Issue Position: Middle Class Jobs and Economy

Issue Position

The Middle Class

All strong economies have a large, vibrant middle class. Because of their positive impact on middle class families I support the following:

Progressive taxation
Affordable health care
Women's access to reproductive health services
Well-funded public education
The right of workers to collectively bargain for fair wages and safe working conditions, and to charge a fee to anyone benefiting from employment contracts that unions have negotiated
I do not support the failed trickle-down economic policies of the past, and will work to make sure the working people of Delaware are not over-burdened by shouldering the bulk of the cost of state programs.

Large Employers

Incentivizing large companies to come to Delaware through "corporate welfare" is less than ideal, but carefully drafted legislation could reduce the risk of this practice and increase the reward while keeping us competitive with other markets vying for the same employers. We should only provide incentives in exchange for guaranteed investment in our communities, and if the promised jobs and tax revenue do not materialize, any company receiving incentives should have to pay the state back. We must look at ways to attract and support small and medium-sized businesses rather than overly relying on one or two large employers who harm the community when they close or leave the area.

Small and Medium-Sized Businesses

Recently Delaware saw the closures of the General Motors plant in Newport, the Claymont Steel Mill, the Nylon plant in Seaford, and the Chrysler factory in Newark as well as down-sizing at AstraZeneca and DuPont. A vibrant economy consists of a mixture of large, small, and medium-sized businesses that provide stability and a diversified suite of high paying jobs.

Entrepreneurship

In order to provide a thriving economy of the future, I would support innovation and technology start-ups by enabling an environment that provides access to early-stage capital and business leadership skills to grow and retain their businesses within Delaware.

Fostering a Business-friendly Environment

We must improve living and working conditions in our city center so that businesses want to locate here. Reducing crime, improving infrastructure, and restoring blighted areas will attract employers. . Revitalizing abandoned sites, improving our infrastructure, and increasing workforce development so we are prepared for the 21st Century economy will give Delaware families access to quality, good-paying jobs.

Marrying Job Creation with Environmental Protection

We need to create jobs and invest in our public infrastructure in new ways. Performance contracting should be used to improve energy efficiency in our public buildings, especially our aging schools. Not only will this create jobs for electricians, plumbers, insulators and many other building trades, it will also reduce our carbon footprint and save money. All of this can be done with no upfront cost to our state and local governments -- financing is provided through private sources, and is repaid by dramatically lower utility bills. This is done in many other states and should be used much more widely in Delaware.

Balancing Commerce, Entertainment, and Nature

We can continue to make Wilmington, Delaware a Live-Work-Play community by balancing development with the preservation and restoration of our green spaces and natural habitats, so that our city and its surrounds offer the right mix of commerce, entertainment and nature. I would support legislation that enables development of mixed-use properties to provide accommodation and business offices for Wilmington. I would also support entertainment and restaurant venues that can attract residents and visitors to spend time downtown outside of business hours. We must also cultivate open spaces, preserve parks, and create outdoor recreation opportunities.

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