Thursday, April 22, 2010

How do we do it?

Thomas Jefferson believed government should be insignificant in the lives of American citizens. It should be so small that citizens awaken every day and give little thought to the cost and function of Government.

Look at the news for 5 minutes. If the Federal Government is not spending Billions, the State Government is spending Millions, and Counties and Cities are spending hundreds of thousands or millions. Government costs money, there is no way around it! Responsible Government costs less! It will be a long, hard, arduous task, but we can return to the days when elected officials remembered each and every day that each dollar they spend comes from a tax payers wallet! This has been long forgotten by our Government and the tax payer is not respected except the few months before an election! After the election, BUSINESS AS USUAL! We can change this and return our leadership to being good stewards of the tax payer dollar. I know it sounds like a Disney movie, but elections have consequences and the consequences of decades of elections is a State that has spent way, way more than it takes in. Instead of cutting spending, the answer has always been, take a little bit more from the tax payer. We have to stop sending this mindset to Dover! I will promise now to vote NO to any new spending that requires raising taxes. We have enough income, we need to manage it better. With that said, here's one idea:

I believe we can promote business, employment and good stewardship of our beautiful counties at the same time. Offering a tax credit to businesses which hire and retain non-family employees each year would encourage growth and small business development. This tax credit does not affect the State budget as what we cut in business tax would be made up by employee income taxes. Employers claim the number of full time, non-family employees each year and if it goes up, their tax burden is reduced. If it doesn't, taxes remain the same.

I believe we can promote preservation of our beautiful countryside by encouraging business to develop sites where vacant buildings now stand. Working with local governments to provide incentives for businesses to expand into existing sites would preserve untouched land and provide new tenants for those vacant buildings which litter our towns and communities. Offering low interest loans, flexible terms, and encouraging towns and cities to create their own incentives for new business to renovate and renew rather than buy property and build would lower the consumption of our beautiful open spaces and farm land in Kent and Sussex Counties. Renovating existing businesses puts people to work. From the contractors all the way up. It also benefits our local communities and allows the addition of police officers, city services, and equipment purchases as tax revenues will increase as the business takes off. As a business grows, other businesses will want to move in promoting commercial and industrial growth which we can manage responsibly.

For those businesses that decide on new construction, we need less Government interference once the site is decided upon and approved. New construction should be cautiously encouraged in a manner that protects our open spaces and farm land but allows the development which brings jobs.

Ronald Reagan said it best when he declared that in his experience he found too often that Government was the problem, not the solution. We can elect leadership which will work with State leaders, County Leaders, and Municipal Leaders to make Delaware a great place to work, to live, and to visit.

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Who is Steve Rust

I was born in Milford DE in 1963, the third child of William "Harvey" and Doris (Van Vorst) Rust. I grew up in or near Milford all of my life. My dad was a life long Democrat, working for the State of Delaware for over 30 years. My mom worked part time at a grocery store and for a time, tended a poultry farm for my uncle when I was very young. Thinking back, I can remember my parents having some pretty rough times financially but we always pulled through.

My mom died of cancer when I was 19. When she was diagnosed, I was one of those who told myself, people only die of cancer in other families! Two years later, my mom was dead and my dad was a widower. As families do, we stuck together and my brother, my sister and her family, along with my family pulled through. I remember my mom's faith as she awaited the inevitable. I think she knew from day 1 she would die, but she always reminded us that God was good and would take care of everything in one way or another.

I married the lovely Cindy Bell in 1983, and my son, Stephen was born 9 months later. Unfortunately, my mom died about 3 weeks before he was born. But as she said, God worked every thing out. Taking a dear life from us, and giving us a dear life in return.

Cindy and I had 2 more children and they're all grown up now. We recently celebrated our 27th wedding anniversary! (She deserves a medal) I have seen the hand of God in our marriage since day 1, and we are committed to living out a Godly marriage albeit we stumble from time to time. Me more often than her!!!

In 1985 I was hired by the Milford Police Department and have served there for nearly 25 years I have worked all the positions in the patrol division, served as a detective, and served as a narcotics investigator, including a brief time as a DEA Task Force Officer.

About 10 or so years ago, I began listening to Conservative Talk Radio and found that though I didn't agree with all the positions, I truly believe America is the best country in the World and I am in awe of our founders who pledged their fortunes and their sacred honor to win our freedom. I love history and thinking about the US Soldiers who stormed the beaches at Normandy and fought all the way to Germany brings a tear to my eye. I also choke up thinking about the brave Marines who stormed the beaches at Iwo Jima and fought relentlessly for their Country. I remember being proud when I learned that American Forces were bombing Iraq to free Kuwait from the tyranny of Saddam Hussein, and I am proud of the men and women currently serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, and all of the United States Military. This includes my son who served 6 years during war time in the United States Air Force!!

I decided to explore a run for office, not because I have personal differences with Representative Walls or Mr. Peterman. I have watched our State spend and spend and spend and then try to balance the budget by imposing new taxes and high fees. If you get a traffic citation in Delaware, $25 or so goes for the violation. An additional $35 or so is tacked on for fees to pay the bills our State leadership has racked up. When that didn't work, we cut the State employees pay! I was taught that we should be willing to pay a fair wage for hard work. This doesn't include taking it back because we can't say NO to reckless spending habits and special interests! Now our State Legislature seeks to balance the budget by building casinos and introducing gambling in our neighborhoods.

What happens when this money runs out? It will run out and probably very quickly. What will Pete Schwartzkopf and the Democrats seek to tax next? Will we raise gas taxes, income taxes, property taxes? Enough is enough!!! That is why I am exploring a candidacy. I will not give my approval to any NEW spending bills in the House of Representatives until we have taken a close look at every inch of State Government and cut spending. I believe that Republicans, Democrats, and Independents MUST work to reduce the tax liability of Delaware Residents and to do that the irresponsibile spending has to stop. Someone has to have the guts to say NO MORE!! I can and will do that if elected to the 33rd District.

In addition to cutting State spending, Delaware leadership in State Government must work with the Cities and Towns to bring good paying jobs to our State. Not just in New Castle County, but in Kent and Sussex Counties as well. We need to talk with business leaders and find out what it is they need from State Government and local government to expand their businesses and hire more Delawareans at fair wages. I look at Milford, where hundreds of beautiful homes and communities were built over the past 10 years. Many of these homes are now for sale due to the lack of meaningful employment opportunities which provide the means to pay the mortgage and raise families. There are businesses sitting vacant which, with some incentives provided by State and Local Governments, could house the next Microsoft! We need to start now or watch our State go the way of California! Passing out IOU's to employees and vendors.

I watched my mom and dad work through rough financial times. They did it by cutting back, saving, and working hard to get ahead. In my own family, when times were tight, we worked hard (sometimes 3 jobs), cut back, and pushed ourselves forward.

If I run, I will bring that determination to the 33rd District. The determination to cut back, work hard, and look for ways to bring prosperity through hard work! In other words, I will do what John F Kennedy asked before I was born, "Ask not what your Country (State) can do for you, ask what you can do for your Country (State).

In the weeks to come, there will be more forthcoming. I solicit your prayers and your encouragement. If things work out, I will work for your vote! Please let me know what you think, good or bad.

God Bless America and our State

Steve Rust