Three candidates running to represent the City of Newark’s third district answered questions at a League of Women Voters forum Wednesday night.
Jay Bancroft is the third district incumbent, first elected in 2020. His challengers are retired Registered Nurse Russell Zehnacker and DelTech’s Director of the Delaware Office of Work-Based Learning Bryan Horsey.
Candidates discussed looming city budget concerns, housing for University of Delaware students, and city services.
On the budget– Bancroft touted council’s recent move to amend the city’s charter and levy an up to one percent tax on residential and commercial leased properties.
Zehnacker and Horsey joined Bancroft in supporting the city’s efforts to impose a $50 per student per semester fee on the University of Delaware.
Bancroft says Aetna Fire Company’s volunteer and donation system isn’t sustainable long-term and suggests UD should contribute to resources used on students.
“There’s a lot of discussion about bargaining chips, almost like blackmail kind of discussion," Bancroft says. "I don’t think that’s the way to approach the university about this. If they are morally persuadable, that's the technique we should use.”
Zehnacker calls public safety his main concern.
“We need to bring our pay scale for our police officers to a wage that is comparable with agencies and other areas of Delaware," Zehnacker says. "Once we are at full staff I think then the police department will be able to deal with these issues.”
Horsey says the city needs to dig deeper into its toolbox when it comes to things like attracting businesses to Newark.
“There are a lot of different tools that I think the city can pull on that maybe they are not pulling on enough," Horsey says. "Working a little bit closer with the Small Business Administration, there’s lots of help and grants available that wouldn’t come out of the city’s pocket to help attract some businesses.”
Horsey says he also thinks the city can be more active at Legislative Hall to support issues that would help the city.
Newark’s municipal election is April 9.
