Michael Alexander Smith and Frank Burns, both Democratic candidates for State House District 21, are vying to win back the seat after years of Republican control by Mike Ramone, current House Minority Leader and one of the GOP’s candidates for the gubernatorial race. 

Both Smith and Burns emphasized the need for change on what they deemed some of the biggest issues facing candidates across the state this election season.

Burns elaborated on the need for a change in how funding is appropriated for schools within Delaware.

“I’d actually like to see the state fully fund the education system,” Burns said. “There are 20 education boards that have more public school students than the entire state of Delaware.”

For Burns, it comes down to the funding itself. He believes that if the state does not assist the education system and address systemic problems, it will affect other areas, including the elderly and the entirety of the public school system.

“The state needs to bite the bullet, take on the funding of education and make it happen,” Burns said. “I remind people who are retired that they get cost-of-living adjustments in their Social Security, but the schools don’t get a cost-of-living adjustment.”

Smith echoed Burns’ concerns, emphasizing that many challenges faced by the education system stem from the current funding structure for public schools.

“We have a very particular need for the student population, particularly in northern New Castle County, that requires additional funding so that students with disabilities, students from low-income backgrounds and students who are English learners can get the support services they need,” Smith said.

Smith also stressed the need for retention when it comes to educators and ensuring students can tackle the issues they face on a day-to-day basis.

“We need to retain our top talent here,” Smith said. “I would love to see more funding going into our school systems, whether it be from the state or local share.”

The two candidates also addressed the issues they felt were most underrepresented in their district and how those issues defined their candidacies. Burns and Smith pointed to different challenges they believe are significant for their constituents and their respective solutions if elected to office.

“We have more hidden poverty in this district than I think most people realize,” Burns said. “I’ve met several people who were living in poverty, even though they were in their homes, and they were just not aware of the services available.”

Burns noted that living in private homes does not necessarily mean residents are not struggling daily.

For Smith, road safety was a top issue, but he also felt that it often went unnoticed.

“I think road safety is one of those top priorities that doesn’t make newspaper headlines, but I believe it should because it’s just as important as what makes the byline,” Smith said.

Smith, who was involved in a near-fatal car accident a year ago, explained that he does not want any other Delawarean to go through a similar experience.

“I consider myself lucky because I survived, but we lose over 100 Delawareans every year to road accidents,” Smith said. “It’s something I hear about constantly at the doors.”

He also discussed solutions to improve road safety, including stricter enforcement on reckless driving and reconfiguring intersections to be more pedestrian-friendly and safe.

Both candidates commented on the recent Dept. of Elections report on Bethany Hall-Long’s campaign, the violation of campaign finance law and public trust in government and elected officials.

“It’s going to depend on what the Delaware public supports and who wins the primary and the general election,” Smith said. 

He added that he would work with anyone, whether a Republican or Democratic governor.

Burns emphasized the need for an Office of Inspector General and an independent body to counter corruption.

“We need an Office of Inspector General in the state, and we need that upfront and right away,” Burns said. “Departments and institutions are not good at policing themselves. We need an independent Office of Inspector General to go after corruption.”

Smith also voiced support for an Office of Inspector General and greater transparency in campaign finance for any candidate.

Smith and Burns will face off in the Sept. 10 primary, which will determine who will advance to the general election.