Delaware’s gubernatorial candidates, Matt Meyer, New Castle County Executive (D), and House Minority Leader Mike Ramone (R), faced off Oct. 17 at Mitchell Hall.
The debate focused on issues in Delaware this election cycle, including education, healthcare and housing, with each candidate proposing their solutions.
On the topic of education, both candidates agreed the state’s funding structure for education should be reformed to address modern issues. However, they disagreed on the subject of vouchers for charter schools and private schools.
Meyer, a former educator, emphasized that voucher programs, which are state-funded programs that provide public money to help parents pay for private school education, are designed to take taxpayer money away from public education, leaving those less fortunate even further behind.
“Voucher programs are very dangerous,” Meyer said in the debate. “[Vouchers] take money from our public education system. All sorts of studies show what it does is it takes school systems, where there are already winners and losers, and increases the number of losers who are left behind.”
Ramone argued that parents should have options when it comes to their children’s education..
“Never have I ever said that everybody should get a voucher,” Ramone said in response to Meyer. “What I said, which obviously my opponent doesn’t agree with, is that I don’t believe a child should be forced to go to a failing school when less than 5% of the people coming out of the school are able to read. It’s just not right.”
Meyer and Ramone also addressed school performance, noting a recent report on chronic absenteeism and test scores.
Meyer said the issues of absenteeism and test scores must be addressed by incentivizing and rewarding educators and staff where they are needed most. He added that this problem must be addressed first to help solve other issues such as housing and healthcare.
Ramone argued the issue lies with more “local control” for families and communities, while also advocating for teachers who perform well to be financially incentivized to continue teaching rather than moving into administrative roles for higher pay.
The candidates also disagreed on affordable housing and homelessness.
Meyer strongly voiced that housing is a right for all, adding that his experience opening the HOPE Center is a prime example of the system needed for those living on the margins.
“I believe housing is a basic right,” Meyer said during the debate. “There needs to be systems of care, there need to be systems to prevent those who are living on the margins, who are barely able to pay their rent, from getting evicted.”
For Ramone, the problem lies with the regulations placed on builders, which prevent the creation of affordable housing. He also advocated for mixed zoning of commercial and residential areas.
“We need to have affordable housing, and we need to create cluster home areas where people can actually live in an affordable house,” Ramone said in his response. “Maybe there’s some commercial, maybe there’s some office in an area where a builder can afford to put those affordable homes in.”
Both candidates addressed the difficulty for first-time homebuyers and younger people in the housing market.
When Ramone was asked he argued that bringing more high-paying, entry-level jobs into Delaware’s economy will help grow housing opportunities, along with tax cuts.
“What I believe we need to do is, if you want to enhance people buying homes, we’ll put the real estate transfer tax back down to 3%,” Ramone said. “I want to enhance people’s desires to be Delawareans, to bring fintech, to bring biotech, to bring business to Delaware that helps Delaware expand the tax base.”
Meyer countered that cutting taxes is not the solution and that the government, along with private investors, must be involved in response to the minority leader.
“The rent is too d*** high, and we gotta get up as leaders and get stuff done,” Meyer said. “We gotta do things to make sure that people out there who are really struggling can pay their rent.”
The two also clashed over how to tackle climate change, especially after recent flooding breached the River Inlet Bridge.
Both acknowledged the reality of climate change, but Ramone argued it is both manmade and natural.
When asked about resiliency, Ramone highlighted his opposition to an electric vehicle mandate, which other states have implemented. Meyer later concurred with this point.
However, Meyer urged that action must be taken, calling out Ramone in his response to the question.
“I think you just asked my opponent about the challenges of resiliency in the face of these hurricanes,” Meyer said. “My opponent said a solution is to eliminate an electric vehicle mandate, which will not save lives. We need to invest in resiliency. We need to invest in infrastructure.”
On the topic of transparency, both candidates voiced support for establishing an Office of Inspector General. This comes after a contentious Democratic primary for the governor’s office, where campaign finance issues were highlighted in Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long’s campaign finance scandal.
Both candidates were asked to clarify their positions on the Office of Inspector General after the debate when taking questions from members of the press.
Ramone pointed to the Democratic majority’s control of the legislature and the governor’s office as the reason for the need for balance within the state.
“Once again, a problem with not enough balance one way or another,” Ramone said. “So yes, I am absolutely in favor. I think it’s incredibly important, and it takes the pressure off some of our statewide offices.”
Meyer argued that accountability within government is more important than ever and that everyone, regardless of party or office, should be held to the same ethical standards.
“We need to make sure there’s ultimately accountability, not to some insider club but to the people,” Meyer said. “As we implement the Inspector General, we’re going to make sure the accountability is not just to me or any elected official, but to the public at large.”
Both candidates closed with statements asserting what they will do for Delaware and how they will help improve the state for all.
Meyer and Ramone will face off in the general election on Nov. 5.