Issues

In 2024, the United States truly faces one of the most critical elections in our history. This year, choice is on the ballot, democracy is on the ballot, and the American Dream itself is on the ballot – as a list of issues are threatening our prosperity and quality of life. I’m a pro-choice Democrat running to be the first woman to represent the people of RD 14 (Rehoboth Beach, Lewes, and Dewey) in the Delaware House. In Delaware, the General Assembly is responsible for making laws and passing a balanced budget, and it also passes the bond and grant-in-aid bills that fund capital projects and non-profits respectively. In Dover, I will work hard to make sure Sussex County receives its fair share of resources, and that as much money as possible goes to support organizations and agencies that meet our needs in terms of healthcare, education, housing, and the environment. I will work with colleagues to make laws that will improve our quality of life in the First State. And I will work to serve constituents who need my assistance.

Platform

As RD 14’s representative in Dover, I will work to:

1. 1. Protect reproductive freedom. People should have the freedom to determine for themselves the size and timing of their families and having access to abortion services and in vitro fertilization are part of that self-determination. No one should be forced to bear a child because they cannot access or afford an abortion, and no one should feel compelled to have an abortion because they are too poor to support a family. Requiring insurance companies and Medicaid to cover abortion services is an important part of that vision, so I am happy about the passage of HB 110, as well as SB 301, which requires Delaware’s public universities to provide access to medication for the termination of pregnancy and emergency contraception. Next year, we need to start the process of amending our constitution to protect privacy and the right to choose.
   2. Strengthen democracy.  I learned as Executive Director of Common Cause Delaware that the First State has a lot of room for growth when it comes to democratic processes.  For example, we need to pass vote-by-mail, so people can vote safely and smoothly from home — an issue that directly affects seniors.  We need a non-partisan Inspector General to eliminate fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in government agencies.  We need to strengthen and enforce campaign finance laws, so that voters can see where candidate money comes from and make sure that their donations are going for legitimate campaign expenses. I worked with legislators and allies on all those issues when I was ED of Common Cause, and I will continue that work as a member of the General Assembly.
   3. Rebuild the American Dream.  All over the country, people are facing numerous crises that are eroding our prosperity, quality of life, and hopes for the future. In our district the top four areas of concern are the environment, healthcare, public education, and housing.  While these “wicked problems” have no easy solutions, working together we can make positive changes.

The Environment: A lot is on the ballot this year, including the future of the planet, and environmental concerns certainly top the list of concerns in Delaware.  Sussex County is the lowest lying county in the lowest lying state, and RD 14 is graced with beautiful coastlines and plagued by rapid development — all of which makes us vulnerable to environmental catastrophe, as sea levels rise, weather becomes more extreme, and our coastlines erode.  We need to get serious about climate resiliency and continue transitioning to sustainable sources of energy, like wind and solar. We also need decisive action to improve the quality of our water and to protect our open spaces and forested land, all of which are threatened by overdevelopment and destructive agricultural practices.

We need more responsible land-use decisions and stronger environmental regulations to foster livable communities. While land-use is largely a County Council responsibility, there are things that can be done at that state legislative level to improve our quality of life. When elected, I will work to pass an Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance that will require that infrastructure be in place before new communities are developed. I will also work to strengthen environmental regulations, so that they are more than just suggestions. I will stand strong in support of transitioning to clean energy. And I support the passage of a “Green Amendment,” which would establish a right for all people to have pure water, clean air, and a healthy environment.  As articulated in my recent opinion piece, we need livable communities.

Healthcare: Access to high quality healthcare is a challenge across the country, and in Eastern Sussex we face a severe shortage of healthcare providers, including primary care providers, specialists, dentists, and veterinarians. In addition, we need more programs to address mental health, substance abuse, and long-term care. I will fight for more resources for our district and work with colleagues to figure out ways to attract the providers we need to the district.

In terms of the long game, I will work towards the creation of a public option or single-payer system for the state, possibly as part of a consortium of states, that would ensure access, control costs, and improve public health, and it must include mental health and dental services. And I support the creation of a medical school in Delaware, preferably in Sussex County, that could help ameliorate the shortage of doctors in our district.

Education: As a former educator who spent 20 years in the classroom, I have seen the way education can transform a young person’s life. That is why I will always support students, educators, and public schools. In the Cape Henlopen School District, we have schools that are popping at the seams and in dire need of more resources. I believe it is vitally important that we invest more in our public education system. And we need to reform our antiquated school funding process to ensure that it provides adequate and equitable resources to our schools and that the process is transparent, predictable, stable, flexible, and cost-based. The referenda process is not delivering what we need. We must fight to preserve a funding structure that minimizes political influence, while advocating for changes that support student need, reduce class sizes, and address local wealth disparities. In addition, we also need to support educators with higher salaries and rock-solid security when it comes to their retirement benefits. Educators do a lot for our children, and they deserve our respect.

Housing: I believe that everyone deserves a home; housing is a human right. One of the most serious challenges we face in RD 14 is a severe shortage of workforce housing. We also have an extremely high number of unhoused people in Sussex County. I have long been concerned about affordable housing. In 2013, I helped pass the rent-justification bill that protects manufactured homeowners from predatory landlords who at the time could jack up the rent by any amount any time they wanted. In Dover, I will continue to support increased protections for manufactured homeowners and work with colleagues to provide solutions to the shortage of workforce housing and the homelessness problem.