Report from the Candidate Assembly on Property Tax Justice and Housing

Feb. 12, 2026

Wow! 405 community members united on Thursday with electric energy and powerful stories and data, to call the question, "Who is this County for?" Together we secured commitments from Orange County Commissioner candidates to make bold changes to preserve and increase affordable housing. You can see the full list of proposals and candidate commitments below. Join us to build on this momentum, so that Orange County can truly be a place for everyone.

All candidates pledged to:

  • Meet quarterly with us if elected.
  • Transform the property assessment process to make it equitable.
  • Hold the Tax Office accountable for equity and transparency.

Four out of seven candidates also pledged to invest $2.5 million to prevent displacement, and to increase affordable homeownership opportunities for those earning 30-50% of the area median income.

You can see the photo album here (please add your own photos) and a Zoom link here.

*Note: The candidates were not shown on the screen during their commitments, but the order of the candidates speaking was: Jeffrey Hoagland, Karen Stegman, Commissioner Jamezetta Bedford, Maria Palmer, Beth Bronson, and Commissioner Earl McKee. Adam Beeman (on Zoom) then committed "yes" to all proposals. Candidate statements start at the 1:17:05 mark, with Adam Beeman speaking via Zoom.

Candidate Responses:

1) Meet quarterly with the Orange County Property Tax Justice Coalition.
- All yeses

2) Increase funding to prevent displacement of longtime homeowners. This includes $1 million total in anti-displacement funds for next fiscal year. If you are currently in office, we ask if you would dedicate 50% of unexpected surplus to Social Justice and Housing funds. If you are not currently in office, we ask if you would dedicate that amount if you were.
- Yes: Adam Beeman, Karen Stegman, and Maria Palmer
- No: Jeffrey Hoagland, Commissioner Jamezetta Bedford, and Commissioner Earl McKee

3) Make the property assessment process equitable by following the steps in the full proposals.
- All yeses

4) Ensure the Tax Office prioritizes equity and transparency – and is held accountable to those standards.
- All yeses

5) Affordable homeownership: $1.5 million in increased funds that can be used for deeply affordable homeownership for households earning 30-50% of the area median income, and convene meetings with our members and local corporate leaders to discuss increasing investment in affordable housing?
- Yes: Adam Beeman, Karen Stegman, Jamezetta Bedford re convening meetings, Maria Palmer, Beth Bronson
- No: Jeffrey Hoagland, Commissioner Jamezetta Bedford re specific funding amount, Commissioner Earl McKee

More info:

  • See Newsline's article here, "Property taxes take center stage in Orange County's Commissioner race."
  • Learn more about candidates' plans for housing, property tax justice, education, budget priorities and more, with this article round-up on our website here.
  • See our full proposals here.
  • More background about Orange County's housing and displacement crisis here.
  • Property tax justice slides from Thursday: Background on the property assessment racial inequities with data and examples (from the NC Housing Coalition), here.
  • NC Housing Coalition's report, "Overtaxed: Inequities in Orange County's Property Revaluation, Part 1," here.