Minutes 01-31-2014 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

budget—Wheels to Work was a victim of that. He suggested that perhaps the County could look into donating retired County vehicles. Chair Jacobs asked for a more complete list of what programs they had that worked in the past but that they could not afford anymore, to see if we can afford it now. He said that picking up federal and state programs may be more ambitious than we can afford, but if she wanted to propose that, he would be willing to listen. He said he is interested in what might keep people out of jail who can't afford to pay bail so they can stay with their families and at their jobs so they can keep up their housing payments. Commissioner McKee asked Nancy Coston to also bring back figures for job training. Nancy Coston noted the importance of job fairs and reattaching people to employment even if temporary. She remarked that statistics show that the longer people remain out of the job market, the harder it is to get hired regardless of the skill level they had before. Commissioner Pelissier asked what have been the federal and state cutbacks the last few years. She said that if you put in child care subsidy money, you can't do it for just one year. She cited the need to understand with additional funding, what the County would be committing to and how that funding would fit into state and federal funding. She also mentioned that she expects that there will be some child poverty initiatives coming from the Board of Health. Commissioner Rich asked how cuts in federal long-term unemployment benefits will affect this situation. She said we need to look at public/private partnerships so the whole community owns the poverty issue, not just governments. She said if they talk about raising taxes, people like teachers could be on the brink. The Board needs to be careful and creative as they think through all of their options. Commissioner Dorosin said he is reluctant to think they are going to take on poverty— that is why he narrowed it down to "child poverty." He said that if we focus, we can begin to address the most severe aspects and make a tangible difference. He said that we need a laser approach at the start, rather than a shotgun approach. Chair Jacobs said every government has its own housing plan without any coordination with the non-profits and other governmental entities, including UNC. He wanted to address this as they talk about affordable housing and a possible bond referendum. He said the presence of the University is one of the reasons for the shortage of housing, and that maybe it would be possible to converse with the new Chancellor about "low hanging fruit." Commissioner Gordon said they should try to figure out something that makes a difference, and that children would be a good place to focus. She emphasized the importance of the resources they spend on education. Commissioner McKee said he agreed on selecting a priority to focus on, but whatever they do has to be interconnected with the entire problem. Commissioner Rich said she brought this topic forward for inclusion in the retreat agenda because of the Assembly of Governments discussion and the formation of a group to work on affordable housing. She said that we can't do it alone —we have to ask for help and to have some sort of group that encompasses all of the players.