Every penny counts, but you make it sound like downsizing the State promotes the general welfare. I respectfully disagree. I am a big fan of public private synergy.

Things like the Global Positioning Satellites put in place by the public sector coupled with the cool GPS devices the private sector brings to market. It’s a classic public/private synergy with benefits and jobs to numerous to mention. Jobs that did not exist ten years ago.

We need to keep a sharp eye on spending. That’s different than trying to starve the State. Delaware’s public sector is part of the engine that drives prosperity.

Are you setting me up with the “Next thing you’ll argue is that our astronomical spending keeps the sky blue, too.” line? Obvious answer:

Yes, State environmental and natural resources spend millions of tax dollars trying to keep the sky blue. The sky is bluer that ever thanks to government spending.

Except for that money’s not being spent on ‘prosperity.’ It’s being spent on cronyism and the fact that the state can’t tell the difference between a check and a credit card. The only ‘prosperity’ is for the 821 people making $100K plus generous benefits inside state government.

That was before they got $4 billion in new investment and 7,000 new jobs in the last few years. In fact, they beat out Delaware for one of those auto plants. So somebody disagrees with you.

And our GDP growth was third worst in the nation two years in a row, negative in 2007 and 2008, when we were spending as much per cap as anybody.

Next thing you’ll argue is that our astronomical spending keeps the sky blue, too.

During the 16 years that Delaware public sector spending increased every year, our State GDP doubled. Delaware now has the highest per capita GDP in the USA. Almost 50% higher GDP per capita than the national average. We’ve been first in GDP per cap year after year as State spending and private prosperity both grew year after year. It’s all good.

Mississippi, with less public sector growth and lower taxes, is last per capita GDP. Mississippi is the low tax, small government poster child. It’s the poorest state in the country. So why keep saying cheap public services and low taxes are so good for private sector economic growth?

Delaware is a first class place to live and work, let’s not be penny wise and pound foolish. Did it pay to spend a couple extra bucks to make the highways into Wilmington look a bit better than average. I say yes. For wealthy states like DE (a top per capita personal income state) looking cheap or poor is not cool. Sure, businesses like low taxes, but many of the sharpest businesses value quality of life even more. And that means well kept public services. We are looking to attract first class business, not old cheapskate industry bottom fishing for low wages or low taxes.

What happens to private real estate values when pot holes don’t get filled or neighborhood blight goes unabated or crime isn’t vigorously policed? I don’t want to do safety, justice or environment on the cheap. Same with education or taking care of our old folks and disabled. Government service for old folks will cost more in the future not less.

The era of being anti-government is over. Without a well funded public sector, there wouldn’t be a modern private sector as we know it. Well funded public infrastructure means a more productive private sector.

Don’t be fooled into believing prosperity comes cheap.

Actually, it was a result of the negotiations and was sponsored by 40 Reps.

“In about 4 weeks the Gov. will steal the “cut state goverment through attrition” theme from Cathcart.”

I understand that is the goal, and his MO is to take things from other people and make them his own, but there are events in motion to try and stop him from doing so on this.