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Hovington, Pettyjohn vie for Senate seat

District 19 candidates discuss jobs, transportation
October 26, 2012

 

With no incumbent and a single name on the election ballot, voters in Senate District 19 are sure to experience an election unlike any other on Tuesday, Nov. 6.

Sen. Joe Booth, R-Georgetown, was ousted by Republican voters in the Sept. 11 primary.  Eric Bodenweiser, the primary victor, dropped out of the race shortly before being charged with 113 counts of child sex abuse.

The Cape Gazette asked write-in candidate Brian Pettyjohn, a Republican, and Democrat Jane Hovington – the only candidate whose name will appear on the ballot – about economic development, manufactured housing and transportation in SD 19.  Answers were limited to 100 words and edited for length.

Meet the candidates

Jane Hovington

Jane Hovington, 62, has 4 children and 12 grandchildren. She is a graduate of the old Greenwood High School, and she holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Wilmington University.

Hovington works as program director for the nonprofit Shechinah Empowerment Center.  She is also a former member of the Georgetown Board of Adjustment and Georgetown Town Council.

Hovington assisted in designing the Character Academic Motivational Program for students of Indian River School District, and she works as a mentor with students in the program.

Brian Pettyjohn

Brian Pettyjohn, 38, has one child, an 8-year-old daughter.  He is a graduate of Sussex Central High School and University of Delaware.

Pettyjohn works as telecommunication manager for Mountaire Farms in Millsboro.  He is on the board of directors for Children and Families First of Delaware and the Chad Spicer Foundation.  Pettyjohn is also former mayor of Georgetown and former vice president of Sussex County Association of Towns.

Q: What would you do to ensure businesses in your district receive a fair share of state economic development funding to expand business and create jobs?

Hovington: As senator, I along with my fellow legislators from Sussex County will support Gov. Markell in his effort to solicit businesses that will bring their organizations to lower Delaware and provide employment and livable wages to our county.  In addition, we will seek to utilize the businesses here in Sussex County and award contracts within the state as opposed to using outside sources. To encourage and keep small businesses, I will support Gov. Markell in his effort to reduce regulations to small businesses and farmers.

Pettyjohn: I would continue and expand Delaware’s House Small Business Caucus to speak with businesses in the area and ensure that their concerns are being heard.  I would work closely with Department of Economic Development Director Alan Levin to ensure that workshops are held in the 19th district to inform businesses of the funding opportunities that exist.

Q: What three things would you do to improve the quality of life of manufactured homeowners in Sussex County?

Hovington: As their senator, I would strive to bring the landowners and the residents to the table by creating a task force to review and develop a plan that would resolve the issues for the mobile homeowner and would not bring difficulty to the landowner. I would volunteer to be the chair of the task force.  If the task force could not work together and develop a satisfactory plan, I would introduce legislation to form a commission and give the commission the authority to receive all complaints. The Commission would be given the authority to recommend actions/penalties to an assigned Delaware Court.

Pettyjohn: 1.  Give the Governor’s Advisory Council on Manufactured Housing statutory authority to enforce the current laws

2.  Enable the Department of Justice to share information with other agencies to ensure violations of Delaware Code are handled by appropriate agencies

3.   Require, through fines and penalties, communities to maintain roadway, water and sewer infrastructures to the proper standards.

Q: With transportation issues for seniors and low-income residents, what steps would you take to improve access to shopping, schools, medical facilities and work for residents of SD 19?

Hovington: Seeing the difficulty presented to Sussex County residents, I would seek to maintain the public transportation program available during the summer.  In addition, I would look into the policies and procedures of the current DART program to provide better transportation for our seniors.

Pettyjohn: I would encourage public/private partnerships with organizations such as CHEER to ensure safe and dependable transportation.  I would request a ridership and needs study be launched in the region to determine if DART routes and schedules are meeting the needs of the community year-round.  I would encourage whatever adjustments are needed and economical are put into place.

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