Krista will relentlessly fight for economic development; access to health care; the protection of seniors, children and other vulnerable members of society; community safety; access to high-quality education, equality; and smart management of traffic and development.
Economic development:
Krista and her husband, Ted, moved to Delaware more than twelve years ago because of job opportunities and a strong quality of life in the First State.
At that time, longtime residents told them that the key to Delaware’s economy could be summed up in seven “C’s” – credit cards, chemicals, Court of Chancery, cars and chickens. In the past dozen years, much has changed economically in Delaware with automotive manufacturing jobs leaving the state, the merger of the DuPont and Dow chemical companies and Bank of America’s acquisition of the credit card giant MBNA.
Delaware can no longer rely on one letter of the alphabet to define its economy. Our state needs to offer a variety of good-paying jobs to offer to residents who want to remain here. As a state representative for District 12, Krista will help Delaware secure its place on the cutting edge of economic development. Krista will
- Support existing business, such as our key financial, science-based and legal industries
- Foster business innovation
- Help small businesses remain an integral part of our community
Access to health care:
Krista learned firsthand how challenging it is to navigate the healthcare system when her son, Nate, was diagnosed with leukemia just a few weeks after his first birthday. Fortunately, Krista’s family had good insurance, and Nate was successfully treated and remains in remission.
During the many months Krista sat at Nate’s bedside, she saw firsthand the real struggles that families encounter with healthcare coverage or who face language or other barriers when advocating for their children. Krista’s experience with Nate deeply reinforced for her the importance of access to top-quality health care for all of us, whether we are 2 years old or 92.
Krista also believes it is vital to expand healthcare services for people coping with addiction.
The opioid crisis has many causes, but one of the main reasons people develop addiction to opioids is due to inadequate healthcare for accidents and chronic pain management. Securing healthcare for Delaware citizens is a crucial first step to preventing addiction. In addition to preventative healthcare, treatment services are critically important to stopping the spread of addiction and the crime that follows it.
As a prosecutor, Krista worked with too many families suffering from the devastation caused by addiction. Senior citizens lost their life savings to relatives who stole money to buy drugs, such as opioid painkillers.
Krista will join with Delaware leaders who have recently made great strides in developing initiatives to address the addiction epidemic. An effective response to addiction begins with prevention and treatment that will ultimately reduce the amount of crime committed in Delaware.
Protecting seniors, children and the vulnerable:
As a Deputy Attorney General, Krista dedicated her career to the protection of the most vulnerable in Delaware – children, senior citizens, domestic violence victims and individuals with disabilities.
Krista prosecuted the most serious and sensitive of cases. She also developed policy and drafted legislation directly aimed at providing more protections to these individuals. As the mother of a child who has Down syndrome, Krista fully understand the importance of making sure individuals with different abilities are protected.
As your state representative Krista will ensure that all vulnerable individuals have full access to programs vital to their well-being; laws that protect them; and are not subject to unfair tax burdens.
Community safety:
The General Assembly has a role in ensuring Wilmington has the tools and resources necessary to reduce violent crime within city limits and Krista will make sure the legislature fulfills that responsibility. As a prosecutor, Krista was tough on crime and fought for the rights of victims. She will continue to prioritize the safety of the community as a legislator.
Krista will also be a strong advocate for common sense laws to protect our neighborhoods and schools from gun violence. Krista believes Delaware also must continue to reform its criminal justice system to better rehabilitate youthful offenders, give adult offenders returning to society the tools they need to contribute and review sentencing laws.
Education:
Improving education in Delaware is vital to our state’s well-being. It is key to improving the economy, reducing crime and enhancing the quality of life here in the First State.
Krista will ensure that every child has top-quality education and that our dedicated teachers have the resources to deliver that education. Krista will be a forceful advocate in Dover to ensure our public schools are getting the support they need.
Investing in the educational system will serve as a tool for recruiting business and industry to the state so that our citizens can have good, quality employment.
Equality:
Delaware has been a leader in promoting equality. Krista is proud that, when she worked at the Department of Justice, the agency strongly supported marriage equality legislation and legislation prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity.
Our work ensuring all Delawareans are treated equally and protected from bullying and discrimination is never done. Krista will continue to advocate for laws that protect all of Delaware’s citizens.
Smart management of traffic and development:
Without careful thought and vigilance on the management of development and traffic, we will erode the quality of life here that means so much to us.
Traffic congestion is a problem throughout the 12th District. Many residents in District 12 also are concerned about what will happen with large tracts of land such as the DuPont Country Club and other undeveloped parcels.
District 12 deserves a state representative who will listen attentively and meet often with residents to advocate for the future of our community. Krista will bring energy and a fresh perspective to these vital issues.