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Wake County recently made it easier for firms locating or expanding in the county to qualify for economic development incentives.
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Specifically, the county lowered the wage threshold for most tiers of its Business Development Grant program from 110% to 100% of the county average wage and removed the living-wage floor for most tiers.
A living wage is a wage intended to cover basic living costs. Wake County calculates its rate each year based on local housing costs. The rate was $24.37 an hour, or $50,690 a year, when county officials reviewed the policy earlier this year. Under the Business Development Grant program, qualifying companies can receive grants based on new property-tax revenue generated by their investments. Depending on the grant tier, the county can return about 30% to 50% of that new revenue for several years.
The News & Observer asked the six candidates running for Wake County commissioner whether Wake County should restore or strengthen those wage requirements for companies receiving county economic-development incentives.
Four candidates are competing for two at-large seats, while two candidates are running for the District 2 seat.
Early voting for the 2026 general election started Oct. 15 and ends at 3 p.m. Oct. 31. Election Day is Nov. 3.
Here’s what they said.
Hartong is a professional engineer and president of The Wooten Co., a civil and environmental engineering firm headquartered in Raleigh.
Hartong answered no. He said Wake County competes regionally for economic development and made a strategic decision to reduce the average-wage requirement from 110% to 100% to remain competitive in attracting new companies.
Hartong said new companies create opportunities for residents of different skill levels. Keeping the relaxed requirement allows employers with lower-paid, entry-level positions to compete for incentives and gives them more flexibility to offer jobs with training and opportunities for advancement, he said.
He also said that this allows the county to evaluate an employee’s full compensation package, including wages, benefits and advancement opportunities.
Kushner has served 11 years on the Wake County Board of Education, including terms as chair and vice chair. She has worked as a health care policy analyst and nonprofit administrator.
Kushner answered yes. She said income inequality is a driver of the current affordability crisis and that Wake County should strengthen wage requirements for companies receiving economic-development incentives.
Kushner said workers should be paid enough to afford housing, transportation and other household costs so they and their families can thrive in Wake County. She also said other county partners, including the Wake County Public School System, courthouse employees and public-safety workers, should have living-wage goals.
Singh works as a self-employed intellectual property consultant.
Singh answered yes, but said she supports some flexibility. She said the purpose of offering economic-development incentives is to attract high-paying jobs, provide upward mobility for residents and boost the economy.
When workers are not paid a living wage, Singh said, they either face financial hardship or the public effectively subsidizes their employers through public-assistance programs.
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Singh said she would be open to relaxing wage requirements for a portion of a company’s workforce if lower-paid jobs are accompanied by job training, child-care assistance or other programs that help people enter the workforce, gain experience and “move up in their lives.”
Stogoski works as a service coordinator at Banfield Pet Hospital and previously served as campaign manager for Kenny Xu’s congressional campaign.
Stogoski answered yes. He said companies receiving taxpayer-funded economic-development incentives should be required to meet meaningful standards, including paying workers respectable wages.
“Public money should support jobs that strengthen working families and our local economy, not subsidize corporate profits,” Stogoski said.
Adcock is a Fuquay-Varina attorney specializing in real estate, zoning and land-use law and owns Adcock Law Firm.
Adcock answered no. He said that while he supports fiscally responsible economic-development incentives, wages generally should be determined by local labor markets and economic conditions rather than government mandates.
Adcock said wage requirements could make Wake County less competitive for new or expanded projects and could result in fewer entry-level jobs being offered by companies receiving grants. He also said such requirements could discourage employers from creating entry-level positions that offer opportunities for career advancement.
Adcock said the county’s recent decision to reduce the wage threshold in its Business Development Grant Program from 110% to 100% was reasonable. He also said that because Wake County has raised property-tax rates for five consecutive years, every economic-development grant should clearly demonstrate that its benefits to taxpayers exceed its costs.
Jackson has served on the Wake County Board of Commissioners since February 2025 and is chief strategy officer at the North Carolina Partnership for Children.
Jackson said no, at least for now. She said the recent policy change was a strategic decision made after planning and public input to help Wake County remain competitive for job creation and regional investment.
Jackson said rigid baseline requirements can prevent discussions with prospective employers from beginning, while a more flexible policy keeps the county “at the negotiating table.” She said commissioners evaluate economic-development packages individually and that she uses that leverage to push for wages that reflect the actual cost of living in Wake County.
Jackson said her work with nonprofits has shown her how much hardship could be avoided if businesses paid a living wage. She said her experience working with small and large companies has also helped her understand why businesses may resist those requirements.
When workers are underpaid, Jackson said, nonprofits, faith organizations and local governments are often left to deal with the consequences. She said she would continue to be “a champion of fair labor” both proactively and in response to workers’ needs.
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This story was originally published October 20, 2026 at 5:25 AM.