Remarks by Wendy Jacobs
115 remarks on the record, newest first · Page 2 of 5
- Play at 1:25:09
“I just wanted to add, also, I don't think people may not be aware that we provide the majority of funding for Urban Ministries, the building. We also provide funding to other organizations. like Families Moving Forward and Open Table Ministries, other nonprofits, and Project Access is directly funded as a Durham County program that provides respite care and connection to specialty care for unhoused residents. So yes, I agree with what you're saying. Manager Hager and Commissioner Valentine, and what we do upstream that is preventative is very critical. And related to the 18 million, the…”
Board of County Commissioners · Oct 5, 2026
- Play at 1:58:52
“Yes, thank you so much, and I appreciate us getting this presentation when we're part way through it, because I think it's really important that we discuss what happens on, what is the day, the end of January, right? um you know for me personally i i went to the open house on september 18th is that right and so i got to see the program in action and also just hearing the presentation today it's clear to me that we need to figure out a way to keep this program going some form I'm really appreciative that urban ministries bid on this project because if we didn't have a partner we would not be…”
Board of County Commissioners · Oct 5, 2026
- Play at 2:05:45
“Okay, thank you. And Dwayne, yes, I'm so grateful for how passionate you are about this and it's important. You care and I know all of your staff really cares who are working there and it really makes a difference. I related to what the chair said. I do want to point out that I remember reading the scope of work for this. So I want to, um, also give kudos to Samantha, who I know who's no longer here, who helped write the scope of work and John your office, because I think this also is a reflection of how we write the scope of work. Um, and, um, and then what ha what we're requiring as part of…”
Board of County Commissioners · Oct 5, 2026
- Play at 2:09:35
“And Dwayne, I apologize. I told you I would follow up. I did talk to some people about it, but I haven't sent the email. But that is really essential. There should be snacks there. So managers are a way we could address the contract or connect to Reyna or Cooperative Extension.”
Board of County Commissioners · Oct 5, 2026
- Play at 2:10:56
“And could we also get, if the majority of the board is interested in just what,”
Board of County Commissioners · Oct 5, 2026
- Play at 2:26:38
“Well, this is amazing. I wonder if you could, could you pull up the link to what you all have created online? Is it possible to do that? Because I don't think the PowerPoint actually does service to the online document that you all have created, if it's possible. While staff is doing that, I will just say that I am so grateful to the planning staff and the community for this heritage community program. Um, this really exemplifies why it's so important. I'm embarrassed to say I have lived in Durham basically since 1979 and I did not know this history. And I just think this, this is reinforces…”
Board of County Commissioners · Oct 5, 2026
- Play at 2:29:49
“Okay, so 1.30 p.m. 1.30 p.m. At the church that you saw. At the church, okay, one of the remaining structures. Okay, wonderful. Yes, and thank you to all of the Orange Factory community members who helped make this happen as well. Thank you. Yeah, thank you.”
Board of County Commissioners · Oct 5, 2026
- Play at 2:39:07
“Okay. Yeah, thank you for your comments, Chair Lee. Yeah, I think that what I think the purpose of this is also just to add to the story of all the different communities in Durham that may not be here anymore, that were here, or that don't fit the normal status of getting recognition like the Merrick Moore community was the first one. But to your point, yes, we absolutely should tell the broader context, and that includes the fact that this was Native American land initially as well and I know there is reference to that so I appreciate you bringing up just the broader context and it does…”
Board of County Commissioners · Oct 5, 2026
- Play at 2:41:04
“So it will be on the, which websites will this be on? And like, we'll be part of the North Carolina collection as well.”
Board of County Commissioners · Oct 5, 2026
- Play at 3:15:58
“Can I just ask if you, Claire, this is like a really big deal. So could you explain how many positions are we talking about locally? And how are the, because these are critical services, right? Taking care of at-risk children and women with at-high-risk pregnancies. How are they going to get these services if it's not going to be through”
Board of County Commissioners · Oct 5, 2026
- Play at 3:18:31
“Can you explain who made this decision? that people like you gave a lot of feedback that this was not a good idea and people would be hurt by this decision in terms of delivery of care and intervention. How was this decision made?”
Board of County Commissioners · Oct 5, 2026
- Play at 3:19:44
“i'm glad you're bringing this to us because i don't think that people know know about this and so ringing the alarm and i hope that um there will be more light shed on this and what what the real impact is going to be and i appreciate that you say that we're going to try to work on solutions but again this is we're talking about very vulnerable populations here and If you're trying to save money, this is not the way to save money because you're going to end up with a much higher cost to our health system if you're not going to intervene in the right way.”
Board of County Commissioners · Oct 5, 2026
- Play at 3:31:12
“Have we reached out to our representatives, our delegation on this issue? Yes, yes, yes. And they're aware of it? Yes, they are. I just have a general, okay, I don't want to interrupt. I have some questions.”
Board of County Commissioners · Oct 5, 2026
- Play at 3:31:30
“You're done with that, okay. As I'm listening to both Maggie and Rod with all of these, like, impacts of hr1 and also the stories that you started out with maggie like i don't like when we say 450 non-citizens have just lost their health care i mean the story that you just told i don't want to lose those stories people need to know the impact it is having on individual people and families in our community and i'm just wondering i'm kind of just putting this out here and would love to hear ideas but how can we make sure we we capture them and don't lose them and i guess i'm thinking about john…”
Board of County Commissioners · Oct 5, 2026
- Play at 3:34:30
“And after we talk about this, I do have one other follow-up question for Maggie, but go ahead.”
Board of County Commissioners · Oct 5, 2026
- Play at 3:36:30
“Yeah, I mean, related to the things that we have to deal with, related to helping able-bodied people either document what they're doing to meet the 80 hours per month, or the second part of it is connecting them to opportunities if they're if they don't have the 80 hours and the issue of the non-able-bodied people making sure that they can document how they are not able-bodied um and then also the issue of six months needing to re-up every six months and so how we how we are doing that could you tell us what is going on right now within our community what are the strategies about all of those…”
Board of County Commissioners · Oct 5, 2026
- Play at 3:40:02
“Are you working at all with the nonprofit volunteer and leadership center on that? Yeah, we're going to be, yes. Okay. Yeah, it's for our November event. Thank you.”
Board of County Commissioners · Oct 5, 2026
- Play at 3:47:08
“Yeah, I'm glad you pointed that out, Manager Hager, because our sales tax revenue on the whole has increased. We'd be in really big trouble if we actually went down. Um, but I think you're pointing out, this is, we're part of macro economic trends that are going on with the war with Iran and the Strait of Hormuz, you know, the, all of these retaliatory tariffs on items. what's happening to the labor force with the war on immigrants, all of that. I just wanted to raise the issue just to highlight that one of the reasons that we did an inner city trip to Grand Rapids is because they have We…”
Board of County Commissioners · Oct 5, 2026
- Play at 3:55:30
“This is, this is an amazing side because it's, it's just really like you say, when a picture has some words, because when I think about like, we're going to talk about the proposed constitutional amendment and you know, the number flying around, we've heard people been using 2% levy would have a $21 million impact on Durham County. Where are we going to take that? Where are we going to find $21 million out of out of this?”
Board of County Commissioners · Oct 5, 2026
- Play at 4:00:46
“We'll do a white paper on the cost. But I would just highlight the fact that right now, 37% of our budget is going to our own county funded employees. So the more people that we put on the county's dime, the less money that we're going to have. Like Keith says over and over again, personnel is our most expensive cost. because of all the benefits and then when people retire. I mean, we can look at that, but I would be”
Board of County Commissioners · Oct 5, 2026
- Play at 4:01:53
“But we've also been asking DPS to try to reduce the locally funded positions because there have been an over-reliance on that. So that's another part of it is making sure that we have as many positions that are funded through the state just because we can't afford it, all locally funded positions. So it's great to raise the issue, but I just wanted to make sure we're looking at the big picture when we do that.”
Board of County Commissioners · Oct 5, 2026
- Play at 4:03:27
“I want to follow up on what you raised about the incentives. I think that's a really great point. And this is, again, beyond what we're talking about here, but to Vice Chair Alam's point, I think there's also the JDIG money that gets pulled in. We get funding from the state that coming into Durham County that would not be there. And then... know first of all they have to meet the basic requirements related to jobs and property investment to get the incentive in the first place so we know that but there is a broader view and i would really be interested in understanding better like the fact…”
Board of County Commissioners · Oct 5, 2026
- Play at 4:06:03
“Yeah. Okay. We can talk about it. I know you're going to get to it. But the North Carolina Housing Coalition, they have a website page about the impact of a 2% levy. And they've done projections. They have a map. And for each state, I mean each county, they have a, I guess they've done some analysis of what that would be. And so for Durham, it's $21 million. And I think the North Carolina Center for Budget, the Budget and Tax Center, I was trying to find it before a meeting. I couldn't. They've also done some projections as well as to what is the dollar amount. So that's where I got that…”
Board of County Commissioners · Oct 5, 2026
- Play at 4:13:47
“Keith, before you go though, I just want to, because you said the last three years we've had the”
Board of County Commissioners · Oct 5, 2026
- Play at 4:13:56
“Okay. Not because last year, if you look at that and you look at the other side, we, we actually lowered our tax rate dramatically last year from the, I mean, yes, we went up a little bit from the revenue neutral rate, but we did lower the actual tax rate and go to the next slide. Okay. We. It was the previous three years were the highest. Last year was lower. We did 2.5%. 2.5 cents. 2.5 cent, whereas the previous three years was higher. Okay. So could you set the last three years? It's three out of four, but not last year.”
Board of County Commissioners · Oct 5, 2026