfill National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) cyber compliance requirements.

c. Developing the NC Department of Justice’s first online frauds program and presentation for the NC Consumer Protection Division; I was tapped by then Attorney General Cooper to develop and manage the first “College Cash and Credit Tour”. She traveled with AG Cooper to our state’s public and private institutes of higher education, presenting on the most recent correlations between identity theft and cybersecurity for individuals between the ages of 18-34. Acts as a spokeswoman and represents the Attorney General’s Office by educating governments, non-profits, religious institutions, veterans, citizens, businesses and commissions through the development of policy positions, speeches, advisory columns and outreach initiatives. Security Breaches, Financial Fraud, Cybersecurity and Identity Theft expert speaker for the Consumer Protection Division. I have acted as an in-person panelist/spokeswoman/keynoter for the agency on over 900 occasions. I worked across the state to design a curriculum for teachers, administrators and parents aimed at combating child internet safety.

d. While at USDA I served on the national coordinating team for USDA/White House Rural Council on Opioid Epidemic during the Obama Administration. While there I coordinated the effort to open a much needed opioid addiction facility with beds for veterans. I spearheaded the initiative to open the first USDA office on Federal Tribal Lands in North Carolina. I detailed as a congressional liaison for the State’s USDA office, to spearhead the approval of 39 county disaster designations. All qualified farm operators in the designated areas were eligible for low interest emergency (EM) loans.  Worked to invest $327 million dollars of capital into the

e. I was awarded an Albert Schweitzer Fellowship in Public Health to develop the Don’t Kid Yourself Foundation. The project addresses kidney disease disparities and prevention in social disadvantaged and underserved communities in North Carolina with poor water quality. I implemented an 8 part series of outreach initiatives and provided various screenings for persons at increased risk for developing Chronic Kidney Disease.

f. While at the NC Dept of Transportation Public Affairs staff I Successfully advocated for the ban on Teenage Drivers Cell Phone use (Senate Bill 1289) and the new Motorcycle Helmet Laws. I Revamped the “Vince and Larry: Test Dummy Program” statewide for government agencies as well as for us in private enterprises. I managed a grant program for traffic officers that provided community policing resources, traffic equipment and developed the states first statewide student highway safety summit.

I was the 2016 Triangle Business Journal Woman of Year in Public Policy Award Winner, the 2019 UNC Chapel Hill Harvey Beech Outstanding Young Alumni Award Winner, a 2017 40 under 40 Awardee for the Triangle Business Journal, the 2016 Triangle Business Journal Woman in Public Policy Award, the 2016 Wells Fargo/Blue Cross and Blue Shield Young Executive of the Year Award, and the 2016 Spectacular Magazine Emerging Leader of the Year.

3) One of Durham County government’s primary responsibilities is school funding. A 2018 report from ProPublica found a wide gap between black and white DPS students in terms of discipline, achievement, and opportunity; it also rated DPS high in segregation. Is there anything the county can or should be doing to combat these issues?

Currently the public schools in Durham have an overall average of only 19% enrollment for Caucasian/White students. Durham County is almost 50% white. This number is especially staggering when you take into account that number of students in charter schools, private schools and at-home-schools for the most part are majority white. The answer to this question is not simply one of busing. Those were remedies for the civil rights era and the 1990’s era. The question then becomes why are parents not choosing Durham Public Schools? It begs the question are Durham Public Schools becoming purposefully segregated outside of Durham Public Schools?  There are 1000’s of reports nationwide that prove, with empirical data, that students learn/work best in diverse classrooms.  With the upcoming school assignment shift, I will be curious to see how the board will work with the parents and the superintendent.

I do think this discussion has to come from a leadership. A real announcement. Not one found on social media, but an open uncomfortable conversation. A conversation that is so carefully choregraphed that the county nor the school board seems to be helping one group or pointing the finger at one group while the other feels ignored. I also think we follow the data.

I feel confident that the county is taking appropriates steps in the right direction. The county has invested in the leadership that lead equity based work. The recent hires of Dr. Kelvin Bullock as the Executive Director for Equity Affairs in Durham Public Schools as well as the hiring of a Boys of Color Coordinator speaks to Durham’s commitment to start to have those difficult conversations at an administrative level that will hopefully trickle down into the classroom.

4) In your view, what effects have charter schools had on education in Durham? Do you believe they have increased segregation, as critics contend? Or have they offered opportunities to those who would otherwise be trapped in poor-performing schools, as supporters say?

I think the biggest issues that Durham is having with charters schools is the expansion of new charter schools and the lack of regulatory oversight of those charter schools.  Years ago I was indifferent to charter schools.    Charter schools were touted as an opportunity to use public funding to build more “innovative” and “creative” schools.   Every school district in the south wanted to be the next Ron Carter Academy.   Charter school were also touted as a safe haven.  As a proponent of social equity I saw the systemic higher rate of suspension and expulsion for young men and women of color, as a problematic in our public school systems.  Especially when their white counterparts who were guilty of the same violation received far less punishment, if any.   This lead both black and white parents to start accepting these alternative to traditional public schools.

Sadly around the state and county, new reports of unqualified teachers, false reporting on class sizes and loss of funding in traditional public school funding has triggered the public to question these schools and their place in our community.  They have also becoming machines for for-profit institutions to abuse the system in some places across the state. Additionally, if you look at enrollment numbers for our charter schools in the county they are segregated and the data leads one to the conclusion that their existence might be leading to some of the segregation in public schools, as they continue to draw largely depending upon the charter school on one race of children. 

The most recent approval was Oak Grove (not to be confused with the current Oak Grove elementary).  This is a school that neither county, Durham nor Wake County wanted.  However the school will be able to pull students from Durham, Granville and Wake County.  According to a December 2019 article in the News and Observer reports found, “  Durham school officials cited multiple concerns, including how they fear it will lead to white flight from traditional public schools. In the letter, Durham pointed to how after Wake Forest Charter Academy opened, the demographic balance of nearby Wake Forest Elementary School changed dramatically. Wake Forest Charter Academy is also a National Heritage Academies school that Oak Grove says it wants to replicate academically.”

Dramatic segregation is not what this Board of County Commissioners candidate wants for her county.

In our very own Durham, one school had to remove their high school enrollment as recently as 2017 for improperly awarded diplomas. I do not want any student facing that level of embarrassment, when they simply did what they were told to do by instructors.  

I think we should look at how neighboring counties have moved on a local level to have more regulatory oversight in charter schools and I agree with halting the expansion of new charter schools in Durham County. There are 14 charter schools in Durham. Until recently, rising charter school enrollment had caused a drop in the school district’s enrollment.  So parents are choosing public schools.  As a county we just have to tell that story better. I have walked the halls with a few principals and they don’t have the marketing budget or the staff to tell the community about all the great things that their schools are accomplishing, but I would love so to see such a county-wide strategy utilized by our board.

While I recognize there are children on waiting list for charter schools public school enrollment improved in Durham County on last year.  Hence, the Schools Boards new proposal for the possible construction of “Elementary School C”.

5) The City-County Planning Committee is reviewing and considering revisions to the Comprehensive Plan and Uniform Development Code. What sort of changes would you like to see emerge from this review? What is your vision for growth and development throughout Durham?

I would love to see Durham’s Comprehensive Plan take Migration patterns into account.  The historical integrity of many of Durham’s neighborhoods are changing.  The individuals who have lived in communities the longest do not always have the loudest voices at the table.  Newcomers to some of Durham’s most historic neighborhoods are voicing their opinions at the table during Engage Durham session and at Durham’s Planning Academy.  Simply asking a citizens where they live and taking their account in to affect when making plans for an area is problematic.  I would love to see planners go into those neighborhoods.  I don’t just want to see another planned meeting at a library that only had an announcement via social media, government message boards and emails. 

Research shows that a migration dividend accrues when the household income of in-migrants from a specific community of origin is greater than the household income of the typical Durham resident. That was the case for newcomers arriving from 18 communities in 2014-15 and from 32 communities in 2015-16.

I recently attended Durham Planning Academy last fall. I found that it informative and problematic. The well intentioned individuals at the planning office do great work, but I have two suggestions.

1) Diversify your office and 2) Be intentional about diversifying the marketing for meetings for your office.

1) There were around 8 or 9 speakers that day for Academy. Of those people 5 or 6 were new hires. There were also 2 paid interns. They were all white. When asked about the diversity of the almost 60 person office, I was told that diversity was all but nonexistent in the office and that “requisite education” not experience was a factor in hiring. I promptly took out my laptop and in less than 10 minutes count 97 students of color within a 30 mile radius that would be matriculating with either an MPA, MPP, MURP or a subsequent PhD’s in Spring 2020. Between North Carolina Central University, Duke University, UNC – Chapel Hill, NC State and Meredith those numbers were easy to find. The planning offices issue isn’t education it’s focused recruitment.  I am hopeful this issue of recruitment can be addressed.

6) City voters passed a $95 million bond to fund affordable housing efforts last year. What more should county government be doing to further housing affordability? In light of the ongoing crisis at McDougald Terrace, what steps can the county take to assist those living in substandard public housing?

I think the biggest facing affordable housing is an affordable housing shortage.  I think we have to alleviate the need for affordable housing by making sure that there are not only jobs available for all of Durham’s residents but also training for those jobs. As someone who once lived in the adjacent housing development, Lincoln Apartments, I know that those residents are hardworking and are not looking for a handout but a hand up. I feel confident that those same individuals will “Lift as they climb” as I have done.

While I can appreciate the housing opportunities that the county commissioners have developed on Main Street, I would argue that more has to be done.  Those 300 units are considered affordable housing, but are will most likely be in the 80% AMI range.  Those units will most likely not be available to the those in the category of extremely poor.  Those will be great for our public servants who find it hard to find housing in downtown.  Downtown has become consumed with $1300 studio apartments and $1million townhomes.  We have sent a message to our teachers, first responders and county employees that we want them to handle our children, resuscitate our loved ones, respond to burglaries and manage county business, yet we do not want them to leave next door to us.

The county commissioners are in a position to advocate at the legislative level for inclusionary zoning.  We can use our voices and our bodies to say to our great legislative delegation, “Open this door for us” so we can get Developers to reserve 10% to 15% of their units at 60% or 40% AMI.

I am disturbed by what has occurred at all of our public housing developments.  Year after year of failing scores, poor water quality and bad piping has raised many major concerns. This on top of numerous evictions.  I am happy to see that the county commissioners have elected to support some of the legal fees and I am hopeful that if elected I can work towards maturing that program.

Young professional individuals making low six figure salaries cannot afford to live in downtown Durham or even in parts of midtown. There are no first responders, teachers or city/county staff that can afford these rates. It is almost as if we have said, yes I want to come to my home during an emergency medical issue, and yes I want you to teach my children and yes I want you to stop criminals and yes I want you to process my deed, but I do not want you to live close to me.

I am hopeful that planners can relax work towards relaxing lot size requirements and that we can begin to work with developers to set aside a minimum of 10% of their units for those seeking affordable to moderate priced housing. I would also want to work with housing developers to add pricing incentives for public school teachers, law enforcement and first responders. I know that the planners are looking at many concepts for getting more homes in the county. As it stands only 3% of county can have duplexes. I would be open to looking at spaces where land can accommodate duplexes. I also want to look at ways in which the county can relax regulations on accessory dwelling units.

Lastly as I mentioned above, I want to make sure that the planning office works on making more diverse higher.

To accommodate the approximately 160,000 people expected to move to Durham by 2045, the county needs to add about two thousand units per year to its housing stock. Additionally, Information gathered on individuals moving into Durham shows us that they on average they make $10,000 more than the average Durham County Citizens. I do not want those who have always lived in Durham to feel left behind. I am hopeful that if made a County Commissioner I can work to develop housing for both our current neighbors and our new neighbors.

7) With the light-rail plan having collapsed, what do you envision as the future of mass transit in Durham? What initiatives would you like to support? What do you believe to be a viable next step?

I would really love to see our community come to terms with the real failures of the light rail.  Outside of blaming outside cities and private entities, we need to talk about the lack of expertise and oversight that was at the table.  Our growth in Durham is only going to continue and at some point we do not want to stunt that growth because traffic congestion has choked the avenues to enter our great county.  I would like to see more

I am worried about how this can affect affordable housing and access to jobs.  Residents have to remember that we have had land use plans designed around that mode of transportation.  Those plan included some affordable housing initiatives.  I want to make sure that whatever mode of transportation the counties moves toward that it takes into account the people that needed help.  About 70% of people who ride buses in Durham live in a zero car household.  There are schools without bus stops in this county. What happens when a parent needs to get to a child or a teacher wants to alternate driving to school in an effort to be more eco-friendly? Why are there so few direct routes from NCCU to Treyburn or RTP where there are valuable internship and job opportunities? I think these are some of the questions we should be asking and focusing on making strides to keep the community supported. I have often rode the Durham Raleigh Express.  So do some of my employees.  I am hopeful that we can get people at the table like myself who actually utilize public transportation, so that user voices can be elevated.

8) Do you believe the county’s current property tax rate is too high, about right, or too low? If you believe it is too high, what programs would you be willing to cut to bring down taxes? If you believe it is about right, how will you accommodate the growing need for services? If you believe it is too low, what programs or initiatives would you be willing to raise taxes to fund?

I feel like most people that our taxes are too high, but I am also a realist and I know that there are things that have not been paid for, for a long time that need a real public administrators attention. Like our schools.  I want to look at what we are spending our tax payer dollars on in Durham County.  I have seen certain non-profits receive the same funding year in and out with no measurable outcomes.  I fee like there are areas where we could streamline some services. While there are issues with the affordable housing bond, I like the idea that I live in a place where people voted yes because they believed it would put a roof over their neighbors head.  I want to build on that confidence and find out what we can pay for and have the tough arguments about what we cannot pay for.  Vernon John’s once said, “If you see a good fight, get in it.”  We have a general bond coming up and this public servant will not back down from school repairs.

9) Property tax hikes can hit lower-income homeowners the hardest, especially those who own homes in gentrifying areas and are already seeing their land valuations rise as well. Is there anything the county can do to make the property-tax system more equitable?

I do not know if the county should move forward with any changes in distribution to the property tax burden. I understand that the wealthy tend to own the most expensive residential property, but I feel many middle class owners too will feel overly burdened by possible higher fees, especially if we put a tax in place that moves their cost of up. I would be open to listening to any policies that my counterparts or the county managers would like present, however I would approach them cautiously, especially since many homeowners in Durham are still recovering from the housing and mortgage bubble of the most recent recession. The last thing I want to do is discourage individuals from purchasing homes. I recognize that many existing property taxes tend to be regressive. I am not a proponent of taking proportionally more of the income of poorer households.

10) Since the 2018 election, the county’s new district attorney and sheriff have adopted reforms aimed at making the criminal justice system more equitable. Sheriff Birkhead has declined to honor ICE detainers, for example, while District Attorney Deberry has mostly ended cash bail. Do you believe these reforms are working for Durham residents?

I believe the residents from all walks of life feel more confident about their law enforcement officials.  The Sheriff and the DA were both elected because they ran on innovation, community centered programs and change.  Those changes take support. Support that they have not always gotten.  I would like to focus on Sheriff’s Department for a moment.

The Sheriff has taken on new tasks without increased assistance and this puts undue pressure on our county’s overall public safety. Even if the horrific incidences of gun violence in the County had not taken place this past year, the move to provide funding for additional law enforcement personnel would still be needed. Durham’s population is increasing at a rate of 13 people a day. That is adjusted for deaths and for those who move out of Durham. If for no other reason, the additional officers are needed for crowd control. Couple that with aging law enforcement personnel unable to go into the field, pending retirements and City Council of Durham’s denial to DPD for additional officers and we are looking at a shortage. This alone dispels the rumor of over policing. Citizens I have communicated that they would feel better with this Sheriff hiring and training new officers, as this Sheriff breeds a since of fairness and community policing that they can trust. I have spoken with in the substance abuse arena and those in gang reduction organizations. While the County Commissioners supported the addition of 27 new school resource officers, it was done so because Durham Police Department no longer had the duty of providing the school resource officers.

Those aforementioned new families also bring pets. The Sheriff’s office also took on the Duty of Animal Control enforcement. Animal Control has seen no additional funding in years yet the population of people with pets as well as stray animals continues to increase. We now have officers collecting animals as a collateral duty. Most of which have not been trained for animal collection.

The Sheriff has submitted empirical data supporting his need for additional officers, the shortages during specific shifts and the parallels between rising crime. At each turn he has submitted the requested paperwork to the Board. When the office was required to takeover enforcement for the ABC Board, the request was made for additional officers. The request was denied, yet the county paid to have those duties assumed by State ALE officers. If money was going to be spent, why was it not spent in the county.

They have not funded any new equipment needs. As a grant administrator for the North Carolina Governor’s Highway Safety Program. I purchased 100s of pieces of equipment for the states’ 350 Law Enforcement agencies. The life cycles of the dash cams are only about 5 years and some of the ones being utilized by the Sheriff’s office are edging closer to 7 or 10 years. We need this equipment to meet the minimum standards of a patrol. As a County Commissioner, I do not feel like I would say yes to all of anyone departments request. That includes the Sheriff’s office, but one has to be prepared to look at these reasonable request and make decisions for the greater good.

It is also important to not that all those request for personnel were not just officers. Advances in technology have brought cyber crimes to the forefront. Officers trained in specifically forensics and cybersecurity are needed to protect our counties most vulnerable from being hard targets.

Based on the city county satisfaction survey results for waking both at night and in the day remained the same in 2016 and 2018. 83% felt safe in the daytime while 53% felt safe at night. While some might feel the non-movement of the numbers is satisfactory, I find it alarming that the numbers have not moved and for almost 4 years approximately the same number of citizens have not felt any safer walking in their own neighborhoods at night. If there were a funding request for the additional personnel in the Sheriff’s Office, I would be open to a tax increase in a few years with a vote on a general bond. We currently have the experience in Durham for GOOD community policing.

Safety also comes into play with adequate lighting in neighborhoods and safe public recreation spaces.

11) Last year, Durham saw a spike in homicides over 2018. What can the county do to address violent crime in the community? Are there preventative steps the county can or should take with regard to mental health? Are there any innovative programs in place elsewhere in the country that you would like to see implemented here?

The easiest way to stop a bullet is with a JOB. We create jobs in Durham County but we do not do a great job in connecting individuals with those jobs once they got here.  By no means do I believe that we should spoon feed people, but we have to do a better job with our messaging to communities facing unemployment. Thousands of jobs came to Durham in 2019.  Many were manufacturing jobs that are great for all education levels.  I am hopeful that we begin to work with Durham Tech, NCCU and Duke earlier in the process of recruiting these jobs.

We have thousands of registered and non registered non-profits. More than half of them state that they help underserved young people in their mission statement.   While all those do not get funding from the county, I would love to review the measurable deliverables from those that do receive funding. I want to make sure the investment we are making in our young people are actually helping reduce the gang problem.

First of all, Durham County needs to let the public knows that Mental Health Services Exist. This is not a criticism of the work being done by the employees of our county’s Department of Public Health. That said, upon going to DCOPH’s website there is no link on any of the main menus to any mental health services. I recognize that mental health crosses over with numerous other physical ailments or social issues. Example: There are who sections and brochures on diabetes in mental health or LGBTQ and mental health. I also recognize that DCOPH utilize many outpatient services and partners for their mental health services. That’s fine, but where they are is cumbersome to locate on the website and might lead to the already vulnerable patient seeking help in believing those services do not exist.

The main resource for Mental Health Information is the Partnership for Healthy Durham. As of July 2018, the committee decided to focus on mental health rather than substance use disorder and mental health. The Mental Health committee seeks to increase public awareness of mental illness and access to mental health services.

I think the biggest hurdle is improving access to mental health services. In 2019, the Kennedy Satcher Center for Mental Health Equity gave North Carolina and “F” on how equitable the states laws treat mental and physical health issues. The two from a legal and regulatory standpoint still lack parity. 1 in 5 adults has a mental issue in NC and 1 in 7 adults in NC with mental illness go uninsured. While those with insurance can go to traditional hospitals and private doctors, those without have a tougher time finding help. I would like to explore the idea of emergency mental health assistance much like that of our current emergency management system (EMS). While it is still a new idea for many parts of the country, Durham is as it has always been innovative. Durham County is the home of the city of medicine and we have the professionals who could aid the planning for implementing even a pilot program.

There are a broad spectrum of mental health issues so there will be no one sizes fits all solution. However, think there are strategies that the county can utilize to improve those services and overall access to those service. The goals outlined in the Durham County Community Health Improvement Plan are in alignment with my goals for the county. I mostly want to see improvements around the communities knowledge of trauma informed care and I want to see targeted improvements in access to culturally responsive mental health services.

The county recently released a mental health plan for 2019 – 2020 under a partnership for a healthy Durham.  I noticed that many of our mental health services from a county standpoint come from private companies.  One the counties goas is to see residents in target populations have increased comfort with what mental health is and what services are available. There is still a stigma around mental health and I am hopeful that the counties new mental health goals can get citizens to open up about the real possibilities to receive help.   I think many of our young people are going undiagnosed and never receive the assistance they deserve.

I also think that we need to make sure that our local law enforcement has what they need to continue to sufficiently support their community policing division.

12) Economic inequality rose significantly in Durham County over the past decade (though it declined somewhat from 2017–18). How can county commissioners address this problem and ensure that the county’s prosperity is more equitable going forward?

I would like to see our county work on a more inclusive supplier diversity plan. Our state is currently in the process of reevaluating the states Historically underutilized business plan. While it might be a herculean task at this point to move the county to reach a 40% participation rate that mirrors it’s African American population or a 10% rate that mirrors the population of other races, the county has to do better. There are companies in Durham that provide a wide range of services and products yet, never receive contracts. Working in the supply chain space for a few years now, I recognize how hard it can be to engage businesses. While I appreciate the great work being done by the Chamber, I think there is room at the table for other stakeholders like the Greater Durham Black Chamber of Commerce and the Institute. Improvements in access to contracts for our county’s valuable entrepreneurs will lead to more local job creation. We have to work to establish quantifiable goals or targets for utilization of historically underutilized businesses. We then have to hold the various departments within city government accountable and celebrate them for demonstrating progress. We also have to let the public know about these efforts.

I think the county as well as the city needs to take a look at their proposals. In public policy the first and only questions are:

1. What is the budge for this policy, program or proposal?

2. What are the intended outcomes?

In an effort to, introduce a race equity framework we have to as in addition to the above questions, the following question.

“What does this proposal have an ability to impact?” These answers to these questions need not be traditional. Planners often taking into account housing, health, transportation, utilities, environment, etc.

If the individuals at the table do not have answer to this question they need to do 3 things.

1) Get someone(s) at the table who can answer this question,

2) Look at the data, and

Data lets us know what neighborhoods will be affected and what the racial makeup of those areas looks like. Then we can move forward in asking what racial inequities already exist in this communities and how might our new policy might exacerbate these situations.

3) engage the community.

How will the community be engaged. What opportunities exist to expand on community engagement. Engaging the community will aid in educating planners on the factors that produce or perpetuate the racial inequity related the proposal.

I would have to say the county’s current housing crisis and rising gentrification. Many might question why should governments get into involved with gentrification since private property purchases are just that, private? I would reply that if government had declined to build racially separate public housing in cities where segregation hadn’t previously taken root, and instead had scattered integrated developments though out the community, those communities might have developed in a less racially toxic fashion, with desperate ghettos and more diverse suburbs.

13) Are there any issues not included in this questionnaire that you would like to address?

Capital Outlay Improvements for our Schools.

I would love to see capital outlays improved for Durham Public Schools. There are 100’s of millions of dollars of suggested renovations or repairs needed by Durham’s public schools. Funding for capital outlays has not improved in over a decade. That fund has not kept up with the cost of inflation. Example: The number of buckets of paint need to paint a classroom remains the same. However the cost of those buckets of paint in 2010 is significantly lower than those same buckets of paint in 2020. So now instead of painting an entire classroom, we have been reduced to spot painting those spaces that show the most ware. This same example can be paralleled across all construction cost. As a candidate, I have sat in on school board meetings and reviewed years of minutes and agendas. We can no longer continue to patch leaky roofs. At some point, it becomes an issue of public safety. There are schools without labs. There are schools with mobile classrooms that have been sitting on campuses for 20 years. At the most recent joint meeting between the County Board and the School Board a decision was finally made to move forward with the building of two new schools and even a possible additional elementary school. I am hopeful if elected I can aid in the development of those two new schools and work with the School Board to get parents of Durham students excited about making Durham Public Schools their first choice.

I am a proponent of funding the most needed $470,000,000 over the next 10 years as has been requested.  I want to see our new high schools and elementary schools built.  I am hopeful that the funding is approved and moved forward in its entirety.    While I am only a candidate now, it is important for you all to know that if elected I plan to see that funding through to the end.  We all know how plans and needs change.  I want you all to know that I am committed to this effort.  

We are a world class county and we need the world to know that we can observe growth. We cannot demonstrate that with poorly funded schools.