Delaware Election 2022 – Candidate Interviews
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Candidate: Eric Buckson
General Assembly, Senate 16th District
If elected, what is your top priority for the business community?
I do not pretend to know. I think a lot of mistakes are made by elected officials acting like they know better than the businesses. I will go to the businesses. I will ask what the businesses need. I am sure some of the answers will be fixing or changing processes and procedures. I think there are some obvious things that happen like setting burdensome regulations. I think I can always look and learn. You must do better at understanding. So, my thing is to listen and understand the experts who have been working on business issues.
If you could do one thing to change the way our state government works with the business community – what would it be?
Better communication is a must. I don’t think bureaucrats should be sitting at tables making decisions without talking to businesses. I also think you must be open to a diverse business group. We need to hear it from different businesses, small businesses and large. It is not easy to access our government environment. I also understand that the pandemic was an abnormality, but we still need to ask the questions about what businesses need, no matter what the situation. We need to be asking why certain decisions were being made and get answers. I do not think anyone deliberately was making bad decisions, but they were just making uninformed decision. We need to change that.
Would you support
- A Gross Receipts Tax Reduction
- A Transfer Tax Reduction
- A State Gas Tax Reduction
From a republican running and seeking approval especially from the business community, the easy answer is yes. My opinion, as a Senator, you must separate yourself from the politics. You must separate yourself in order to understand all the ramification. You must understand the whole picture. I would definitely suggest looking at the gas tax, but it tells me that is and could be a very detailed issue. Also, I have to say, right now, I am not sitting at the table, so I need to learn the other side. I think that there are some decisions being made like the $300 refund I just received in the mail that are just political. We may right now be in a good economic time, but as we all know that can change. I would say yes to reducing the transfer tax, however, we also need to know that when you reduce taxes other services could be effected – you have to look at that and that is why I think there is not an easy answer. There are details that must be looked at. If looking at gross receipts tax, you have to ask if a reduction there adds a burdens to residents. When taxes get reduced you must find a way make up those funds. We all know that!
What is your opinion on how the state should utilize excess revenue?
Wisely, not politically! I will always look for big ticket items that are long lasting. In my opinion, you can’t look at one time ventures. Of course, there are some things that are obvious, such as our failing infrastructure because that is one of the things that benefits all of us: bridges, roads, etc. These types of ventures also put people back to work which I think is critical in today’s world. It appears our government does not have a money problem right now. I also have concern allocating money to programs that run long-term. When we do that, we must know that program can fund itself when the one-time money is gone.
Why should a voter choose you?
Specifically, I think people need to look at my background and my history. I have a history of getting things done. I have been with Kent County Levy Court for 16 years and I have had a good run. Voters can see my accomplishments. I have also worked in a body of government that has been predominantly one sided, but I was still able to get things done. I was placed in leadership positions because I could work with everyone. I also don’t care about who gets credit for what is done. I also feel that our democracy never intended people to stay in their offices for years and years. We have to cycle people out. We have to have fresh approaches and fresh ideas. You need new and different perspectives. From the beginning, our government was put in place to serve the people. We have to constantly look at the best way to do that.
Candidate: William Bush
General Assembly, Representative 29th District
If elected, what is your top priority for the business community?
There was something I left off with last session which were Bills to advocate for Ready in 6. It is very important to me to get Ready in 6 in place. I have been advocating and fighting for it for some time. I have been on the Delaware Prosperity Partnership and have worked with a number of organizations who support Ready in 6. I really have been and will continue to work extensively in trying to bring businesses to Kent County. For some businesses, it could be a 3 year wait for some permitting processes before they can even get a shovel in the ground. I have been working with stakeholders such as DNREC, DELDOT and the Governor’s office to get these processes changed. Last session I had two Bills that I thought were going to go through but did not. One dealt with the Plus Process and the other dealt with Entrance Permits. Neither got through, but I will bring them back next session. In total, there could be as many as 6 bills that will come out next session to help further the Ready in 6 initiative. We must make changes to be competitive with our neighboring states. It is frustrating. I have also worked on the reduction of the real estate transfer tax. It is good for the residents’, and it is good for businesses.
If you could do one thing to change the way our state government works with the business community – what would it be?
As I said, my one big thing is the permitting process. Our process terms need to be changed in many of our state agencies, DNREC, DELDOT and even Public Health. We have restaurants who need help now and we need to expedite these processes. Again, I just have to say for both our residents and our businesses we must make changes in order to keep businesses here and get new businesses to come here.
Would you support
- A Gross Receipts Tax Reduction
- A Transfer Tax Reduction
- A State Gas Tax Reduction
Yes, I support Gross Receipts Tax Reductions And yes, as I said, I support the Transfer Tax Reduction. When it comes to the Gas Tax Reduction, I have to say I am not sure about that one. I do not know if the benefits would be as good as we think. I am not sure if that is the right way to go. I have advocated for it, but I think we need to look at how to reduce the cost of manufacturing gas. I also worked on another tax last year that dealt with providing a $10,000 deduction for those who have businesses, especially multiple businesses. That will come back next session too.
What is your opinion on how the state should utilize excess revenue?
One thing I believe in is giving it back to people by doing tax reductions as we just talked about. Obviously, I believe in economic development. I always have supported and will continue to support the Site Readiness Fund, The TIF Fund and there are others, but we need to make sure they are fully funded. The future concerns me and I hope we can make sure we are constantly growing our economic development funds. Gross receipts tax reduction, transfer tax reductions and personal income tax reductions, I think there are ways to give reductions that could benefit our residents, our businesses, and our overall economy.
Why should a voter choose you?
The real reason, everything we do on the legislative front is important. I believe in constituent service. You call me, I call back. I listen. I advocate for them.
Candidate: Adewunmi Kuforiji 
General Assembly, Representative 34th District
If elected, what is your top priority for the business community?
I think as a government we need to work with the business community to help them and understand how we can promote growth. I also think we need to keep bringing businesses to our area. I know we have a county department that does this, but I think we need to work together to bring businesses in: government, businesses and organizations. Another area that is a priority is education, I work in education (CFO with Capital School District) and we need to produce graduates who will work with our businesses. We need to create partnerships with our businesses and with our graduates. We need to do better at making sure students are career ready.
If you could do one thing to change the way our state government works with the business community – what would it be?
I do not have direct access with economic development and businesses right now, but I do believe we need to make sure the services the state offers to our businesses are streamlined. I know the state has a developed a One Stop Shop, but I am not certain it takes care of everyone. I think we have to do better with our services from registering with corporations to finding opportunities for growth. We need to develop and build a site that really helps businesses.
Would you support
- A Gross Receipts Tax Reduction
- A Transfer Tax Reduction
- A State Gas Tax Reduction
For something like this, it is hard for me to take a stand right now. I am not working within state government in that aspect. I need to understand the impact and result on things like this before I make a decision. I do not know the context of the Gross Receipts Tax and I would need to look at the data and have more facts.
Regarding the Transfer Tax, I need to see what the impact would be to lower the Transfer Tax. I would need to look at the history of the tax. I would need to look at changes in the revenue if it were to be reduced. Are we having a hard time selling houses because of it, or are we not? Is it negative for the community as a whole?
For the State Gas Tax, I need to look at where we are – what is the history of the tax. What is the impact of the tax? Services that come from tax also must be looked at. I need more information to make a decision.
What is your opinion on how the state should utilize excess revenue?
Make sure our rainy-day funds is set at a level so that when it is “raining” we have what we need to tap in to. We need to have reserves. I think we put a lot away, so we have money in the future instead of raising taxes. That would be my top priority then – it would –e to fund capital projects such as state buildings, infrastructure, and economic development.
Why should a voter choose you?
If they want someone who thinks about people. I am the one. I think we need to live up to the promises of our country. We need a balance for both our businesses and our people. I have some experience in state government working with the school, but I am not the expert. I know how the system works. I make decisions with knowledge and understanding of impacts. I believe we have to make sure the people’s needs are met. If that is important to them, I am their person.
Candidate: Trey Paradee
General Assembly, Senate 17th District
If elected, what is your top priority for the business community?
If I am back as Chair of Joint Finance, it is my job to craft a responsible budget that makes Delaware a great place to have a business. In order to do that, we need to continue to make smart investments in projects that create jobs and benefit Delaware in some degree. Serving on the Joint Finance Committee really takes up a great deal of time, but that will be my number one priority – building the budget that keeps Delaware a tax friendly state.
If you could do one thing to change the way our state government works with the business community – what would it be?
I think I would have to say streamlining our permitting process and also getting enough manpower in state agencies to facilitate what the businesses need. For example, our Public Health Department has 35% of their positions unfilled and that is why we have situations where people are waiting 3 months to get a permit for a state-of-the-art food trailer. As Joint Finance Chair, I think it is critical that we get these agencies funded so we can expedite the applications of our business community. Where we are now is just ridiculous. The state agencies are clearly suffering from same labor shortages that our businesses are suffering from. We are near a crisis level. We must fix it!
Would you support
- A Gross Receipts Tax Reduction
- A Transfer Tax Reduction
- A State Gas Tax Reduction
In regard to the Gross Receipts Reduction, that is a quick and simple no. The reason for that is because that tax is a really significant piece of our revenue mix. It is probably close to one of the top 3 revenue streams and that is difficult to replace. You must know where you are going to go to replace that shortfall. We cannot just wave a magic wand and make it appear. Someone must pay for it. In the long run other taxes will then have to come into play. The first $100,000 to over $1M in gross revenue is exempt. And in reality, the rate is a tiny fraction of a businesses’ revenue. Also, the reality is that a great number of businesses are not affected by Gross Receipts Tax. Small businesses with fewer than 10 employees, some with fewer than 20, are not paying gross receipts. It really falls to larger businesses. But again, the revenue would be difficult to replace, and the alternatives would not be popular among the consumers.
In regard to the Transfer Tax, I am open to making some changes that would benefit first time homebuyers and perhaps home purchases that are below a certain price threshold or perhaps making accommodations for people living on fixed incomes. The reality with this tax is that we have a tremendous number of people moving here from other states who have higher taxes than we have, and we are asking very little from them. They contribute very little because of our tax structure. Therefore, the Transfer Tax is the only tool we must really capture tax revenue from these new folks moving here. When we have tremendous growth, there are costs involved such as our infrastructure, roads, bridges, etc. These are critical infrastructures for all of us, and it is the Transfer Tax that helps us secure some of those funds. So, I would not support a reduction. The realtors have had two of the best years on record. The idea that we need to cut this tax to help realtors is ridiculous. We must remember in Delaware our economic growth is tied to our construction industry which right now is doing really good.
Looking at our State Gas, I believe right now, our tax is still below our surrounding states. I think we are at a competitive rate. I also believe we must have money to repair our roads and bridges to make improvements especially with our rate of growth. It is a constant need. Again, that money has to come from somewhere. I think it is important that we keep at a level that is the same or close to our surrounding states.
What is your opinion on how the state should utilize excess revenue?
I think we are going to have a lot of discussions in the upcoming budget year regarding teachers’ pay. I believe Maryland passed a law or resolution boosting their teacher pay to a minimum of $60,000. We directly compete with our surrounding states for teachers. We will need to do something there. And as I said earlier, we need to fill the key positions in our state agencies, especially those that support small businesses. We will have to make some investments in personnel, and it is also critical that we continue to put money into our budget smoothing account because inevitable we will have a recession and we will need it, and we are required to have money in our Rainy-Day fund and I very much support that.
Why should a voter choose you?
Because I really care, and I work really hard. As you can tell, through the course of this interview I am passionate about my community. We must protect our quality of life. We must continue to create opportunities for businesses, and for our young people. I am a huge supporter of both DTCC and DSU. They are so critical to our community and our businesses if we want to see our community thrive. I want people to be successful. I want this to be the best place to live and work. I feel I need to give back to the state that has given so much to my family. I am effective in this role. I am effective in facilitating people and connecting people. In my opinion, that is how we really succeed – by connecting people!
Candidate: Cheryl Precourt
General Assembly, Representative 32nd District
If elected, what is your top priority for the business community?
I would like to see a combined effort to gain greater understanding of what our businesses are about and what they need. I fell legislators do not understand what it is to run a business. What it is to make payroll, to keep supplies on hand, or to hire employees. Some of the Bills that have passed in the recent sessions have not been for the good of the business community such as the minimum wage bill or the FMLA. Legislators need to have a hands-on approach with our business community. They need to get out in the community to see what the businesses need.
If you could do one thing to change the way our state government works with the business community – what would it be?
As I said, I don’t think our legislators know what the business community needs. There is such poor communication with businesses. Again, passing the FMLA may seem like a good thing, but they do not understand the impact that is really going to have on the businesses. I feel they are they are stepping in where they do not have the right. Government is not business, and they should not tell businesses what to do.
We need to also slow down our process when it comes to passing legislation. We need to have good discussions and better communication with the people or businesses that the legislation is going to affect. I have a lot of concern with FMLA. It appears like it is starting like Social Security. Businesses are not part of the government. I believe businesses should have say in how their businesses run. Even the Earns Act has cost implications for businesses. There just appears to be such a great divide between our businesses and our government. The government needs to remember they have ways of raising funds that businesses do not.
Would you support
- A Gross Receipts Tax Reduction
- A Transfer Tax Reduction
- A State Gas Tax Reduction
I would support the of elimination of the Gross Receipts Tax. The Gas Tax I would need to look at a little more because I need to understand what we are funding with it. As far as the Transfer Tax goes, I believe Delaware has one of highest in the nation. We say we want affordable housing, but as a state government are we helping to have that with this tax?
What is your opinion on how the state should utilize excess revenue?
With the excess we have now we need to understand that most of it is coming from the federal government which means we don’t always have a say in how it is used. I have said it time and time again, our small businesses are our backbone. They need infrastructure in place to run their businesses. We need to make this an inviting atmosphere for businesses. We need people to come here because of our businesses. We need to help them. Our government and our businesses should not be at odds. I would be willing to do whatever I could to help bridge those gaps. When new businesses come in, it appears they make it difficult for them to get started. It appears that it is more costly, especially for the small businesses coming in. We all know we need to streamline the processes we have in place. It must be easy to get started here and be a business here so that when someone has the next new thing, we can welcome them, help them and have them grow here.
Why should a voter choose you?
For what I stand for. I truly believe I represent everyone in my district, not just those who vote. I believe residents need representation. I think you can always come to some type of agreement on each and every issue, you just have to be willing to work at it. If someone has a need, we need to step in to help.
Candidate: Mark Pugh
General Assembly, Senate 14th District
If elected, what is your top priority for the business community?
Bringing manufacturing back to Delaware is a number 1 goal of mine. We are ranked 24th in the country for education which is not where we want to be. As a state, we do not have good negotiating power with businesses. We must get better with that if we expect to attract businesses here. I believe in the Educational Freedom Program, and I have a link for it on my website. This program is designed for today’s families. I believe that improving our educational systems is the way for us to grow.
If you could do one thing to change the way our state government works with the business community – what would it be?
I would love to see more businesspeople in office so there is an understanding where businesses are coming from in our general assembly. Our government needs to understand the challenges business go through.
Would you support
- A Gross Receipts Tax Reduction
- A Transfer Tax Reduction
- A State Gas Tax Reduction
Yes, to all.
What is your opinion on how the state should utilize excess revenue?
Recently we have had access revenue, but that has not always been the case. First of all, we have to make sure the state is solvent. We need to keep our bond rating an “A” level. That helps all businesses and residents. We should never reduce the funding on our non-profits the way we did in 2016. Government is not in business to make money at the end of the day. In my opinion, we should not have access revenue if we are running the state properly.
Why should a voter choose you?
I bring an experience that crosses many spectrums. I started my career as an electromechanical designer for big companies such as Playtex, DuPont, and Metal Masters. I understand the world of big business. Our family business has been around since 1945, and I have been in the business for 35 years now and have owned it for 12 years. I have different perspectives when it comes to work. I know how to work with my hands. I am a volunteer fireman. I am also President of my Rotary Club. I love Rotary fiercely. Over the years, I have gained really good experience through business and through the non-profits I work with. I also don’t think as small businesses we think about our impact, but we do have one. So, I think I would be a good fit because I am well rounded the way many Delawareans are.
Candidate: Bryan Shupe
General Assembly, Representative 36th District
If elected, what is your top priority for the business community?
I have already done a lot of work on my top priority which is the reduction of the Gross Receipts Tax in Delaware. It is a hidden sales tax. It increases prices on the final sale of products to our consumers. It is an inflationary rate. I have worked with Rick Geisenberger (State Secretary of Finance) to determine who pays and how much, so we have the data and research needed to really understand this tax and it’s impact. I think it is going to take education to get it changed. I can say the tax is hurting small businesses. As a small business owner, after they make $10,000 a month you must start paying. And we don’t have the chance to make a profit when that first $10,000 is taxed because we have rent, utilities, and personnel costs. If it is eliminated it will help small businesses and consumers.
If you could do one thing to change the way our state government works with the business community – what would it be?
Overall, without saying one piece or another piece of legislation. We need to change and improve the attitude of how we work with business owners to get them up and running. We need to have an environment and culture to help businesses solve their challenges, especially small and private owned businesses. I understand that DNREC and DELDOT have requirements and regulations that are needed but they do not help businesses to find solutions. I think we should really focus start to focus on businesses who have been in place for between 7 and 10 years because you are able to support your employees and as a state, we need to start helping those business owners to get them to next level. Then we start to see growth.
Would you support
- A Gross Receipts Tax Reduction
- A Transfer Tax Reduction
- A State Gas Tax Reduction
Yes. I would actually like to see Gross Receipts Tax eliminated. Not many states have it. I believe we are in the bottom quarter of those states that still have it.
I have supported a reduction of the Transfer Tax in the past and I will continue to support it. It is my goal to talk with other legislators to find a unique way to address it, and I think we must go after a specific part of the tax. For example, if a person who already owns property is moving to another property, say they need a bigger house for their family, or for those who are downsizing, provide them with a discount on the tax or remove it for one property then we are helping people and not penalizing them for staying here. I am hoping to move in that direction with something specific and that may help us move forward and get more support from both sides of the aisle.
For the Gas Tax, I think everyone is in favor of a reduction with the rising gas prices we have been experiencing. If you talk to DELDOT they say there are 10’s of thousands of dollars that are put into the rehabilitation of roads, so we need to find other ways to replace that funding for instance putting impact fees in place for developers moving here. That could be an alternative to the funding. I think we are going to have to present a revenue neutral bill. That would be more favorable.
What is your opinion on how the state should utilize excess revenue?
I have two opinions that parallel: first, we should definitely be doing budget smoothing, and I have to say I commend the Governor for putting half of the surplus into budget smoothing. I would like to see 100% instead of 50%. We are going to see a recession very soon and those funds will come into play so that we can avoid tax increases on our residents. We also need to set fiscal policy that says once you receive a certain amount of money, then the surplus goes back to taxpayers. We all know that some individuals pay a fair share, and some do not pay any due to their income level. We need to formally determine what that is. However, this is not something that can be done during an election cycle.
Why should a voter choose you?
As a small business owner, former Mayor of Milford, and a Representative for 3 years, I have a track record they can look at to see what issues I have supported in the past. I have also been very active in the communities I represent. I have volunteered with the Boys & Girls Club of Milford and the Milford Little League, just to name a few. I listen to residents when they have challenges, and my constituents feel comfortable coming to me. We talk out their problems and we work together to create a holistic plan for solutions to their issue. When you are asking for someone’s vote, people need to look at your experience. Deciding who you are going to vote for is like a job interview. I think it is important to be able to prove you can find solutions for issues and challenges.
Candidate: Marcus Wienner
General Assembly, Representative 29th District
If elected, what is your top priority for the business community?
I have always and will always be focused on small business. Any legislation that comes my way I will vote to support small business. Sometimes, I think the larger businesses do not always serve the community the way they should or the same way as the smaller businesses do. My father was a pharmacist, so I am firmly entrenched in the small business community. I was a member of the New Castle County Chamber of Commerce with my IT business, and my wife was also a member with her businesses. I am an IT guy by trade, and I have seen what Microsoft did when they became a large corporation. They pushed small businesses out. I also saw it in the drug trade with my father when he was in businesses. Small business needs to catch a break. Large businesses have a way of getting favors they need monetarily. They can work around issues. Small business owners cannot. They do not have a work around. They need a champion. I would be that person.
If you could do one thing to change the way our state government works with the business community – what would it be?
Get out of it. Stay as far away from businesses as possible. I believe the government’s job is to stay out of the way of individuals and individual businesses. I think we need to let businesses do what they do best – run their business! We need to stop creating regulations. We need to stop taxing businesses unnecessarily. We just need to stop getting in the way of business.
Would you support
- A Gross Receipts Tax Reduction
- A Transfer Tax Reduction
- A State Gas Tax Reduction
Yes, I would support a reduction in the Gross Receipts Tax. Again, there is a game with this tax. Businesses have gross and net revenues. Larger companies can hide net, but small businesses cannot.
As far as the Transfer Tax, I have to say I am not that involved in that one. I do not profess to be an expert in that area. However, from a personal standpoint, if I were to sell my house, I do not think the State should have a tax on it. Again, the government needs to just get out of the way of commerce.
In regard to the Gas Tax, the state of Delaware has $1Billion in access. $500M of it was placed in the Rainy-Day fund. We have $750M that needs to be spent before next year. We have so much money that is ear marked for special interest projects or gifts and favors. One thing I think we should do in regard to the gasoline costs is if you have a Delaware license plate you get 20 to 25 cents off each gallon of gas you purchase. I think that would be great. We could provide some cost relief to our drives. That is just an idea I had, however, getting back to the question, yes, I would support a State Gas Tax Reduction.
What is your opinion on how the state should utilize excess revenue?
A number of things: I will go back to the gas reduction. The way I figured it out was if they gave 20 to 25 cents off each gallon of gas bought by Delaware residents, we would still have a big chunk of the surplus left. I also think we need to develop a program to give small businesses a break. For the past couple years, our small businesses have seen utility bills increasing, material costs rising, and they have suffered through supply chain shortages. Big businesses can weather storm. Maybe we take less from small businesses. We need to give more money to small businesses and those looking to start a business. It is a fact that when you first start a business the first two years, you lose money. The state could help with that. They could not tax businesses for the first two years. Also, I am all for the environment, but some of these pet projects that are getting money, I think that money should go to the businesses. We also have a homeless problem, and a big one. We need to find ample housing for our homeless and we need to train them, and we need to help them find a job. Those are a few of the places I think we should use our excess revenue.
Why should a voter choose you?
There are a number of reasons why I believe people should vote for me. As I go door to door, I tell people I am running to be your State Representative. I tell them my job will be to echo your voice in the Dover. That is what is missing right now. Some of our elected officials have lost sight of that. Looking in, it is like no one has any concept of how the bills being passed are affecting the residents of the 29th District. I will represent the voice that is missing. They will not be disappointed if they give me a chance. I am going to run once maybe twice, but I do not intend to be there forever.
Candidate: Lyndon Yearick
General Assembly, Representative 34th District
If elected, what is your top priority for the business community?
I have served now for 8 years, which is 4 terms, and my priorities are the same as they were in 2014: neighborhood safety, improving our educational systems, and economic development. I think it is very important that as legislators we help foster a better environment for businesses to operate within which will result in better paying jobs for our residents. In regard to economic development, I serve on the board of the Delaware Prosperity Partnership. I was appointed by the Governor when the Partnership started. As part of this group, we just took a trip to Louisiana to meet with an economic development organization to see how they retain, grow, and maintain their businesses. Some of their ideas and programs were very interesting and I think they could be used here. As a matter of fact, the keynote speaker for the Economic Summit at Del Tech in September, is with this organization from Louisiana. It is very important that we as legislators look at what we do with our legislation and our regulations. We must ask, are we supporting business, are we supporting a good environment for labor and are we helping to retain businesses?
If you could do one thing to change the way our state government works with the business community – what would it be?
I don’t know if there is one singular thing that we can do that will be a tipping point for the business community, however, we all know we need to continue to look at our educational systems to make sure we are providing the best opportunities for our students which will provide workers for our businesses. Acquisition of talent is one of the biggest priorities we see across our entire nation right now. We all know we need to grow and keep our talent. Retaining good talent helps all levels of our business community and even our non-profits.
Would you support
- A Gross Receipts Tax Reduction
- A Transfer Tax Reduction
- A State Gas Tax Reduction
Gas Tax reduction, I advocated for that in the most recent general assembly. I have introduced legislation to try to cut costs especially for the working individuals. I think we have had some success with that which helped to result in the $300 rebates we are now seeing. We have looked at this for more than 6 months. We also must remember here in Delaware we have a Transportation Trust Fund that provides support for DELDOT which has been very advantageous for our state. Helping the people who work needs to be a priority.
In regard to the Transfer Tax, I also sponsored legislation to roll back our tax from 4% to what it used to be back in 2016. Right now, we have one of the highest rates. This particular tax has far exceeded the Governors’ expectation. We have seen about $240 million from this program in the past years. We are now seeing home values starting to come down so hopefully we will work together to get this done next session. The legislation I proposed rolls it back in increments.
As for the Gross Receipts Tax, that is our back door sales tax. I did co-sponsor the Bill to roll this back. Actually, I have advocated for a number of tax reductions for the past few years because we have money, and I think it is important to give back now to our residents. You cannot always do that, but right now we can, and we should.
What is your opinion on how the state should utilize excess revenue?
As I said earlier, I have advocated for tax cuts and one I really support is tax cuts for individuals. We have had large surpluses for the past two years which gives us the opportunity to give back. We have seen $1Billlion in surpluses each year for the past 2 years. We have invested in capital ventures which is always important, and I support that as well. But my individual tax cut bills, especially this year, were for working families. We need to support tax cuts to help our working poor.
Why should a voter choose you?
I will say it has been a privilege and honor to serve the people of the 34th District. I think I have done a good job representing my constituents. For me it is about communicating with them and respecting them. You must be with your constituents on a regular basis to know what they need you to do, and that is why I host the Town Hall meetings. You also must realize you cannot please everyone, but you do the best you can. It is also important what we, as legislators, do outside the building. You have to be involved and work in your community. Two organizations that I have enjoyed working with are Meals on Wheels and the Interfaith Housing Initiative. You just must be part of your community. You must help make it a better place.
Candidate: Robert Scott
Kent County Levy Court, 4th District, Commissioner
If elected, what is your top priority for the business community?
Economic growth. We must have it. I also believe in, and am somewhat bias to, public safety. That is important to everyone. I am currently a sitting fire chief for the Houston Fire Company, and we have work to do with our public safety.
If you could do one thing to change the way our county government works with the business community – what would it be?
Streamlining the process for permits. There needs to be a change. I know from personal experience that the process needs to move faster. Possibly having things submitted in a digital format is something we need to do. We need to figure out what works best for contractors. For those people in construction, time is money, so by going digital we may be able to cut the time frame down. I also think we need to look at land rights and property use. I have heard a lot of different opinions about that in the recent weeks.
What is your opinion about the county’s planning and permitting processes? If given the opportunity what top 3 things would you change?
As I said, streamlining the process would provide huge benefits to both our residents and our businesses. And, we must look at land rights for property owners. I realize some of our regulations are a necessity, but we must look at them and figure out what needs to stay and what needs to go. I would need to learn a little more once I win to see what we can do to change. But one thing I know for certain is that times are changing, and we need to change with them, or we will fall behind.
What can Kent County do to recruit and retain a quality workforce?
That is a big question. I think it comes back to economic growth. You must help businesses sustain and grow. I also wonder about events like Firefly coming to town, why can’t we create events like that to bring people in. We also need to create programs to help businesses. Let’s explain to them why things are the way they are and let’s work with them to find a different way if we need to. We need to adapt our policies to fit our businesses. I have been in business for 20 years and I know how hard it is. I had a store front at one time, but now I do only on-line sales.
We need to put a friendly face on Kent County Levy Court. We need to help our businesses to make them succeed.
Why should a voter choose you?
Experience and knowledge. What answers I don’t have I will find. I have 30 years of answering the phone at all hours of the day and night, and I am willing to serve the county. You must be willing and able. I want to take the next step. I have gotten up at 11 p.m. to change batteries in a smoke detector for someone who could not. Serving makes you feel good.
The General Election will be held on Tuesday, November 8, 2022.
Please make your voice count and VOTE!
