Since 2012, Wendy Jacobs has served three terms on the Durham Board of County Commissioners. During that time, she’s been the board’s vice chair and chair. Now, she’s one of four incumbents in a field of 11 candidates vying for five seats ahead of the March 2024 primary.

Southpoint Access asked Jacobs to answer some questions for our readers. The same invitation has been extended to other candidates for County Commission. We will publish their responses as soon as possible after they are received.

Why are you running to serve on the County Commission?

Wendy Jacobs: As your County Commissioner, I love working with people across Durham to make change through local government. I’m running for re-election because Durham is at a moment of incredible growth and opportunity. I want to keep working for affordable housing, accessible public transit, great schools and job opportunities, and community-based services that address systemic injustices. During my 11 years serving as a county commissioner, I have demonstrated my ability to work in partnership with fellow elected leaders, government staff, and community members to lead action for progressive change in our community. Some of my accomplishments and priorities include:

• Affordable, safe, and supportive housing: As County Commissioner, I’m leading collaborative approaches to create more affordable housing in Durham.
• Education and economic opportunity: I believe that all Durham residents deserve great schools and job opportunities, and I’ve funded historic investments in both.
• Public transit and environmental justice: Together we can create a community that has great transit, is bike- and pedestrian-friendly, and is resilient in the face of climate change.
• Community health and wellbeing: I’m addressing systemic injustices by investing in resources for people who use substances, live with mental illness, or have been impacted by the justice system.

What are your strategies for addressing community safety and reducing crime in Durham County?

Wendy Jacobs: I’m a collaborative leader working across the City and County to make sure that all of us have access to the care we need, when we need it. I believe that we must address systemic injustices by investing in resources for people who use substances, struggle with mental illness, and/or are involved in the criminal justice system. These resources should be community-based, outside of the justice system. They must be evidence-based and trauma-informed.

Accomplishments:

• Funded new investments in harm reduction for people who use substances, including peer support specialists, safe syringes and testing strips.
• Funded nearly $500,000 in community-based mental health services for people who have serious mental illness and are justice-involved.
• Championed the Durham Stepping Up Initiative, which brings together community partners to connect people with mental health needs to care and reduce their contact with the justice system.
• Brought Durham into the national Familiar Faces Initiative, which will allow us to coordinate wrap-around supports for community members with complex health and behavioral needs.
• Advocated for the statewide expansion of Medicaid. As of Dec. 1, more than 20,000 Durhamites will be newly eligible for Medicaid (government-subsidized insurance).

Priorities for next term:

• Expand HEART, Durham’s crisis response program, into the County in 2024, by working with the Community Safety Department and Sheriff Clarence Birkhead.
• Make sure residents who are newly eligible for Medicaid know about their options and can smoothly enroll, regardless of language or technology barriers.
• Expand funding for harm reduction and substance use treatment.
• Create a day shelter for residents experiencing homelessness by working with the City, a local nonprofit, and community partners.

How do you plan to support economic growth and job creation within the county?

Wendy Jacobs: The key to strong economic growth is a talented, well educated work force and that means a strong public education and cradle to career system.

As a former educator, I believe that a thriving, fully-funded public school system is essential for our County’s success. But it’s just one piece of the puzzle. I believe in a “cradle to career” approach to economic wellbeing. It starts with equitable healthcare for pregnant people, then programs for families with newborns. Our children deserve high-quality pre-K and schools, and our young people need great job opportunities. I will continue to fight for economic opportunity for every young person.

Accomplishments:

• Increased funding to Durham Public Schools by $34 million over the past three years to address shortfalls in state funding. Ensured raises for classified staff, certified staff, and teachers.
• Championed the largest bond in Durham’s history ($550 million), which is providing critical investments in DPS and Durham Tech buildings, including building new elementary and high schools.
• Raised wages for all Durham County staff, and secured paid family leave for all full-time staff.
• Ensured universal access to high-quality pre-K in Durham, so that every child has excellent educational opportunities before starting Kindergarten. The County now subsidizes fees, equitable salaries for teachers, and professional development.
• Funded programs that provide new parents with practical tools and emotional support, such as Welcome Baby, Durham Connects, and Reach Out and Read.
• Worked with community partners, including Durham Tech and Made in Durham, to create the BULLS Initiative, which connects young Durham residents to local biotech and life sciences jobs.

Priorities for next term:

• Continue to fund and expand Durham’s pre-K programs, so that every child starts Kindergarten ready to succeed.
• Continue full financial support for DPS, and explore the creation of a County-wide literacy initiative to make sure all third graders can read on grade level. Fund master’s pay for DPS staff, to improve recruitment and retention.
• Champion Durham County’s new guaranteed income pilot program for families, DCo Thrives, and look for ways to build on initial successes.
• Expand job opportunities for young people by adding a new sector to the BULLS Initiative.

As a county commissioner over the past 11 years, I have helped create thousands of good paying jobs in RTP and Treyburn in areas like advanced manufacturing, clean technology, and life sciences through county economic partnerships. My priority is for Durham to continue to have the highest weekly wages in the state, provide a diversity of good jobs at all skills levels and ensure Durham residents are prepared for and connected directly to these job opportunities.

How would you improve transportation and infrastructure, including road maintenance and public transportation systems?

Investing in our transportation and transit systems is one of my priorities as a county commissioner over the past 11 years. As a former member of the GoTriangle Board and member of our regional transportation Metropolitan Planning Organization, DCHCMPO, I have led efforts to prioritize investments in better bus service, more bikeable and walkable neighborhoods and regional rail to improve people’s daily lives, help get people to jobs and education, reduce congestion, protect our environment and manage our growing population. I helped champion the creation and adoption of our transformative new Durham County Transit Plan which will invest $1 billion of local transit revenues over the next 20 years in areas like better bus stops, bus rapid transit, passenger rail and safe bike and pedestrian trails. Working to ensure this plan as well as other regional and state transportation plans underway are fully implemented will be a priority of my next term in office.

What do you consider the most critical challenges faced by Durham County?

Wendy Jacobs: I believe we are at a time of incredible opportunity in Durham. We have the ability to make choices now that will guide us over the next 20 years – in areas like transportation, land use, the future of RTP and downtown Durham – and help us address the challenges we face around access to affordable housing, good jobs, childcare, community safety, transportation and healthcare. The investments we choose to make now to help us grow in a sustainable way, protect our natural resources, address the needs of our most vulnerable residents, build on public-private partnerships, diversify our governmental revenue sources, and provide equitable access to education and good jobs will allow us to create a vibrant, inclusive, welcoming Durham County where all can thrive.

What are your plans to promote environmental sustainability and green initiatives in Durham County?

Wendy Jacobs: As a parent and Durham resident, I’m committed to creating a sustainable community that’s easy to navigate and resilient in the face of climate change. As a current member and former chair of the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), I have deep knowledge about local transit planning. Both of these inform my perspective on how we invest in our streets and sidewalks.

Accomplishments:

• Secured a $1 billion investment in local transit by supporting and approving the new Durham County transit plan. Most of this funding will be focused on faster/more reliable buses and better bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure.
• Led the MPO’s creation of our region’s 2045 transit plan, which prioritizes multi-modal transit (bus, biking, walking, etc).
• Championed the creation of Durham County’s first Renewable Energy Plan, which will get Durham County government on 80% renewable energy by 2030 and 100% renewable by 2050.

Priorities for next term:

• Implement our County transit plan, including: renovating downtown Durham’s bus station, building new bus shelters, creating and implementing a plan for Bus Rapid Transit, and moving forward on regional passenger rail.
• Create new bike trails that connect communities across the Triangle, including the North Durham Rail Trail and the Triangle Bikeways Trail.
• Ensure that Durham County meets our sustainability and renewable energy goals by fully funding our Renewable Energy Plan.
• Implement Durham’s new Comprehensive Plan so that we prioritize building affordable housing near public transit, while protecting our open spaces, water, and farmland.

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