As vote nears, council candidates ramp up rhetoric

With the campaign in its final days, the two major-party candidates for New Castle County are making the rounds to local media outlets in a final appeal for votes.

The Jan. 13 special election was necessitated when Paul Clark moved from council president to county executive after Chris Coons was elected to the U.S. Senate.

Running for the vacant seat are: Republican Tom Kovach, a former state representative; Democrat Tim Sheldon, a six-year councilman from Pike Creek; Libertarian James Christina; and the Blue Enigma Party’s Jeffrey Brown.

The Community News caught up with the major-party candidates Thursday to discuss a myriad of issues. The interviews with Sheldon and Kovach were a prelude to a Tuesday debate between the two candidates. The hour-long event, slated for a 6 p.m. start at Hockessin Memorial Hall, will be a chance for voters to hear directly from the candidates.

As a primer, here’s a brief synopsis of where the two candidates stand on four major campaign issues.

The Budget

Kovach: Troubled by recent reports of dwindling cash reserves and mounting debt, Kovach said the only way out was through economic development efforts. He said he would support working with the state to provide property-tax relief to landlords who lease office-space to start-up companies. He also said brownfield development – where vacant or underperforming properties with existing infrastructure are targeted for growth – should be a priority. He said he opposes any tax increases, and said he would push for duplicative agencies and various levels of government – like police – to consolidate their back office administrative functions. He also supports reducing the size of county council to “set an example for other parts of county government.”

Sheldon: The county’s fiscal situation has been a concern of Sheldon’s since he was first elected in 2004, he said. As he has previously, he said he would vote against any property tax increase that’s proposed. He would, however, consider supporting the creation of user fees for some discretionary services, like parks or libraries. “My feeling is, if I don’t use it, why should I pay for it?” he said. Sheldon said he would also consider creating a special itemized tax bill that would allow council members to vote on increasing taxes to fund a particular line item – such as public safety. Finally, he said money could be saved when by hiring more street-ready police officers and paramedics, so the county does not lose money hiring recruits that never complete their training.

Land Use

Sheldon: Conceding development issues were paramount among county residents, Sheldon said he would work to make sure the Unified Development Code and Comprehensive Plan were more strictly adhered to. His opposition to several high-profile projects in his district – including the development of the Pike Creek golf course and Milltown Square – shows that he will push back against irresponsible growth, he said. Sheldon also said he had concerns over the county’s redevelopment ordinance and has introduced replacement legislation he says ties density bonuses afforded to developers to the square-footage already built on a specific property.

Kovach: Calling it misguided, Kovach said he would work to repeal the county’s workforce housing legislation, which offers developers swifter approval and density bonuses for building units considered affordable within the marketplace. Too often, he said, the legislation has allowed for overly-dense development in areas without the infrastructure to support it. He also said he would work to clarify language in the redevelopment ordinance, making it clear that it’s only to be used for properties with an under-performing or vacant use, not just any property a builder wants to redevelop.

Experience

Kovach: Already the winner of one special election, Kovach was tapped in 2008 as the 6^th District’s State Representative and served two years in Dover before being unseated this fall. Still, he points to a record he says shows a willingness to work across party-lines. He also says his professional experience, as an environmental attorney, gives him insight into land use and redevelopment issues.

Sheldon: Pointing to widespread party support for his nomination, Sheldon said colleagues on council have lauded him for his ability to build consensus. During his six years on council, he says he’s proven to residents he has a deep commitment to constituent service. “My office answers every email and returns every call and that won’t change,” he said.

Conflicts-of-interest

Sheldon: In recent days, Sheldon has hammered Kovach for what he calls a conflict-of-interest stemming from his job as an attorney. Sheldon said that Kovach – formerly a partner at the high-profile firm Parkowski, Guerke and Swayze – could be forced to preside over a council when a client he represents has a project before the body. He also has accused Kovach of filing a financial disclosure form with the New Castle County Ethics Commission – something required of all county employees and candidates for county office. (Kovach said he was never notified about the disclosure form, but pledged to file it by the end of the week.)

Kovach: Saying he was no longer a partner with the firm and was only paid by clients directly, Kovach said it would be easy to ensure he did not represent anyone with business before the county. Instead, Kovach says it is Sheldon – a former business agent for the Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers union – that is conflicted. He said Sheldon may be compelled to approve unwarranted development projects in order to create jobs for those within his union. (Sheldon said he is no longer a business agent, and now manages the union’s pension fund. Most of his work is in Philadelphia and does not involve local tradesmen, he said.)