My plan for moving Delaware forward.

Education

Education is the key to life’s opportunities, escaping poverty, and having a well-equipped workforce to meet the needs of the global economy. Today, Delaware’s public schools are failing to meet the needs of too many of our children.  Colin believes that parents, teachers and principals should be empowered to reform our schools and set the agenda for our children. Top-down mandates, high stakes testing, and too much administration takes away from focusing on the needs of the children in our schools.  Delaware can have world-class schools but it will take strong leadership to reform our schools, remove disruptive students from our classrooms, and allow our teachers to focus on the children in their classrooms.  Too often the conversation about our schools focuses on the adults in the system and not the actual students, Colin will bring the focus back to the students in our classrooms.

Economic Development

Jobs are Colin’s NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.

Delaware used to be the envy of other states when it came to economic prosperity and growth.  Not anymore. Today, businesses are closing their doors across the state and workforce participation rates are near forty-year lows.  The jobs being created in Delaware are frequently part-time or low-paying.  Delaware has one of the lowest income growth rates in the entire country.

Twenty-four years of Democrat governors has driven Delaware’s economy from one of the best in the country to one of the worst (Delaware’s economy ranked 44^th out of 50 in one recent survey). Delaware’s economic decline must stop. We need strong executive leadership who understands not only how to keep businesses here in Delaware, but how to attract and encourage out-of-state businesses to relocate here.   Colin has consistently supported pro-growth measures while in the Senate and even received the “Guardian of Small Business Award” from the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB).  He has also been a strong proponent of Right to Work legislation to end forced unionism and encourage employers to locate their businesses in Delaware.  Delaware is a big government, high-tax, high-regulation, high-union state; so it should surprise no one that businesses fail to locate here.  As Governor, Colin will lower taxes, cut regulations and actively pursue those policies that will bring high quality jobs to Delaware.

Crime

Delaware is now the fourth most dangerous state in the nation!  Our largest city is known as “Murdertown USA” and many too many of our citizens don’t feel safe in their homes or their communities.

We are better than this.

No one can better their lives through education or greater economic opportunity if they don’t feel safe. Security is the bedrock from which economic opportunity grows. No business will bring jobs to Delaware if they don’t believe their employees will be safe.

Colin supports pro-active community policing and the establishment of police sub-stations in high-crime areas. The reality is that criminals do not flourish where the police have a strong positive presence. As Governor, Colin will look at all potential strategies to reduce crime in Delaware’s crime-ridden neighborhoods. No option will be off the table. The violence must stop. Colin will not stand by as more Delawareans become victims of crime.

State Budget

Delaware spends too much and gets too little.

In his time in the State Assembly, Colin has never voted in favor of a single bloated state budget.  Delaware is one of the most expensive state governments per person in the entire country. Not only is our government expensive, it’s ineffective as well. Each year the Democrat-controlled General Assembly increases spending, while results and services stay the same or get worse for the taxpayers footing the bill.  Our state government spends almost $10,000 per citizen (5^th highest in the nation), yet has one of the least effective governments. Almost every indicator in Delaware shows a failing state government:  1 in 6 Delawareans are on Food Stamps; 1 in 5 Delaware children are in poverty; almost 1 in 4 Delawareans are on Medicaid, etc. etc.

As Delaware’s strongest watchdog on behalf of taxpayers, Colin will submit balanced budgets that demand accountability and effectiveness.  We should expect no less.

2^nd Amendment

The right to keep and bear arms should be fought for and upheld.  The 2^nd Amendment is meant to allow citizens to defend themselves.  In an increasingly dangerous world, this right should vigorously be preserved.

Regulations

In too many areas of our state government, regulations are choking off economic development and growth unnecessarily.  Out of control bureaucracies must be restrained.  Business should be able to function effectively without excessive state licenses, fees, and rules that hurt competitiveness.  Delaware’s byzantine regulatory structure must be completely revamped and restructured. It will take strong leadership and perseverance to reform Delaware’s bureaucracy. Colin will do it.

Personal Freedom and Liberty

Colin believes that our  right to live with liberty and freedom should be upheld and vigorously  defended.  However, with freedom comes responsibility.  Government should not be responsible for savings individuals from every unwise decision they make.  Instead, we should enact policies that encourage personal initiative and responsibility, while discouraging government dependency.