Lincoln forum brings candidates to the front

Candidates gathering at the Lincoln community center Sept. 20 spoke about taxes, healthcare and ways they would improve government.

In the race for U.S. Senate, Democrat incumbent Tom Carper was absent and so was his Republican challenger, Rob Arlett. Arlett was represented by his son, Justin, who joined Libertarian candidate Nadine Frost and Green Party candidate Demitri Theodoropoulos.

Theodoropoulos said if elected, he would work for term limits, and would serve for only one six-year term.

“Putting a third party in there as a watchdog would not only shake up the system, but would make sure everyone has to be a straight politician and work for the people,” he said

Campaign finance reform is also needed, he said, to limit donations or allow only public funding.

“Once people are given hundreds of thousands of dollars from a PAC or a group, they are then beholden to that group,” the Green Party candidate said.

Theodoropoulos said he also would work to abolish the Electoral College. “It should be one man, one vote, for the people, by the people,” he said.

Frost said she disagrees with abolishing the Electoral College because she doesn't believe voters in New York and California should decide elections for the rest of the country. “If we remove the Electoral College that provides balance, the people in Manhattan will be telling the people in Oshkosh how to live,” she said.

Frost said she believes in term limits, and would spend her time eliminating pork and other benefits afforded to politicians and government employees.

“If elected, I would spend six years to make perks go away,” she said. “The fastest-growing sector of millionaires in America today are government workers,” she said.

Justin Arlett said new leadership is needed for Delaware, and that's why his father is running.

“Delaware has been under one party for a long time,” he said. “Even though the economy is booming and things are going well, Delaware is struggling.”

Rising healthcare costs are also a concern. “That's why my father is running because it's a big issue here,” he said.

He said he also believes that the Electoral College should stay put. “We need the Electoral College. That is the difference between a democracy and a constitutional republic. The Constitution is what gives states equal power, and without, it five cities would determine the position that their country would go,” Arlett said.

Arlett also addressed negative reports about his father published after the recent resignation of the head of the New Castle County Republican Party. In a published letter, the former leader said he opposed Rob Arlett's nomination and suggested Rob Arlett had financial issues.

“A lot of people want to use our family struggles as dirt against us. The reality is our family is just like you all. We struggle just like regular families, and we are a regular family, and we'll fight for regular families,” Justin Arlett said. “I'm sure you've seen the articles about our own party politics, but we aren't focused on partisan politics, and we didn't get involved for that reason.”

Declared write-in candidate Andrew C. Webb for U.S. representative was the only congressional candidate to show up for that race. He said he was concerned with immigration and wants to work with law-abiding people who are already here. “I want to streamline how we're doing things so it's easier for people to get in legally and be part of our nation. A lot of these people are good people, and we shouldn't necessarily kick them out of our country,” Webb said.

The economy and wage stagnation was also a concern. “Your energy costs are going up, your food costs are going up and everything else you can name is going up, but relative to what you are making, you are taking home less,” he said.

He said one solution is energy companies passing on some of their savings to consumers.

House of Representatives 36th District

In another contested race, Brian Shupe, former Milford mayor and Republican candidate, and Don Allan Jr., a local businessman and Democratic candidate, are vying for the 36th District seat vacated by Harvey Kenton, who did not run for re-election.

Allan said the government should focus more on working people and less on corporations. “Whether that translates to water quality, the quality of schools or the quality of their paychecks, that's why I'm running,” he said.

Shupe said he has a track record of fixing roads and improving the community as mayor of Milford. “I would like to take that responsibility on to the state level and make sure the 36th District has the same chance of getting those things as well,” he said.

During a question-and-answer session, the student body president of Milford High School asked both candidates what they have done for less-fortunate students.

Allan said education funding should be weighted for at-risk students so that poorer school districts can compete with wealthier ones. “If we were to weight those students, that would fix a lot of the school issues we have,” he said.

Shupe said in the past he has worked for the Boys & Girls Club to help families and students in need; as mayor of Milford, he helped many homes get running water or home repairs using a city program already in place. “We wanted to make sure all of our families, regardless if they were homeowners or renters or whatever income level they had, that they had safe housing in the City of Milford,” he said.

In answer to concerns about one-party rule, Allan said the House of Representatives is not going to have a Republican majority this year, and as a Democrat he would have a say in state spending, particularly in regard to the Milford area. “Right now the Democratic caucus is going to be the majority party in the House. It's going to be where the decisions are made,” he said.

In speaking with residents, Shupe said, he heard them say they are tired of partisan politics. If elected, he said, he would bring his track record of success in Milford to the state. “When I go and knock on your door, I don't ask for your vote. It's about hearing your concerns and what your ideas are for the 36th District,” he said.

Senate District 18

Dave Wilson, former representative of the 35th District, resigned from the seat at the end of the last legislative session and is now running as a Republican for the Senate District 18 seat vacated by Sen. Gary Simpson, R-Milford, who retired. Wilson's Democratic opponent James Purcell did not attend the forum.

“I don't intend to go to Dover to retire. I would serve at least one term, possibly two. If the good Lord takes me before then, then I won't have to worry about it,” he said as the room broke out in laughter.

On some hot-button issues from last legislative session, Wilson said he does not support young children being allowed to identify with a race or gender of their choice, he is pro-life, and he voted against legalization of marijuana.

“I don't have a problem with something that is medicinal that doctors have prescribed, but we have no business legalizing marijuana for people to run through a stop sign and take someone's life,” he said. “There are times that it can be used, but it needs to be by prescription.”

Wilson said any money bill should not be voted on after June 30, and this year's passage of the minimum wage bill is an example. “We voted on that 3:30 in the morning. No hearings, no nothing. It was motion to suspend rules,” he said.

Wilson said he votes his conscience, and encourages constituents who have different opinions to call him and share them with him.

“Dover works its best when it's controlled by two opposite parties. At least you have to communicate. Now, we don't communicate. If it's something you really want, you're going to railroad it. That's the way it works,” he said.

In answer to a question about top-heavy salaries at the Department of Education, Wilson said there is definitely money that could be saved. But on the subject of consolidating the state's 19 school districts, he said downstate needs a system of control so that all decisions are not made upstate.

“I think you could look at it from a county level, but I don't want to see a blank check because I can tell you right now the votes will come out of New Castle County,” he said. “You may not like the 19 school districts that you have, but I don't think you'll like the one that comes out of New Castle, either. You're best represented being closer to your own people.”

State auditor race

After a crowded primary race, Democrat Kathy McGuiness emerged the winner and now faces Republican James Spadola.

As the only state auditor candidate attending the forum, McGuiness, a Rehoboth Beach commissioner, said if she wins, she plans to assess the office and make improvements where needed.

“I've been holding people accountable for 20 years, 17 of them as an elected official,” she said.

“I'm not looking for a job, I'm looking to do a job.”

McGuiness said she believes the office needs fresh eyes and a fresh voice. The office is the core of everything for accountability and transparency, she said.

“I want this office to be, not a scary office, 'Oh, here comes the auditor,' but a resource for the General Assembly. Let this office function, let it be a top priority, and let it do its job to help Delawareans,” she said.

McGuiness said there are 15 people in the office that once employed more than 50. “There has been constant turmoil and chaos,” she said. “I want to get in there and get a pulse, audit the office if you will, because that's the heart of the whole organization, and if that auditing office isn't running like a well-oiled machine, how are you going to expect other people to do it?” she said.

There is money to fill vacancies in the office, she said, and she wants to make sure she hires the right people.

“We need a leader, someone who has managed people,” she said.