Soil and Water Supervisor Candidate Questionnaires
Note that PA PAC did not create questionnaires for the position of Soil and Water Supervisor. Instead, we invited candidates to submit a resume and statement.
PA PAC reached out to all candidates (regardless of party affiliation), and offered them the opportunity to participate in the endorsement process. Those candidates with links below their names chose to participate. Candidates for each office are listed in alphabetical order by last name.
Durham County Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Supervisors
Anjali Boyd
Jan Cromartie
Patrick Poer
Terence Priester
Jillian Riley
A Statement About Councilmember Alston's Seat
During a regularly scheduled business meeting on April 6, 2020, Durham City Council announced the resignation of our valued councilmember, Vernetta Alston, due to her transition to the North Carolina General Assembly. We are grateful to her for her years of progressive service.
The Durham City Council must now fill the Ward 3 vacancy created by Representative Alston’s departure. People in Durham and beyond are battling personal and financial uncertainties hour by hour, day by day. We cannot let our privilege allow us to move forward without acknowledging and meaningfully responding to our current state of affairs. In light of this, the People’s Alliance PAC will not move forward with facilitating and executing an endorsement process at this time.
Under the circumstances currently imposed upon us by COVID-19 and considerations for public health, public participation in and oversight of our city government is seriously curtailed. Government operations have been reduced to a minimum and the City Council now meets virtually. It is difficult for members of the public to communicate with government officials and to watch or participate in council meetings. Given the importance of public involvement in government in Durham, the City Council should reduce to the barest minimum the business it must do while public engagement is so difficult. As a result, City Council should not undertake to appoint Councilmember Alston’s successor. In a system of representative government, the people should select their council representatives.
Under state law, the council may fill a vacancy through an appointment process. The time allowed for the process, sixty days, is, under normal conditions, sufficient to provide ample opportunity for public input and the highest degree of public scrutiny. But under the extraordinary circumstances imposed by COVID-19, the appointment process cannot be carried out with the level of public engagement necessary to make the selection of a new City Council member an appropriate exercise of democratic government.
Fortunately, Section 13.2(d) of our City Charter provides that the City Council may call for a special election to fill the Alston vacancy instead of using the appointment process: “If the council fails to choose some qualified person within 60 days after the vacancy occurs, it may not fill the vacancy by appointment, but shall call a special election under the provisions of 13.3 of this charter…” The election of Councilmember Alston’s successor may be added to the general election already scheduled for November. And while we acknowledge that it is not ideal to leave a seat on the council vacant for a number of months, we feel that it is preferable to wait and let the people of Durham -residents of Ward 3- decide who should fill the seat rather than allowing the City Council to appoint a new councilmember without full public engagement.
Why We Support David Price
The People’s Alliance PAC endorses David Price for the United State House of Representatives District 4. With the end to Republican gerrymandering of congressional districts, all of Durham County now falls with Price’s district. Representative Price’s determination to prioritize federal funding for affordable housing and public transportation addresses two persistent and critical concerns in Durham. We are impressed with Representative Price’s support of H.R.1 which would fundamentally change the role and power of money in elections. We support Representative Price’s commitment to free public education, a progressive tax system, Medicare for all, expanding civil rights legislation to protect LGBTQ people and climate change mitigation. We believe that Representative Price’s is able to leverage his role in the House and as a member of the Appropriations Committee to fight for legislation that reflects PA’s values.
Why We Support Roy Cooper
The People’s Alliance PAC endorses Roy Cooper for Governor on North Carolina. We are impressed by Governor Cooper’s demonstrated support for all residents of our state as evidenced by his veto of HB370. We like his brave position against gun violence. With no support from the Republican-controlled General Assembly he issued an executive order strengthening background checks for firearm purchases. He has also used his executive authority to support the LBGTQ community by stopping state funding for organizations that engage in conversion therapy. Governor Cooper’s position on the minimum wage is aligned PA’s He is committed to signing legislation guaranteeing a $15 minimum wage. On voting rights, the governor has worked to expand access to the polls and in defense of the environment, he has pressed Duke Energy to remove coal ash from its ponds. Governor Cooper’s strong stance in support of teacher raises and Medicaid expansion strongly align with the PA’s vision of a just and equitable North Carolina where all people can live and thrive.
