Orange County Board of Commissioners: Phyllis Portie-Ascott

Name as it appears on the ballot: Phyllis Portie-Ascott

Age: 58

Party affiliation: Democrat

Campaign website: www.phyllisportieascott.com

Occupation & employer: Real Estate Agent

      PPA Properties

1. In your view, what are the three most pressing issues facing Orange County? If elected, what will you do to address these issues?

Building a Thriving Community for All: Everyone deserves a safe and supportive place to call home. I believe that includes every person in Orange County, regardless of their background or circumstances. That’s why I’m committed to expanding affordable housing options, supporting homeownership, and ensuring housing for all – including those at risk of homelessness. I will work every day to support everyone’s ability to achieve their dreams and to have the resources they need to live a healthy and fulfilling life. I will achieve this by seeking innovative, multipronged solutions.

Empowering Our Future Workforce: Our community’s future depends on preparing our youth for success. As a strong public school supporter, I am committed beyond funding safe and well-maintained buildings. I’m also committed to investing in workforce development programs. Workforce development programs equip students with the skills and training they need to secure high-paying jobs right here at home. By expanding occupational programs in schools, partnering with community colleges, and supporting apprenticeships, we can ensure that our graduates are ready to contribute to our community’s economic growth and vitality.

Tackling the Mental Health Crisis and Loneliness Epidemic: Mental health is just as important as physical health, yet our community is facing a growing crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated an already prevalent issue, with young people disproportionately affected. Loneliness and isolation are rampant, and our current mental healthcare system cannot keep up with the demand. I will continue to steer resources toward agencies already working on this crisis, making sure they have access to what is needed to take care of our community, and I will support new initiatives to meet the mental health needs of our residents..

2. What in your view are the most pressing needs for Orange County Schools? What about Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools?

There are 3 urgent and pressing needs in our schools: Recruiting and retaining highly qualified and quality staff, repairing our aging infrastructure, and focusing on excellent programming that promotes mental wellness and provides workforce development opportunities.. 

In order to recruit and retain teachers and staff, we must offer generous supplements to make up for the shortfall in teacher pay offered by the state. We’re losing too many good folks because $39,000 just doesn’t cut it, especially when other professional jobs start at much higher salaries. 

In both school districts, we’ve got to repair and update our schools to be places where everyone is safe, and excited to be. Our facilities can no longer be prioritized behind programming – we cannot wait any longer to make the necessary repairs and updates. 

Finally, with the understanding that  literacy is non-negotiable as the cornerstone of learning, I prioritize mental well-being and workforce development. Students and staff are still reeling from the effects of social isolation during the pandemic. We must put resources toward addressing everyone’s well-being both in and out of school. Guidance counselors, school nurses, and social workers are critical student support personnel. At the same time, we need to offer students strong support for finding meaningful and productive work after they graduate. Students need to know that there are opportunities to put their talents and interests to use in good paying, much needed jobs and trades right here in Orange County. As an entrepreneur myself, I know that there are so many ways for skilled artisans, craftsmen, food service providers as well as industries to thrive here. As a county commissioner, I will work tirelessly to find innovative ways to create opportunities and training pathways for our students to be successful. 

3. How can Orange County leaders work more closely with the boards of both school districts on areas such as staffing, new construction, renovation and facilities maintenance, salaries, and other issues?

To work more closely together, county leaders and school districts can build on the solid groundwork we already have. The BOCC and the BOEs of CHCCS and OCS meet regularly and have good lines of communication. This must continue as a foundation. Additionally,  our superintendents currently meet up monthly to deepen their collaborative efforts. They have already found ways to share services like transportation maintenance, which is great, and we are anxious to see this effort continue and hopefully produce more ways to be in partnership. I believe there’s a real opportunity to dive deeper into areas such as staffing, new construction, building maintenance and salaries. This  will require elected bodies to figure out how to consider the priorities of their own constituents to make informed decisions that support our students in both districts. It is a challenge that I face head on and remain committed to working on as a strong supporter of our public schools.

4. Orange County is the sole owner of 60 acres, and a joint owner of 100 acres of land known as the Greene Tract in the eastern part of the county, and the creation of a long-term plan to guide development and preservation of the land is underway. What is your vision for the Greene Tract? How should the county work with the towns of Carrboro and Chapel Hill to achieve this vision and develop and/or preserve the land equitably and sustainably?

My vision for the Greene Track is all about fulfilling the real wishes of the Rogers Road community. They have shown patience and resilience in this decades-long process, so I am committed to helping turn their dreams and wishes into the reality they’ve been waiting for. At its heart, this project is a promise to deliver affordable housing, reserve land for a future school, provide open spaces for recreation, and eco-friendly transportation options like bikeways and sidewalks, and protect the headwaters and wetlands situated there.

Working closely with Carrboro and Chapel Hill, and keeping the community’s voice at the heart of it all, I am committed to a clear and inclusive collaboration to solidify a plan that prioritizes the wishes of the residents and protects the land.

5. What is your vision for how Orange County should grow economically? What policies would you like to see implemented to enhance economic development in Orange County?

As a small business owner, I understand the challenges of other entrepreneurs. I support county initiatives to incubate new businesses and partner with the schools and colleges to help with workforce development. Using tax dollars to support innovation and business ventures that keep business profits in our community helps the local Orange County economy. I also plan to introduce resolutions that direct our county to prioritize Orange County based vendors, especially those who support a living wage, when possible. 

As a parent and involved community member, I know that our youth deserve a brighter future. I’ll champion innovative education and investments in youth development including workforce development programs and programs that assist our youth develop interpersonal skills to promote their well-being and make them future ready.

6. What steps should the county take to address challenges related to growth and development, such as sprawl and transportation? In your opinion, what have been the county’s successes in managing this growth in recent years? What about its failures? What would you do differently?

Currently, we’re revising our Comprehensive Land Use Plan 2050, which is a fantastic chance for us to focus on sustainable development, public transportation, and preserving our green spaces.

We’ve done some good stuff in the past, like zoning changes and investing in infrastructure that’s helped us grow in a more managed way. The push for mixed-use developments has also been a step in the right direction, making our communities more walkable and less reliant on cars. But, there’s room for improvement, especially in tying our transportation plans more closely to where and how we develop. 

As we dive into the Comprehensive Land Use Plan 2050, I’m all for putting a strong emphasis on denser development in areas where it makes sense, boosting our public transportation options, and ensuring every new project includes affordable housing and green space. Community input is key here—we need to listen and make sure our plans reflect not only what the current residents of Orange County really want and need, but also consider what future residents might want and need. By focusing on these priorities, we can tackle our growth challenges head-on and make Orange County an even better place to live, work, and play for ALL.

7. Similarly, what should be the county’s role in addressing issues of economic inequality? Do you believe the current board is doing enough to prevent current residents from being priced out?

Tackling economic inequality involves ensuring affordable living through robust housing policies, creating access to well-paying jobs, and bolstering our local small businesses, which are crucial for our community’s economic health. 

The current board has laid some groundwork with initiatives like tax relief for long time homeowners, help with repairs for current homeowners who meet certain criteria, and support for affordable housing. I believe in tapping into the wealth of knowledge from our county departments and advisory boards to develop policies that benefit everyone, preventing anyone from being sidelined by the rising cost of living. This is always a balancing act as property owners make their own decisions about cashing out and the market drives up prices. But, there are more measures we can and should take as elected officials to be mindful of affordability. 

In addition to prioritizing business development that offers high-paying jobs, I believe in helping residents create and keep their own wealth. As an entrepreneur, I understand the challenges of owning my own business and believe that the county can do more to support those who own small businesses. We can also provide programming that helps incubate and launch new businesses. Providing goods and services in our own communities by our own community members will help grow and strengthen our local economy. 

8. There is a lack of affordable housing in Orange County. What steps do you think the Board of Commissioners could take to address this problem and to help facilitate home ownership?

As a dedicated Commissioner with experience in property management, ministry, and community leadership, I recognize affordable housing as a paramount concern. Addressing this nationwide crisis requires action on multiple fronts, including leveraging all available state programs (like the HOPE Program that was created during the pandemic) and all federal affordable housing initiatives offered by HUD and USDA.

I’m committed to supporting Orange County’s efforts to help homeowners stay in their homes through programs like the Longtime Homeowners Tax Relief Program and repair grants for veterans and low to moderate-income residents. Additionally, I’ll work to strengthen partnerships with nonprofits focused on homeownership assistance and advocate for policies that encourage the development of affordable housing. This includes incentivizing builders to include affordable units and expanding rental assistance.

I also see the importance of bolstering opportunities for small real estate agencies and individual homeowners to offer long-term rentals to help ease the housing shortage. I support our program of insuring repair costs for homeowners who accept housing vouchers to limit the risks of renting, as well as our down payment assistance program to support moderate-income professionals like teachers and healthcare workers. I believe other innovative programs hold promise. My aim is clear: to tackle the affordable housing crisis by ensuring community members at all levels of income have access to housing options that suit their wants and needs.

9. What initiatives can Orange County take to address residents’ mental health? What public health care programs are in place elsewhere in the country that you would like to see implemented here?

Last year, Orange County, in collaboration with Chapel Hill, took a significant step towards addressing mental health crises by launching a mobile crisis unit. This initiative represents a proactive approach to mental health care, providing on-site support to individuals experiencing a crisis. This service is about emergency intervention and connecting people with ongoing support and resources which make a real difference in our community’s approach to mental health.

Building on this momentum, there’s an exciting development on the horizon with the introduction of a post-overdose response team, which will be operated by EMS. This team is a critical component in our fight against the opioid crisis and substance abuse disorders in our community. By offering support and resources to individuals and families following an overdose, the team aims to prevent future incidents and guide those affected toward recovery paths. Both these initiatives represent a holistic and compassionate approach to mental health and substance abuse challenges in Orange County. 

The recent article in the N&O really highlighted a critical gap we’re facing with the shortage of mental health resources, especially for folks with autism. It’s a tough situation when families have to look outside our state for help because local options are thin and waiting lists are long. Plus, the high costs and hurdles of private care just aren’t doable for many.

We must address the financial barriers to care. We must also get the community talking more openly about mental health to shake off the stigma. Making the whole system easier to navigate is another must-do. And let’s not forget about our schools; we need mental health pros accessible there, too.

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

Yes, I would like to address the issue of the upcoming bond referendum. Working closely with experts, the two school boards, and my fellow commissioners, we have decided on a bond referendum to put on the ballot in November. We were presented with four options, two of which were viable, for addressing the pressing needs of our schools. These were called options C and D. As a commission, we deliberated carefully and decided to go forward with option C. I support this choice because Option C provides significant resources for our school building maintenance and repair while keeping the debt ratio within a reasonable range. Whereas the debt ratio and subsequent tax burden of Option D would not have been good for the residents of Northern Orange. The tension between adequately funding our capital needs and looking out for our vulnerable citizens will always be where I listen the hardest and discern the deepest. 

Comment on this story at [email protected].