Working Families
Those who must rely on public transit in Delaware are at a competitive disadvantage against those who have the luxury
of owning a car. I will therefore work to strengthen public transit and bring Sunday bus service to Newark. Greater
use of mass transit will ease traffic congestion, lower demand for fossil fuels, and is better for the environment.
Anyone who works full time and
makes less than a living wage or who cannot afford health care should be exempt from State taxes. I will work to couple
a minimum wage increase with a corresponding tax cut to employers.
First time Delaware business owners should be exempt
from State taxes in their first year on their first $100,000 of income.
Businesses should receive tax credits for the
taxes paid by their employees. This will encourage more hiring and higher wages.
Education
Teachers in the classroom, not
legislators in Dover, are best qualified to determine how limited education dollars are spent.
Teachers, not legislators, should
set the curriculum and be given greater control in the classroom.
The best teachers and teachers dedicated to teaching the
most challenging students deserve significantly higher pay.
Demand for charter schools currently exceeds availability, and so I
will work to expand access.
Open Government
Government in Delaware has become increasingly secretive and removed
from public oversight. Taxpayers work hard for their money and deserve to know exactly how every dollar is spent.
I will work to close loopholes in the Freedom of Information Act and make all government expenditures instantly viewable online.
No single person should have the
power to prevent legislation from being considered. We must end the "desk drawer veto."
I will do all in my power to block
the exercise of Eminent Domain until the limits of its use are clearly defined.
Taxpayers who find private charities that do
a better job than government should have the option of directing part of their tax dollars directly to that charity through
tax credits.
When money is tight, individuals have to prioritize. Government should do the same. My priority is to
support teachers, health care providers, and law enforcement, and to cut the taxes of those struggling to afford food, housing,
and health care.
