Candidate name: Jeffrey Hall

Party: Democrat

Age: 59

Hometown: Dover

Political experience: four years as Kent County commissioner for 2nd District.

Professional experience: 31 years’ active duty (enlisted and officer) in U.S. Coast Guard. 10 years’ experience as department chair for engineering technologies, Delaware Technical Community College. Certified project manager for U.S. Department of Homeland Security (information technology systems $5M-$50M). Certificates in planning and local government management through University of Delaware.

What uniquely qualifies you for this office?

Aside from my four years of experience on Levy Court, I took the initiative to participate in University of Delaware’s Institute for Public Administration’s training in local government leadership. Twice. Once as a candidate and then again after my election to office. This program included courses in land use, developing a comprehensive plan, ethics and Freedom of Information Act requirements. As a result, I earned certifications in planning, as well as local government leadership. This training informs all of my land-use decisions and county code revisions. The position is both legislative (county code) and judicial (land-use decisions), and Kent County residents deserve a commissioner who understands the constitutional framework underlying these decisions. In addition, having served on the Finance Committee and Public Safety Committee, I have unique insights into our budget process and emergency management services for Kent County.

What are the top three issues for this office in your view?

First, the county is experiencing its first property reassessment since 1987. This is a court-ordered action because Delaware is one of the few states that does not have a structured reassessment schedule. This needs to change. Kent County ought to reassess every five to 10 years, as 90% of states or counties already do. This minimizes the shock to homeowners. Second: Most residents rely on a single wastewater treatment facility in Frederica, and the recent growth in population creates the need for a second facility in the county. We are a low-lying coastal county vulnerable to major weather events, and we need to be proactive rather than reactive. Third: We need to continue our partnership with the Kent Economic Partnership to attract good-paying jobs within our growth zone in order to keep our young people here in good-paying jobs that support our local economy.

What would be your top priority if elected?

If reelected to Levy Court, my top priority would be to ensure that we continue to provide quality services within our budget. Delaware law demands that we remain revenue-neutral as a result of any property reassessment. So we will continue to work from the same bottom line without tax increases. We work together in a nonpartisan way to ensure that residents of Kent County receive top-quality services in the most cost-effective way possible.

If you could change one county policy or law, what would it be?

The good news is that my top priority for changing policy is already happening! On Oct. 12, our Planning Department held public workshops to showcase a streamlining of zoning policies. The goal is to simplify zoning code to make it simpler, faster, cheaper and easier than it’s ever been. To sum it up: We’re trying to get out of the way for our residents to get results. Secondly, I think we owe our residents a predictable property reassessment schedule that prevents the situation we’re currently in. So many of the residents that I’ve met with have reinforced the need to keep taxes low, and I am committed to doing just that.