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Patricia McDaniel Foltz (R)

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State Representative District 32

If elected, what would be your top three legislative initiatives?
I believe there are three significant issues.

  • There are not enough solid paying jobs. Delaware needs to create a strong business environment through reducing regulations and taxes.
  • We need to support our police and first responders with the resources they need to keep us safe.
  • It is important to continue to reform education by allowing our superintendents/principals to run their buildings and reducing the interference from the federal and state governments in the classroom.

Additionally, we need to consider improving rail service to Kent and Sussex counties. Passenger rail will bring economic development opportunities to Kent and will relieve maintenance expense to roadway infrastructure.

If elected, what would be the one piece of legislation that you would repeal from this past session?
There are a number of issues that did not help our small business owners last year. I do not think allowing Del Tech the ability to raise taxes by creating a new property tax is a good idea. SB137 was introduced, made it out of committee, but did not pass. I have heard it will return this year.

WORKFORCE/ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Do you support…

Right to Work legislation, including Enterprise Zones, and if elected, will you work to get the law enacted in Delaware?
Yes.

Strengthening federal, state and private investment to build an entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem?
Yes.

EDUCATION

Do you support…

Reducing centralized State control over education and giving more autonomy and control over the operation of the education system to local county boards of education?
Yes.

In favor of consolidating Delaware’s 19 school districts to a smaller number?
No. However, I may be supportive if the state could demonstrate that any savings in costs would be translated back into the classroom, or that local control and parental choice would not be diminished.

The City of Wilmington forming its own school district?
Yes. One issue that is significant will be the transfer of money and resources back out of surrounding school districts into Wilmington, and specifically if they have the existing physical structures to house these returning students.

The adoption of measures which would redirect per capita state and local Board of Education administrative costs into the classroom, knowing that Delaware is near the top of the nation in per capita central administration expenditures?
Yes.

Expanded education choice such as charter schools, education savings accounts, vouchers and homeschooling options?
No. Charter schools fulfill a very important function and I believe they provide choice for some parents who are seeking a different educational model. Charters that simply replicate existing traditional schools are not doing what the original charter law did and this is what I do not support.

The moratorium on new charter schools?
No.

INFRASTRUCTURE

Do you support…

An increase on the Motor Fuel Tax in order to support capacity expansion?
No.

The development of additional natural gas capacity and pipelines to Kent and Sussex counties?
Yes.

The creation of incentives and the easing of hurdles to foster accelerated growth of broadband service Sussex County?
Yes. It is clear that running broadband into unincorporated and less dense areas of the state is very expensive for the cable companies. We need to look at how to reduce those regulatory burdens or create tax or franchise agreements that make the expansion of this service into those areas profitable.

The state of Delaware continuing to force taxpayers to fund beach infrastructure in the face of rising sea levels that threaten continued use of existing beachfront?
No. There is no question that the tourism industry is a huge contributor to Delaware’s overall economy and I do support policies to keep our beaches healthy and safe. As to retreating from the coastlines because of climate change, there is a lot of information on both sides of this issue.

A statewide reassessment of property values?
No.

Elimination of a property tax exemption for qualified senior citizens?
No.

LEGAL & REGULATORY REFORM

Do you support…

Mandatory and regular across-the-board legislative audits and performance review of all spending units in state government?
Yes.

Granting broader statutory powers to the Office of the Attorney General to assist the legislative auditor in audit and investigatory programs for all spending units of state government?
No.

A move toward ensuring that State employee benefits are commensurate with the private sector?
Yes. The key word here is “commensurate.” State spending continues to increase and as a teacher of 36 years I know firsthand what our system is like and its overall benefits. I also know that in order to limit the increase in state spending we must begin to address the issues of state employee benefits.

The redevelopment of industrial sites that have lost their grandfathered status under the Coastal Zone Act?
Yes. There should be a careful review of those sites that exist in the Coastal Zone to see if there is some new use. Basically, if they are never re-developed, then all of the legacy environmental issues that were left by the previous user are still there and never cleaned up. If you reopen some of these sites you may actually get them cleaned up faster than just letting them sit.

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