Durham County Board of Commissioners: Wendy Jacobs

Name as it appears on the ballot: Wendy Jacobs 

Age: 62 

Party affiliation: Democrat 

Campaign website: wendyjacobsfordurham.com 

Occupation & employer: Durham County Commissioner, Durham County  Government 

1)In your view, what are the most important issues currently facing Durham  County?  

I believe the most important issues facing Durham County are rooted in systemic,  historic racial and economic disparities. We need to manage our growth while making  sure it benefits all of our residents. The issues we face are also connected directly to  the funding gaps and lack of local control due to policies of the state legislature and how  they impact us here in Durham County.  

These pressing issues include: 

● Adequate supply of safe, affordable and supportive housing 

● Creating walkable, bikeable and transit-accessible neighborhoods through land  use planning and multimodal transportation  

● Ensuring all children and youth in Durham have what they need to thrive, learn in  school and be prepared for and connected to the good paying jobs we have in  our county 

● Increasing dignified and community-based care for residents who have mental  health and substance use needs, minimizing their contact with our criminal  justice system.  

If elected, what would be your top three priorities?  

If re-elected to continue to serve as your County Commissioner my top three priorities  would be: 

Community Housing: 

I believe access to safe and affordable housing is a basic human right. In order for all  residents to hold jobs, go to school, and be physically and mentally well, they need safe  and supportive places to live. Lack of affordable housing leads to violence, economic  distress and lack of community wellbeing. 

As a county commissioner I have prioritized county investments and creative policy  solutions to build and preserve affordable, transitional and supportive housing and also  keep low and fixed income renters and homeowners in their homes. Examples include  championing a public-private partnership model to build and preserve affordable  housing downtown and at the Carver Creek campus, and leading the creation of our  county tax assistance programs for homeowners and rent relief programs for renters.  

In my next term I will work to create a comprehensive, coordinated Durham Housing  Plan to bring public and private sector, institutional, non profit and community partners  together to address our affordable housing challenge. This plan will include measurable  annual goals according to an assessment of community housing needs.  

I will also make sure that the County invests directly in affordable housing by expanding  our contributing more funds to our tax tax grant, rental assistance and eviction diversion  and Homeowner Repair Programs that we know help keep people housed. These  programs work and we need to expand them. I will also push the County to invest more  in the Durham Affordable Housing Revolving Loan Fund, which is another evidence based model that supports the creation of affordable housing.  

Finally I will bring my expertise in land use planning to the revision of our Unified  Development Ordinances (UDO) so that as a County we are planning for more  affordable housing and pedestrian- and transit-oriented neighborhoods.  

Ensuring all children and youth in Durham have what they need to thrive: I believe in a “cradle to career” approach that prioritizes systemic investments in our  children. This means funding early childhood programs like Durham PreK, fully funding  Durham Public Schools and Durham Tech, and making sure our young people are  connected to good paying, living wage jobs.  

I will push for the expansion of the Durham PreK program, which I helped to start in  2016. This program provides high-quality, low- or no-cost PreK education for our  children, raises the wages of underpaid early childhood educators, and partners with  Durham Tech for a strong pipeline of teachers. If re-elected I will work with the Durham  Chamber of Commerce’s proposed Commmunity Foundation Fund to leverage private  and foundation funding to expand this vital program. I will also continue to push for the  implementation of our Early Childhood Action Plan and services for new families, to  make sure that all families have what they need to succeed and to minimize contact  with DSS. 

I will also continue to fight for full funding for Durham Public Schools to fill the gaps in  operational and capital funding due to state defunding and underfunding of public  education in North Carolina. As County Commissioner, I have worked for better  collaboration between DPS and Durham County government. We have seen local  funding for DPS increase by $76 million since 2017. More needs to be done.  

I will prioritize funding to raise the wages of the lowest paid school workers and  reinstatement of masters pay. I will work to implement a regular bond schedule to meet  the facilities needs of our schools. I will champion ways to use public school land to provide affordable housing for teachers and school workers. Finally, I am interested in a  county wide effort to support literacy and improve third grade reading levels.  

Once our students graduate, they need connections to good paying jobs. I have  championed effective job pipeline programs like Building Up Local Labor Sources (BULLS), which connects youth with the certification and training they need for life  science and biopharma jobs we have in Durham County. I will continue to advocate for  the expansion of job pipeline programs, and I will continue to work to recruit employers  to our region that offer good paying jobs to our residents across education and skill  levels.  

Finally, I have worked to raise Durham County’s minimum living wage to $19.22 an hour  in this year’s budget, and will work to get it to $24 an hour. We must set the bar and be  an example for all public and private sector employers in Durham County. Good wages  must be paired with affordable childcare, which is why I have worked to fund a free  drop-in daycare at Durham Tech for students and promoted provision of childcare by  employers as part of our economic incentives agreements. I will continue to do this if re elected.  

Planning Now for a Better Future: 

I believe we are at a pivotal moment in Durham’s history. Over the past 15 years,  Durham County and City governments have worked with the private sector to invest in  our community and bring new growth to our region’s economy. Our population has  increased by more than 100,000 people during this period, and is expected to grow by  another 125,000 by 2050. We’re adding good jobs and excellent businesses, but we’re  also experiencing the negative effects of growth, like loss of affordable housing, traffic  congestion, and environmental harm.  

Additionally, the lack of adequate funding from our state and federal government for  vital programs makes it difficult for us at the county government level to keep up with  the needs of our growing population. 

I believe one of our greatest challenges is taking steps to make the right infrastructure  investments for sustainable growth and diversify our revenue sources to take the  burden off of local taxpayers. As a county commissioner over the past 11 years I have been deeply engaged in creating and approving plans that I believe will help us create a  better future for Durham. I am running for re-election to make sure this work gets  implemented, including: 

● New Durham County Transit Plan: This community-rooted plan lays out the  use of $1 billion in county transit revenues over the next 20 years. The focus,  based on community input from our transit users, is improving our local bus  system, and creating fast and reliable regional options like bus rapid transit and  passenger rail.  

● New Durham Comprehensive Land Use Plan and revision of our Unified  Development Ordinances: our first new Land Use Plan in nearly 20 years lays  out the vision for the Durham people want to live in based on years of robust and  equitable community engagement. Our new Unified Development Ordinances  need to reflect the community’s goals, like convenient access to transit, school  and shopping, and affordable housing.  

● RTP 3.0: Plans are underway to reimagine the 7,000 acres of land in RTP, most  of which is in Durham County, with the potential for 40,000 new housing units.  This offers a chance for us to expand affordable housing in the County.  

● New Destination Durham Tourism, Downtown Durham and Culture Arts  master plans: These new master plans will lay the foundation for investments to  improve the quality of life for Durham residents, while also attracting visitors and  growing our tax revenue. We need more support for artists and festivals, a  sportplex to support local youth and attract big events, and a larger convention  center. These new plans will guide our future over the next 50 years. I want to  use my skills and knowledge to support their successful implementation.  

2) Durham Public Schools has been roiled by issues relating to salary increases  for about 1,300 classified staff members. What is the county’s role in ensuring  these staff members are paid according to their work experience and to the  recommendations of a 2023 pay study commissioned by DPS?  

Durham County government provides local funding for DPS, and I’m committed to  making sure that our classified staff are paid fairly. The DPS Board of Education is  responsible for specific policies and operations of Durham Public Schools, but there’s  still a role for the county to play. 

Specifically, Durham County approved more than $4 million in our last budget to  increase the salaries of DPS classified staff and to help implement the HIL  compensation study. In total, we provided $231 million in our last budget for DPS annual operational, staffing and capital costs. This is taxpayer money and we deserve  to know that it’s being spent effectively. I believe we have the fiscal and legal authority  to request all necessary information related to how this funding was implemented, and  to reach accountability for use of these local tax dollars.  

How can the county work more closely with the school board to ensure a  situation like this doesn’t occur again?  

The first step is for our Board, County Manager, County Attorney and other pertinent  staff to receive all necessary information to understand exactly what happened, how the  problem can be addressed and how to prevent this from happening again. This may  require outside experts to come in to investigate, assess and make systems change  recommendations. We may need new policies, processes, technologies or reporting  mechanisms to be implemented for fiscal accountability and transparency. The next  step will be for our County leadership to work with DPS leadership and staff to make  sure this does not happen again, while also communicating proactively with parents,  students, and the broader Durham community. 

3) Voters passed a $423.5 million school construction bond in 2022, but due to  rising construction costs, that money is running out quickly. Should Durham put  another education bond before voters?  

I support getting on a regular bond schedule to meet the needs of our DPS buildings  and facilities. These needs are documented in our 2020-2030 Capital Improvement  Plan. Durham County needs to provide local funding to repair, maintain and build new  public schools due to the systemic disinvestment in our public school system by the NC  State Legislature. Working together at a local level we can ensure that our students,  teachers and school staff have adequate, safe and healthy places to learn and work. 

A regular, every two year bond schedule, beginning in 2026, will allow us to meet these  needs in a financially sustainable and dependable way. Maintaining Durham County’s  AAA Bond rating, one of only 49 counties in the U.S. to hold this status, is also key for  moving to a regular bond schedule.  

What is the most sustainable way to address new construction and renovation of  existing school facilities as Durham continues to grow? 

As mentioned above, I believe a regular bond schedule is the way forward due to  inadequate capital funding for public schools from state government. Another way to  ensure fiscal sustainability is through effective and efficient project management and  building design. DPS is using energy and environmentally sustainable practices in  building design with features such as natural and energy efficient lighting, low  maintenance materials, cisterns and solar panels. Integrating energy efficiency and low  ongoing maintenance of facilities is also an important way to manage sustainability long  term.  

4) Although it owns a significant amount of property in Durham and has a $12  billion endowment, Duke for the most part doesn’t pay taxes to the city or county.  Some private universities, such as Yale, contribute millions of dollars to the  towns in which they are located. Should county (and city) leaders consider asking  Duke to contribute payments to the city/county for housing or other initiatives in  lieu of paying taxes? 

Durham is Duke’s home and ensuring Durham has a vibrant economy where all can  thrive and live well is in Duke’s best interest. As our largest employer and a leading  educational and healthcare institution, Duke is a valued and essential partner who can  walk alongside city and county governments into this next phase of a brighter future for  all in Durham. 

Payment in lieu of taxes (PILOTs) is one way that Duke could contribute, but I’m  interested to work with city and county staff, as well as community members and Duke  leadership, to understand whether it is the most impactful and equitable way that Duke  can contribute or whether stepping up their commitments in other areas could do more.  

For example, Duke will raise their minimum wage to $17 per hour beginning July 1,  which will impact 900 of their lowest paid workers. Duke has 41,000 workers total. What  would be the financial impact on our county economy and the poverty rate if Duke  prioritized increasing wages to $19.22 per hour, currently Durham County’s minimum  living wage, and also commit to achieving the sustainable living wage of $24/hour for  Durham that we are also striving to implement? 

Additionally, Duke has been a partner to Durham City and County governments in areas  such as food security, affordable housing, supporting local businesses and the 

revitalization of downtown Durham. During the pandemic Duke contributed $5 million  directly to local funds created to support access to food, support for seniors, virtual  learning and small business loans and grants. Now, the Durham Chamber of  Commerce is working to create a Durham Community Endowment Fund, and Duke  could provide significant direct funding for affordable housing, childcare and transit that  will support our local workforce, including Duke employees.  

In addition to this new fund, I’d like to see Duke continue to invest in systems change  work. I am excited about the recent announcement of the Bloomberg investment of  $29.5 million over the next five years that will create a healthcare jobs pipeline between  DPS, Durham Tech and Duke Health. This is the kind of systems approach that will  create meaningful change in people’s lives and help ensure Durham residents are  directly prepared for and connected to good paying jobs. Duke can do even more in this  area to the benefit of our county and residents while building the talent workforce they  depend on. 

It’s important for us to get input from the Durham community about how Duke can best  support our local needs. As we strive to eradicate poverty and racial and economic  disparities in Durham, our residents, many of whom are Duke workers, face rising  housing and transportation costs associated with our growing population. Durham City  and County governments do not have the resources or capacity to do this work on our  own and need partners like Duke. I look forward to being a part of these important  conversations in my role as a county commissioner.  

5) What is your vision for growth and development throughout Durham?  

My vision for growth and development throughout Durham is rooted in our community’s  vision, embodied in our newly adopted Durham City-County Comprehensive Land Use  Plan. This is our first new land use plan in nearly twenty years. It is based on a robust  and equitable community engagement process over several years, and the  conversations that I was part of with residents in this process shaped my thinking about  how we should grow as a county.  

As we grow, Durham can and must prioritize “15 minute communities.” These are  neighborhoods that are walkable, transit accessible and bikeable. Our neighborhoods  must be safe and affordable, and it needs to be easy to get to work, school and the  grocery store. One goal within the Comprehensive Plan is to achieve 15% affordable  housing in all residential development and 20% affordable housing in areas that are  major travel corridors and bus and rail stations. I’m in full support of this and will  continue to advocate for an increase in affordable and supportive housing. 

An important part of our growth is continuing to steward our environment. This means  protecting our open spaces, farmland and water resources. We also need to “infill” and  put new development where we already have public water and sewer infrastructure  available.  

To realize these goals we are now beginning to rewrite our Unified Development  Ordinances (UDO). These are the mechanisms to implement the vision of the  Comprehensive Land Use Plan. As a 6 year planning commissioner and 11 year  member of the Joint City-County Planning Commission, I am running for re-election to  help ensure our new UDO supports our community’s vision for our future growth and  development.  

How can the county balance growth while also ensuring gentrification doesn’t  push long term residents out?  

My goal as County Commissioner is to address the negative impact of gentrification on  our low- and fixed-income residents, and our minority and long-time residents. Even  though local governments are heavily restricted in their authority in North Carolina, I  have, and will continue, to creatively advocate for our renters and homeowners in  Durham so that residents can stay in their homes, age in place, and preserve  intergenerational wealth.  

As former chair of our board, I helped lead the creation of our City-County Eviction  Diversion and Rental Assistance Program. This program has kept hundreds of renters  in their homes when they otherwise may have been evicted for lack of funds. We need  to expand and strengthen this program as rents continue to rise and COVID federal  rental assistance has ended. I also helped lead creation of our Low Income Homeowner  Relief Program, which helps low- and fixed-income homeowners and seniors cover their  property tax bills. I support County funding for programs like our Homeowner Repair  Program, designed for our older county residents, which helps people keep up with  repairs and make their homes accessible so they can safely age in place.  

Finally, I believe we must invest in creative tools and models like community land trusts,  and use of publicly controlled land to build and preserve permanent affordable housing  for Durham residents.  

6) What should the county government be doing to further housing affordability? 

In question #1 I discussed many ways Durham County government is currently working  to provide affordable housing, and additional steps I believe we must take. This includes  building and preserving affordable housing, investing in our rental assistance program,  and increasing funding for our property tax relief programs. In my next term of office,  supporting these investments and initiatives will be one of my central priorities.  

What additional steps can the county take to assist those living in substandard  public housing?  

The Durham Housing Authority, the provider of public housing in Durham, is affiliated  with the City of Durham. But Durham County government can continue to partner with  DHA to ensure residents have the supportive services they need and are eligible for in  areas such as public health and social service benefits. This includes SNAP (food  stamps), Medicaid, energy assistance, job training, child care, etc. The County provides  additional support to public housing residents with services such as the Library Mobile,  Durham Center for Senior Life, Project Access transportation services, and the senior  food shuttle.  

What should the county be doing to support people who are not in control of their  own housing (including renters, the unhoused, and those whose homes are  owned by banks) as costs of living skyrocket?  

As mentioned before, the county can and must continue to assist renters through our  Eviction Diversion and Rental Assistance programs. We must continue to work with the  City to make sure these are as fully funded as possible and being administered in the  most effective way, including consideration of a non-profit to take the lead. We should  also evaluate our current policies to remove unintentional barriers and provide  assistance levels consistent with today’s increased rents. 

We can continue to provide energy and food assistance, access to good paying jobs,  child care and fare free transit, which are all ways to reduce overall household cost  burdens and to help offset high housing costs. I support our new DCo Thrives  Guaranteed Income Pilot that will support 125 low income families with monthly  payments of $750 per month. This is a model of providing direct support to families who  are struggling with housing costs. I look forward to the results of this pilot and  consideration of how it can be continued.  

Finally, we must strengthen our system of care for unhoused residents. We are seeing  increasing numbers of homeless families and those who have severe and persistent  substance use and mental health needs. For residents who are living unhoused, we 

need a community day center where people can shower, do laundry, charge phones  and get mail. It is nearly impossible to transition out of homelessness without this type  of resource. I look forward to working with City government and a local nonprofit to  create this center.  

As mentioned before, many unhoused people in Durham have long-term physical and  mental health needs, so expanding affordable housing, transitional and supportive  housing is essential. Estimates are that we need at least 1500 units of permanent  supportive housing. I look forward to next steps for the Carver Creek Campus that will  eventually provide 125 of these units. We must also continue to fund and expand  transitional housing for our justice-involved neighbors through our Justice Services  Resource Center and Justice Services Department. Re-entry housing for women and  gender-expansive individuals is a current need that the county can help address.  

7) What do you envision as the future of mass transit in Durham?  

I envision a future of a robust multimodal system of transportation where people in  Durham have equitable access to fast, reliable, accessible and affordable transit  options. In this future, residents can get to work, school, doctors appointments and  shopping quickly via bus, train, walking, biking and/or car quickly and easily. I also  envision a future where transit is better linked to land use.  

We have the opportunity right now to create this future with the implementation of our  new Comprehensive Land Use Plan and Unified Development Ordinance rewrite. With  the UDO, we can specifically plan for higher density, mixed use, walkable, bikeable,  transit oriented neighborhoods in neighborhoods slated for transit improvements and  investments. We can also make sure that there is protected affordable housing within  these transit zones.  

What initiatives would you like to support?  

My goal, and one of the primary reasons I’m running for re-election, is to see through  our newly adopted Durham County Transit Plan and our 2045 Metropolitan  Transportation Plan. These plans encapsulate the bike, pedestrian and transit  investments people in our community want and I am running for re-election to ensure  our transformational new plans are implemented. 

The Durham County Transit Plan allocates $1 billion of Durham County transit tax  revenues over the next 20 years to improved bus service, better bus shelters, a  renovated Durham Transit Center, Bus Rapid Transit and passenger rail.  

As a member and former chair of our regional transportation planning organization, I  helped ensure that our 2045 Metropolitan Transportation Plan prioritizes equitable  multimodal transportation investments, instead of focusing on the fastest way to move  cars. I’m also working with fellow elected leaders across our region and transportation  agency partners like the NCDOT Rail Division on ways we can take advantage of  current federal rail funding to provide hourly, all day passenger rail service to Durham  residents.  

What do you believe to be a viable next step?  

We have excellent plans in place and underway. As a county commissioner with deep  transportation knowledge and experience, I will continue to push forward these plans as  well as advocate for more local, state and federal resources for transit, bike and  pedestrian infrastructure.  

I’m also excited about the additional planning that’s happening for our transit future.  This includes everything from a federally-funded study to look at rail improvements  connecting Durham to DC, to our Destination 2055 regional transit plan, to the creation  of a Regional Mobility Hub in RTP. It is an exciting time for envisioning and making  possible a better transit future! I look forward to continuing to support transit  investments as a county commissioner.  

8) What can the county do to address violent crime?  

Violent crime and gun violence are devastating issues that affect our Durham  community in inequitable ways. While we as county commissioners have no authority  over gun control and gun safety laws that could have a significant impact on reducing  violent crime, there are many things the county can do to address the root causes of  violence. I believe violence is linked to historic racial, social and economic disparities  and systemic issues within our criminal justice system. As a county commissioner,  addressing the root causes of violent crime and investing in systemic solutions is one of  my passions and priorities. I am running for re-election to keep advocating for change.  

Here are some of things I care about and want to expand and continue in my next term:

● Our Public Health Gun Safety Team leads education and outreach about safe  storage and responsible gun ownership, which directly prevents gun violence and  deaths. In the future, I would like to see the work of the Gun Safety Team  expanded with a Countywide Gun Safety Education Campaign involving all  possible stakeholders. 

● Our Family Justice Center, which works to address intimate partner violence  with wraparound supports for survivors and families. We need to keep investing  in this evidence-based model and also ensure that our Durham Crisis  Response Center has adequate funding, so it can continue to provide support to  people impacted by domestic violence.  

● Violence Prevention/Intervention Programs, including Bull City United,  Project Build, and Hayti Reborn Justice Movement: Violence is a public  health issue and epidemic that can be approached with evidenced-based models  and practices. The County has funded these local programs that use evidence based models, and I look forward to continuing to evaluate the outcomes and  data from these programs and make sure we are investing in the best ways to  prevent and repair the harm of violence.  

● “Cradle to Career” investments: Many years ago I heard a member of the  Department of Justice reporting on violent crime in Durham conclude that the  best way to stop a bullet is with a job. I believe we must keep investing in the  people in our community—babies, children, youth, families and adults—with  good education, jobs and supportive services, as described in question 1. 

● Durham County Justice Resource Center and Justice Services Department: An important part of stopping violence is ensuring a more fair and equitable  justice system. We can reduce harm by preventing unnecessary contact with our  law enforcement and criminal justice system and supporting the successful re entry of justice-involved residents into our community. I am a huge supporter of  the groundbreaking work of our Durham County Justice Resource Center and  Justice Services Department who oversees our Mental Health and Drug  Treatment Courts, PreTrial Release, jail mental health and STARR substance  use, Re-Entry Council and FIT (Formerly Incarcerated Transitions) programs  among many others. Access to housing, mental and physical health care and  good jobs is critical for interrupting and preventing cycles of violence in our  community.  

● Community Wellness and Safety and H.E.A.R.T: The county has been  partnering with the city-led H.E.A.R.T alternative crisis response program since  the beginning and one of the crisis response teams includes Durham County  EMS paramedics. I support expanding H.E.A.R.T countywide so that people in  crisis who need mental health and substance use treatment can get the help they  need from appropriate providers. 

What are the preventative steps the county can or should take with regard to  mental health?  

There are many ways the county can continue to provide access to mental health care  and also substance use treatment. As a county commissioner I am very involved with  improving our system of care at the local, state and national level. Here are some things I support that we are doing and ways we can continue to improve our system of care: 

● Medicaid expansion: Our DSS staff are doing a great job of rolling out Medicaid  expansion. We must continue to make sure they have the resources they need to  ensure every person eligible for no-fee health insurance gets enrolled and can  access physical and mental healthcare. 

● Adequate services and providers: Through our partnership with Alliance  Health we provide many resources such as a 24 hour crisis mobile unit,  behavioral health walk-in urgent care center, RRC (Recovery Response Center)  24-hour mental health and substance use crisis center, which also helps divert  people from the Durham County Detention Center, and a new facility to serve  children in Durham and Wake counties with complex behavioral health needs.  But persistent gaps remain in our mental health system due to inadequate supply  of providers, a nationwide issue.  

● Stepping Up Initiative: Durham is part of the national Stepping Up Initiative to  keep people with mental health needs out of our jail. Nearly 50% of people  screened for mental health needs coming into our Detention Center become  eligible for locally-funded mental health services and medication assistance  treatment for opioid use disorder. As a member of this initiative, I’m advocating  for better mental health services in our jail and for people once they are re entering our community.  

● Permanent and transitional supportive housing: Housing is a basic human  need and right. People suffering from mental illness need safe and secure  housing as a foundation for recovery. Local data indicates many of the  chronically unhoused people in our community suffer from severe mental health  and substance use disorder. I have worked to secure funding for Durham’s first  permanent supportive housing campus to care for people with complex health  needs. In my next term in office I will work to expand this model in Durham.  

● Mental health support in our schools: The county provides funding for public  school nurses and the Whole Schools mental health ambassador program in  DPS. We also fund DPS Community Schools which provides a wrap around,  school community rooted approach to meet the needs of students. I support  centering and integrating access to mental health care for students and families 

within the school environment which can be a safe, accessible and stigma-free  place for people to seek and receive care.  

What programs are in place elsewhere in the country that you would like to see  implemented here? 

● Familiar Faces: I recently helped launch Durham’s Familiar Face Initiative after  participating in national Familiar Faces Leadership and Peer Justice Learning  Networks. This initiative is designed to provide wraparound community-based  support to individuals who frequently cycle through our justice system, homeless  shelters and emergency rooms. Counties across the country are using data driven strategies to disrupt this inhumane and expensive pattern and get people  the care they need to recover and live well. As chair of the Familiar Faces  Initiative, I helped lead the successful campaign for the Carver Creek Campus for  Permanent Supportive Housing. This multi-sector collaborative, including  Durham City and County government as well as Duke Health, is now working on  support services, ways to share data, and a pilot to provide intensive case  management and wrap-around services for people identified as Familiar  Neighbors. Supporting and expanding the work of the Familiar Faces Initiative  will continue to be one of my central priorities as a county commissioner.  

9) Economic inequality rose significantly in Durham County over the past decade.  How can county commissioners address this problem and ensure that the  county’s prosperity is more equitable going forward?  

Poverty and economic inequality are significant issues in Durham, and  disproportionately affect our Black and Latino/x residents. But we’re actually making  progress on many indicators. Our poverty rate has fallen from 19.3% in 2012 to 11.1%  in 2022 (most recent year available from the Federal Reserve). Federal Reserve data  also shows steady increases for median household income, personal income and per  capita income 

Because Black and Latino/x people are more likely to be cost burdened with housing,  qualify for free or reduced lunch with DPS, and live in poverty in Durham, I believe we  must be laser focused on addressing racial disparities in our community. As a county commissioner my priority is investment in systemic approaches that will provide more  equitable access to education, healthcare, jobs, small businesses and housing.  

I discuss the things the county is doing that I believe must continue in question #1. I  believe we must take a racial equity lens with our county investments. We must 

continue to measure outcomes, publicly share data and make sure that the racial and  economic justice indicators that we’re trying to shift are going in the right direction, or  change our approach if not. Moving forward, I believe the county must lead efforts to  

bring together all stakeholders in our community, including our local governments,  businesses, universities, religious institutions and nonprofits, to collectively and  strategically invest in reducing economic inequality. This includes investing in childcare,  housing, education and transportation resources needed to ensure economic and racial  equity so all people can thrive in Durham County. 

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

I love serving our community as a county commissioner, and I’m running for re-election  to keep doing the work while cultivating a new generation of leadership in county  government.  

I’m committed to making local change, and I love working alongside fellow elected  officials, government staff and community members to make change happen. I believe  Durham can be a welcoming, vibrant, innovative and inclusive community where all can  thrive.  

I’m running to continue serving our community with the deep skills, knowledge and  experience I have in many areas of county government, from housing, land use and  transportation to environmental protection, social services and justice services. I want to  share that knowledge with new County leadership. I believe Durham County is at a  pivotal moment in our history where we have many new adopted plans ready to be  implemented and other important plans underway. We have choices to make about  where we invest our limited resources. I want to help ensure we make strong decisions  now for the future—for our children and grandchildren. 

Comment on this story at [email protected].