Position/philosophy statement
I am running for re-election to ensure a safe, healthy, thriving Orange County that’s inclusive and sustainable. My experience as a CPA, mom of a disabled daughter, commissioner, grandmom, and school bd member focuses on caring about all residents.
Current Occupation
Certified Public Accountant
Age (optional)
67
Campaign Phone
919-360-9498
In my 7 years as county commissioner I have championed public education and school funding leading to passage of $300M school bond. I have been vice chair for 2 years and chair for 3 years. I bring financial expertise as a CPA to focus on budgeting and long term financial stability. This is key during this time of federal budgeting instability. I was President of Dem Women of Orange County from 2016 to 2018 and support Dem candidates across NC. I care about people and listen, to work together with my colleagues and staff, to find solutions, to provide a basic social safety net, As the mom of an adult disabled daughter, I advocate for those with disabilities, the aging, minorities and others who often are left out or do not have a voice.
Financial Stability to provide mandated services and the services our residents expect such as social services, access to healthcare, affordable housing, good schools and libraries, climate action and farmland protection, without raising taxes so high that more and more cannot afford to live in our county. This year we held the county tax increase to 1.19 cents.
The two school districts in Orange County are generally first and fourth in the state in county per pupil funding which is the same by law (CHCCS adds a special district tax.) That comes from a nearly 48% target of operating costs going to public education to make up for the lack of state funding. The residents passed a record $300M school bond in Nov 2024 for new and updated schools which I championed having served 12 years on the school board. We know closing the opportunity/achievement gap is the responsibility of everyone so the BOCC pays parent childcare fees for lower income parents and ensures there is no waiting list. We expand food funding to nonprofits so children (and families) are not hungry. We support programming for youth.
We have grown the commercial tax base in the Buckhorn Road Economic Development District significantly these past few years with expansions or new recruiting like Medline, Thermo Fisher, Morinaga, CITEL, and several other large employers with good wages and benefits. These provide jobs and tax revenue. We use an incentive package to attract many of these businesses. A prior board invested in sewer infrastructure and partnered with Mebane for water service. We are doing similar work at old 86 N. We have a stable economy primarily due to UNC Health. We are expanding our DTCC building in Hillsborough to build our skilled workforce. I serve on the Board of Trustees.
We have one of the broadest programs of county social services in NC. I include our two senior centers with their meals, healthcare and recreation in that category. At this time in this federal funding uncertainty, we cannot expand services, but we can continue to tailor them to the needs of our residents. We are planning to open a behavioral health diversion facility with an urgent care program that will benefit those in a mental health crisis. We are focused on homelessness prevention and rapid rehousing. We need more affordable rental units. That is a critical need. Soon we will learn more about the feasibility of affordable housing at the Greene Tract.
I initiated the petition to develop a Climate Action Plan which was adopted in 2023. Similarly I encouraged the BOCC to work with a consultant to develop our first ever county (vs dept) Strategic Plan. We tie our budget to these two plans to focus on better services for residents.
Position/philosophy statement
County Commissioner
Current Occupation
Family Support Coordinator
Age (optional)
65
Campaign Phone
9192604361
I will be the first Hispanic to ever serve on our OCBOCC. In that sense, I will bring a new perspective to the board and represent an important segment of our population. I have decades of professional experience, as a teacher, principal, and college administrator, that put me close to immigrants, refugees, and fist generation citizens.
I served on the State Board of Education (as well as on National study groups), so I am familiar with innovative programs from around the state and the country that help schools partner with businesses and public institutions to contribute to economic development and prepare students for the jobs of the future.
I have served on the Chapel Hill Town Council, so I'm very familiar with issues of development
The abuse of power from the Federal Government, coupled with draconian cuts by both Federal and State governments are the main issues the County Commission will be addressing. We will have to work with the Municipalities to protect ALL our residents and make them feel safe and welcome. We will also have to find the funds for basic programs, from childcare to public health to schools.
Our schools are seriously underfunded, due to tax cuts and tax dollars going to vouchers. We need to rally across NC to defend public education--the state MUST do better. We also need to support and empower staff and families to organize on behalf of public schools. It's hard to meet the needs of our students with demoralized teachers. We need to fully fund our schools to support student performance.
As a former principal, I also know Commissioners can do a lot locally to give schools tools for teacher recruitment and retention, from local supplements, to school repairs, to affordable teacher housing. When teachers cannot afford to live where they teach, that is a factor that affects our recruitment and impacts student performance.
Orange County is doing well; I think we can do even better. If we invest in supporting our great schools and attracting and retaining teachers, bring to our county innovative programs that prepare some of our students for skilled jobs, and create a climate that supports smart eco-friendly development, we will have a winning combination to attract new business investment. In addition, if we increase the stock of affordable and diverse housing, invest in affordable childcare, work on fair taxes, and make sure all our residents feel safe and welcome, economic development will follow.
I'm committed to building and funding a Crisis Intervention Center for Orange County. This will not only provide needed services, it will save lives, save money and make the community safer.
There are models for better community health services that we can copy to make sure families are under the care of a primary care provider and not relying on the ER for basic health needs.
We need to strengthen our social network, specially in light of the cuts to federal programs. Housing and nutritious food are human rights.
I believe the County has a duty to advocate for fair living wages for all its residents. I will work with businesses and non-profits to recognize employers who pay living wages.
Orange County has much to recommend it to businesses and entrepreneurs despite the general state and national climate. We have so much potential. We could develop more sports tourism by attracting investment in world-class recreational facilities for volleyball, soccer, pickleball, cricket, etc. Sports venues bring jobs and tourist dollars. We should expand our excellent greenways and other multimodal facilities and invest in public transportation to improve the quality of life of our residents and lower their cost of living.
If we invest in supporting our great schools, bring innovative programs that prepare our students for skilled jobs, and supports smart, eco-friendly development, we will have a winning combination to attract new business investment. In addition, if we increase the stock of diverse housing, invest in childcare, work on fair taxes, and make sure all our residents feel safe and welcomed, our county will thrive.
