By PATRICK JACKSON
The News Journal
09/21/2004
Prison issues were at the forefront of two debates Monday in Wilmington between Gov. Ruth Ann Minner and her Republican challenger, Bill Lee.
At the Academy of Lifelong Learning in Arsht Hall on the University of Delaware's Wilmington Campus, Minner said the July abduction and rape of prison counselor Cassandra Arnold at the Delaware Correctional Center near Smyrna did not involve any violations of Department of Correction policies.
But Minner said her ability to comment was limited because the incident, which is still the subject of an internal Department of Correction investigation, is a personnel matter.
Lee did not comment on the incident, but he has called for an independent investigation and said that the state must fix staffing problems at prisons that make the institutions unnecessarily dangerous. During his time as judge, Lee said he saw the results of that system when corrections officers who were pulling mandatory double shifts would sometimes fall asleep in court.
"We don't even have any idea of what the correct staffing levels should be," Lee said. "That's because we have a system where people are expected to work overtime."
At the university event and again at an evening forum at the Jewish Community Center, Minner said the state was taking steps to improve pay and benefits for corrections workers to help staunch the flow of trained corrections officers from Delaware to neighboring states.
At both forums, attended by several hundred people, the two stuck to education themes they've been hitting throughout the campaign. While saying there's more to do to improve schools, Minner defended her administration's record on education, pointing to national test scores showing improvement among the state's students. Lee pointed to the state's low SAT scores and said he would dump the state's accountability testing system and the three-tiered diploma system, now being reviewed by consultants.
At the first event, candidates were asked for their positions on the issue of importing prescription drugs from Canada. Lee said he likes the idea and would join other states in a push to change the federal law banning the practice for Medicare and Medicaid recipients. But, he said, he would enforce the law until the change happens.
Minner said she backs the idea of being able to get drugs at a lower price, but she wants to ensure people are getting the same drugs and the same quality of prescriptions they receive in this country.
Independent-Libertarian candidate Frank Infante was not invited to the appearance before the public affairs classes in Arsht Hall, and he was denied the chance to speak at the Jewish Community Center forum. Jack Zigon, who helped organize the event, said Infante failed to return information requested of third-party candidates proving their viability.
Infante met with reporters outside the event and said he met the requirements for inclusion.
"I came here expecting to take part in this," he said. "When I came in there were two sides on the table, but no room for me. ... In four years, when I'm governor, this debate won't matter because the governor won't be there."
Both Minner and Lee said they were disappointed that Infante was denied a chance to speak.
"He had an invitation," Minner said. "The people should have been allowed to hear what he has to say."
Lee agreed Infante should have been allowed to speak, or at least told in advance that he was off the agenda.
"He showed up with his invitation, his family, his campaign manager, thinking he was going to be given the opportunity to participate," Lee said. "He should have been allowed to take part."
Contact Patrick Jackson at 678-4274 or pjackson@delawareonline.com.
