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Three candidates are vying to represent the 14th state Representative District. Democratic incumbent Pete Schwartzkopf is challenged by Republican Mary Spicer and Libertarian Everett Wodiska.
Development is among the top issues for this district, which spans from Lewes to south of Dewey Beach. Schwartzkopf, 49, and Wodiska, 42, are residents of Rehoboth Beach, while Spicer, 64, lives in Lewes. Schwartzkopf and Spicer responded to a series of questions on their background and various issues.
Wodiska received the questions but had not responded by presstime.
1. Please provide some background professionally and personally. What makes you qualified to be State Representative of the 14th district of Delaware?
Schwartzkopf - My wife, Carol, and I have four grown children and we live just outside of Rehoboth in RBYCC. I graduated from Indian River High School, earned an associate degree in criminal justice from Delaware Technical & Community College in 1974 and a bachelor of science in human resource management from Wilmington College in 1999. I was a member of the Delaware State Police for 25 years, rising to captain. When I won the election in 2002 and became the state representative from the 14th District, I had to retire as the commander of Troop 7, with headquarters on Route 1 west of Lewes. As a police officer I learned to deal with people from all socioeconomic backgrounds spread over many facets of our society. As the 14th District Representative, I have continued my career of public service. I have been able to bring people together from both parties to get projects done and to bring financial resources back to our district. I hope to be able to continue to serve the residents of the district for another term.
Spicer – I am the widow of Dr. Robert F. Spicer, mother of three adult children and eight grandchildren. My education includes a diploma from St. Francis School of Nursing in Pittsburgh; bachelor of science in nursing from Pennsylvania Sate University; and a master of science with a major in administration from Boston University. Professionally, I have been a professor of nursing; led a state nursing task force; created the Beebe Home Health Agency; doubled the membership in a state nurses association as its executive director: and was vice-president of patient care at Beebe Medical Center, where I tripled high school wellness programs in the area. I have also been president of Devries Business and Professional Women, a member of the Rehoboth Beach/Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce, the Village Improvement Association and the AARP. My record of accomplishment and leadership in the private sector is what led me to be endorsed by the former superintendent of the Delaware State Police, retired Col. John P. Ferguson; the Speaker of House of Representatives, as well as the Fraternal Order of Police, the NRA and U.S. Congressman Mike Castle.
2. Development is clearly a major concern in Sussex County. Is Sussex growing too fast for the existing infrastructure? What measures would you use to regulate growth? What measures would you take to ensure affordable housing?
Schwartzkopf - Although there are many challenges facing the state, I think that our current growth trend is emerging as our biggest challenge. Development is occurring at an alarming rate and the infrastructure required for the new growth is falling rapidly behind. The shortage of adequate roadways is the most visible example of infrastructure shortfalls. While new growth helps to stimulate the economy and create jobs, it also taxes existing infrastructure such as roads, water and sewer facilities, schools, public safety services and waste disposal facilities not to mention the harmful effects on the environment. We are very good at realizing the benefits of growth but we handle the adverse effects very poorly and at a snail’s pace. The state and the counties need to work together to adequately prepare for systematic growth and to make improvements to handle increased traffic and demands on our water and sewer as well as public safety and schools. We need to enact a minimum level of infrastructure upgrades required over a large area before developments are approved. Each individual project is not necessarily the problem. It is the cumulative effect that these developments have on any given area that leads to the burden on the infrastructure.
We also need to look at the composition of the county council. The residents of this district are adamant that there be better representation from this area. Last year, Sen. Simpson, R-Milford, introduced a bill in the Senate (I was the House sponsor) to add two at-large members to the council, which would give our residents more say in land use decisions. The idea is that if they needed our vote to be elected, they might listen to our concerns a little better. That bill did not make it through the senate but I look for it to be resurrected in the next session. Affordable housing brings us a formidable challenge because of the high value of land in our district. Most affordable housing plans have some type of tax break component for the developer and some have an increased density component. I am not in favor of the increased density angle and the tax break component presents unique problems because we are a coastal resort community and the real estate market is booming. I understand that the county council is looking at an affordable housing plan modeled after a pilot program in a western state. I look forward to seeing the results of their study.
Spicer – One of my major concerns about my opponent is his strong support from the development community, and his lack of action to oppose them. I question how he can adequately represent a community, which is drowning in new development, when he has such close ties to the people building houses. In two years as state representative, my opponent sponsored no legislation to address our No.1 issue. Nor does he offer any solutions now. I do offer solutions. I think the rate and quality of development is the No.1 issue facing our district today. And many thousands of people I have spoken to in the district agree. Sussex County is growing too fast for the infrastructure we have. I call on county council to put an immediate freeze on subdivisions of more than five units that are not tied to a public sewer system.
I think the long-term solutions, however, must be infrastructure-based. We need long-term solutions to our roadway systems, not just quick fixes. The future sewer expansion planned by county council will allow further high-density development that our roads cannot handle. I would work to speed along the task forces studying our roadways, and move forward from the study phase to the action phase. I also believe county council should be expanded to include two new members, and that council president should be an elected, at-large position.
As far as affordable housing, I think we need to focus on what I call “community heroes,” such as firefighters, police, nurses and teachers, who provide necessary services to our community. We need to ensure the people can live in the communities they serve. That is why I will create legislation to provide tax incentives for builders to provide discount housing to these service providers.
3. What would you do to limit the growing cost of health care and health insurance? How do you feel about our current health care system? Which aspects do you support and what do you hope to change? How do you plan to implement changes?
Schwartzkopf - Affordable health care is the No.1 concern of small businesses across the country as well as the 14th district. There are many areas that have combined to create this health care crisis and I don’t think the problem will be fixed until the federal government passes some very tough legislation. But, there are some things that we can do at the state level and I have been looking at two approaches to help lessen the burden to individual citizens.
We must make affordable health care that requires preventative wellness available to all citizens by partnering with larger population bases to provide affordable health care for all. This past year, I was a co-sponsor of a bill with Rep. Booth that would allow small businesses to join into the state employee’s health coverage group. By creating a larger pool of clients, the monthly premiums would probably be lowered. The bill stalled in committee due to an unrealistic fiscal note or price tag but it will be revisited in 2005. I have also been working with the Rehoboth/Dewey Chamber of Commerce on a pilot health-care program, which will offer a two-tiered plan with incentives for good physical behavior and healthy choices leading to increased medical coverage. As with all plans, it all comes down to the monthly premium, and it has to be affordable. This chamber-sponsored plan, First Healthy Choices, looks promising, and they should have rates in place by December.
Spicer – The current health-care system is broken: 76,000 uninsured; small businesses cannot afford the expense for health insurance; physicians being driven to restrict their medical practices due to high malpractice insurance premiums; seniors having to choose between paying for expensive medications or doing without only to find their medical conditions deteriorating.
Delaware could be a model state. I would approach the issues on several fronts concurrently: work to close the two failing state health facilities, Emily P. Bissel and Governor Bacon and redirect the money toward creating an incentive-based privatized system similar to the unique program of the Rehoboth/ Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce; work to retain excellent physicians (as opposed to driving then out of state) by legislating a cap on pain and suffering awards to permit a reduction in malpractice premiums and ultimately decrease the health care costs. I have the necessary experience and full understanding of this issue. I know how to fix the system, and will work tirelessly in Dover to address it.
4. What are your thoughts on our current education system? Do you support No Child Left Behind or the three-tiered diploma system? What will you do to prevent the governor’s “take backs” from the school budget? How do you plan to implement change on a local level? What do you think are the most important issues facing local schools?
Schwartzkopf - I think that we have many exceptional teachers and administrators in our education system. However, I don’t think that we give them the tools or half a chance to be as effective as they can be with the students. No Child Left Behind is a perfect example. This was a mandate from the current administration that was forced upon the states without the full resources to accomplish the intended task. NCLB relies on punishment instead of assistance and encouragement, which has forced the teachers to teach to the test instead of being well, rounded instructors. In addition, some schools are eliminating curriculum that is not related to the test, which has taken its toll on the teacher’s enthusiasm.
The three-tiered diploma is an idea that I have never supported. I do not support a diploma based on testing when a student is 15 or 16 years old. I think it is a form of labeling students and most students I have talked to are opposed to it, especially the students who qualify for the distinguished diploma. We need to understand that education accounts for approximately 33 percent of our annual budget. The school districts were exempt from the mandated hiring freeze and were asked for a 1 percent base budget reduction in the final round of budget cuts. Even with a total of $7 million “take backs” during FY 2004, the public education budget increased that year by $21.6 million. Even with the tough fiscal times, the education budget has grown each year with increases of 7.4 percent in FY 2002, 2.8 percent in FY 2003, 2.7 percent in FY 2004 and 8.6 percent in FY 2005.
Spicer – As a former professor I know what it is to be in a classroom environment. My No.1 belief is that decisions should be made in the school building, and that the majority of funding should go into the classroom. The bureaucracy inside the Department of Education is preventing that from happening, and it is hurting the education of our children. I will stand and fight any further attempts by our governor to raid the schools to cover a budget shortfall. It was unacceptable to do so in the first place. I will also stand and fight the three-tiered diploma system. It is unacceptable to determine a graduate’s status based on one test.
5. How would you vote on HB 99, which outlawed discrimination based on sexual preference?
Schwartzkopf - Last year, I signed on as a co-sponsor of HB 99 and I voted for the bill when it passed the House of Representatives by a slim margin. House Bill 99 is about equal protection in the eyes of the law, yet it is the most misunderstood bill that I have seen in my first term in Dover. It has been labeled as the “Gay Rights” bill when, in actuality, it protects heterosexuals as well as homosexuals. Discrimination laws protect individuals from being singled out and punished by a direct act of hate or ignorance or an indirect act denying a person housing, employment, etc. This bill is not a new piece of discrimination legislation. It only amends existing law by adding sexual preference. I have heard the argument that this bill would harm businesses because they won’t necessarily know whether an employee is gay. I wonder, can an employer tell the religion of an employee by looking at them? The answer is no, but it is illegal to discriminate against someone because of their religion. Why wouldn’t everyone support an amendment to existing legislation that helps to discourage discrimination and unfair treatment?
Spicer – I would vote to pass HB99. Although I believe the wording could be better, I believe it is about equal rights for all, and that is a concept I stand firmly behind. I have worked with the gay and lesbian community on health issues in my career as a nurse and administrator, and I have seen first hand the overwhelming contribution made to our community as a whole by gays and lesbians.
6. What are your thoughts on the minimum wage? Should it be raised or stay the same?
Schwartzkopf - I have to approach the minimum wage issue from two viewpoints. Looking at the entire state, I do think that the minimum wage should be raised and then tied into a yearly cost of living adjustment so that we don’t need to continually pass legislation dealing with this issue. But in the 14th District, minimum wage is not an issue. We live in a very affluent area and I would be surprised to find anyone working for minimum wage. Any employer paying only minimum wage will not be able to find an adequate workforce in our district.
Spicer – I believe the minimum wage should be tied to a leading indicator, so that it is based in solid economics and not political whims. I believe that is the only way to ensure fairness in the living wage. I also think any raising of the minimum wage should be balanced by a reduction in the gross receipts tax for small businesses.
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