On Monday, Durham City Council held its second and final public hearing for the 2024-2025 fiscal year budget. This was the last chance residents had to voice their requests for how the city should spend its roughly $660 million budget.
Given the stakes, a surprisingly modest-sized but enthusiastic crowd gathered inside city chambers. Folks in black and green Durham For All T-shirts filled the first two rows. A handful of Durham city workers in their respective uniforms and neon safety gear peppered the audience. Following a moving proclamation recognizing Juneteenth Week in Durham, residents made their way to the podium to share their remarks on the city’s guaranteed income program, eviction diversion, public safety, transportation, and worker pay.
Affordability was a key concern for many speakers. In 2022, the city of Durham launched a one-year pilot for its guaranteed income program and 109 Durham residents, many formerly incarcerated, received $600 a month, no questions asked. StepUp Durham served as the managing partner for the program. Syretta Hill, executive director for StepUp Durham, said the guaranteed income helped stabilize families as they tried to find employment and reconnect with the broader Durham community.
“With the extra $7,200 no strings attached support, pilot participants were able to invest in their own business and in continuing education, providing opportunities to contribute to and share in Durham’s economic prosperity,” Hill said.
The guaranteed income program provided participants with pathways to jobs, education, and in some cases, housing stability. For other residents in Durham, housing is far from a guarantee.
“Today, in district court, in small claims court in Durham, there were 80 cases for eviction,” said Sarah D’Amato, project director for the eviction diversion program at Legal Aid NC. “In cases where Legal Aid was involved, there were no judgments entered. That means the people that were here today represented by us got to stay in their houses for at least another 10 days, at least another month.”
Hundreds of other families are in line to face the possibility of eviction. Without strong representation, D’Amato said, families could end up on the streets and exposed to higher levels of violent crime and other negative health outcomes.
“Communities that have lower evictions are more stable,” D’Amato said. “Communities that are stable have lower violent crime.”
Solid Waste employees also made one last stand, advocating for a $25 minimum wage and title reclassification to Maintenance Specialist Seniors. Workers in the Solid Waste and Public Works departments make up 42 percent of the city’s workforce, but advocates argue these workers are not getting their fair share of the budget designated for salary increases.
“Our most essential workers are still not receiving the wages that they need to be able to fully live and enjoy the city that they’re giving their all to,” said Shanise Hamilton, an organizing coordinator with Durham Beyond Policing who spoke on behalf of Solid Waste workers.
Many of the speakers painted a picture of unaffordability for Durham residents. For months, various workers’ unions and other organizations have rallied to convince the city council and city staff to do more for Durham’s working class.
In an unexpected twist, a few residents used their time at the podium to compliment the city council and staff for their work on the budget. Jason Davis, president of the professional firefighters of Durham, said that he appreciated the council’s willingness to listen to firefighters’ concerns and act on them. But his gratitude did not come without caveats.
“We want to be sure we are part of the implementation process because nobody is going to take care of us like us,” Davis said.
Transportation advocates also took the opportunity to share their appreciation for the recent investments in transportation infrastructure.
“Thank you for modifying our Vision Zero resolution to have an actual date attached to it,” said Nathan Lee, a member of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission, “so that we can hopefully apply for federal funding and have an actual Vision Zero policy instead of just something that says ‘it would be nice if people stopped dying on our roads.’”
The entire meeting took less than two hours, an unusually fast pace, especially for a budget hearing. As the meeting started to wind down, city staff members exhaled a big sigh of relief while others whispered not to jinx it.
David Bradway, a bike and pedestrian safety advocate, was the last speaker of the night. He, too, was familiar with the slog of getting through city council meetings that can last until midnight. Bradway is typically a virtual participant, but was pleasantly surprised by the in-person experience.
“Thank you for all the work that you do on council,” he said. “Most of the meetings I listen to on YouTube at 1.25x speed so hearing you live and in-person is a nice calm way to do it.”
The city council will vote on the budget on June 17 before going on break until August 5.
Follow Reporter Justin Laidlaw on X or send an email to [email protected]. Comment on this story at [email protected].