DelawarePolitics.net

We have to spend our way out of bankruptcy said Delaware’s finest. I guess Vice President Biden did not read the CBO directors blog. Under current law, the federal budget is on an unsustainable path, because federal debt will continue to grow much faster than the economy over the long run. Although great uncertainty surrounds [...]

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In their own words– DOVER – In a move that will reduce the number of checks the state cuts each year, reduce the number of state credit cards and deliver several hundred thousand dollars back from the state’s credit card vendor, Governor Jack Markell announced Friday reforms in the way the State of Delaware pays [...]

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• From January 1, 2009 through June 30, 2009, state employees received more than $76.5 million in benefits. • In fiscal year 2008, the State of Delaware spent over $3.1 billion in check payments to Delaware businesses and over $1 billion to out-of-state firms (over a quarter of the check expenditures), equating to over $3 [...]

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Caesar Rodney Institute Launches Transparency Web Site DelawareSpends.com unveiled in effort to increase accountability in government through a user-friendly, searchable online database of state government spending. DOVER – In recent years the calls for improving accountability and transparency in Delaware’s state government have increased tremendously. As is evident with the State of Delaware’s recent budget [...]

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60% of voters surveyed oppose a new federal stimulus bill. This may explain the administration’s reluctance in asking for another one. They are leaving it up to “outside adviser” economist Laura Tyson to float it. Voters are divided into three camps about the first one. 31% say that it hurt the economy, 30% say that [...]

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The state budget is actually a few hundred million dollars smaller than last year due to the lack of funds. Here is what the governor had to say about it in his own words. July 01, 2009 Markell Signs Budget That Responsibly Closes Historic Shortfall; Lauds Passage of Administration’s Education and Energy Reforms FY 2010 [...]

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resolutedetermination over at Resolute Determination has this inspiring report up: I just called the Division of Research at Legislative Hall to get my hands on a copy of the budget. I was told that the public has no right to review the budget until after the General Assembly passes the bill. So how can any [...]

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Step one– How many of the savings recommended by State Auditor Tom Wagner are still floating around. Some such as the DSTP reform is outdated. Others are not. Talk about consolidating the school districts is understandably controversial. What really isn’t controversial is consolidating the administration of the vo-tech high schools. That seems like an easy [...]

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While the leadership seems to have reached an accord with the Governor which results in millions of dollars in increased taxes, I urge each and every Republican member of the General Assembly to reject the deal. Why? First and foremost, the Republican Party is opposed to tax increases aimed at perpetuating big government. Second, the [...]

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Our friend, Charlie Copeland alerted us to a bill HB 274. It seems to be set to sail through under suspension of the rules without a committee hearing. Which is 46 pages of fee hikes. According to the bill’s own synopsis, this is true. This act increases certain fees charged by the Department of Health [...]

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North Wilmington Republican Representatives Tom Kovach, Greg Lavelle, and Debbie Hudson joined together today to call on the Legislature to reject increases in the personal income tax and short-sighted state employee pay cuts, instead promoting meaningful and sustainable reductions in state expenses.

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For the record, I am happy we have Dick Cathcart and Jack Markell, I really am.  These two are absolutely hardballers and having them in opposition right now over the budget is a great thing.  There should be fighting over this.  Never would I want to see happy bandwagoners supporting something as drastic as this [...]

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The Joint Finance Committee’s lack of courage so far in addressing the restructuring of government is based upon a flawed assumption that no matter how much waste we find in Delaware government, its expansion is worth protecting. I believe that not addressing the cost of government is the opposite of standing up for the interests [...]

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In spite of the fact that the  DSTP was a state mandate, at least the state paid for the actual test.  A new assessment would likely save the state money, but in spite of cutting the contribution to the local schools, the Department of Education seems to want school contributions.  The districts at least control [...]

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Walgreens Pharmacies in Delaware won’t be taking Medicaid after July 6 unless some agreement with the state. New rules which took effect on April 1st reduce the amount of money the state will pay for brand name prescriptions. According to this WBOC story, Walgreens states that “Delaware now has one of the lowest payment rates [...]

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Former Presidential Candidate Ralph Nader chimes in on the GM bankruptcy: Today’s bankruptcy declaration in federal court by General Motors is an avoidable, crude weapon of mass devastation for workers, dealers, auto suppliers, small businesses and their depleted communities. For GM’s voiceless owners — the common shareholders — it is a wipeout. The proximate cause [...]

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News from Gretawire $546, 668 !! (yikes!) “….The latest increase raises federal obligations to a record $546,668 per household in 2008, according to the USA TODAY analysis. That’s quadruple what the average U.S. household owes for all mortgages, car loans, credit cards and other debt combined…” I lifted the above paragraph from USA Today (tipped [...]

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This week Governor Markell pulled an astonishing, double-secret-pinky-swear fact out and smacked Delawareans in the face with it: “This isn’t over,” Markell said. “The bottom line is, we still need to find the funding to do all the things we need to do.” Markell said lawmakers who opposed his proposal were voting against something that [...]

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McCain proposals to cut 18 billion in earmarks were deemed as no big deal by the President, but cutting 17 billion now is. I am I the only one seeing the humor? Unfortunately the cuts are mostly from defense including killing jobs to build the F-22. Most of the rest of the cuts are the [...]

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First the man proposes tripling our taxes with a single payer/player health scheme and now he thinks that taxpayers need to sacrifice more because it is unfair that state employees have to give back to balance the budget. Rep. John Kowalko proposes massive tax increase in the gas tax, personal income tax, and just so [...]

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Suddenly it’s being peddled by the Governor and the House Majority Leader that voting against the casino gambling bill somehow means a vote against state employees’ pay: “This isn’t over,” Markell said. “The bottom line is, we still need to find the funding to do all the things we need to do.” Markell said lawmakers [...]

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$328,835 is the pricetag for the White House’s tragically stupid New York City photo-op according to the Air Force. Check it out: The flight by the VC-25, a modified Boeing Co. 747, and two F-16 fighter jets cost $328,835, Air Force spokeswoman Vicki Stein said. $328,835 for a picture at a time when many Americans [...]

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http://www.delawaresbadhabit.com is the link for a common sense approach for restructuring state government. Senator Colin Bonini points out that if we continued the DuPont Castle budgets the state government would have a 2.1 Billion dollar budget today and not well over 3.2 Billion dollars with a 750 million dollar short fall. We would have a [...]

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Governor Jack Markell held a “roundtable” in Newark this morning with “Delaware Bloggers.” Strangely missing from the “roundtable” were bloggers from Sussex County, the majority all of Kent County, and any blogger anywhere in Delaware that even slightly smacked of conservatism.

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Fear Mongering And Loathing In Las Vegas Delaware Once upon a time, I worked for a wise candidate who told me that when budget cuts are on the horizon, an administration will threaten teachers’ jobs or pay to scare and anger the masses. That way, when a teacher’s 8% pay cut ends up being a [...]

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Three new casinos for Delaware? That’s our new Governor’s vision for our beloved state. Think about it…Delaware is 96 miles long…3 new casinos will give us a casino every 16 miles! Oh yeah, and apparently we might need sports betting (even though professional sports is opposed to it), and table games, too. Well, I have [...]

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Lt. Governor Matt Denn gave a clarion call of sacrifice today during his address.  That is usually Democrat code for a legal mugging is coming.  Especially when combined with his gratuitous blasting of Ronald Reagan.  I found it unsettling at best.  Asking if you are better off is not corrosive.  It is basic.  Is government [...]

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My Nomination for best use of Delawarean’s taxpayer money in 2008 is in.  I don’t attack taxpayer funded business trips, here. They are usually useful and legitimate expenses, but once in a while some people try to game the system. According to the Dec. 17 2008 Delaware State News, Governor Minner went to the Virgin Islands for [...]

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Something that you should consider when you hear promises in the state campaign is the falling state revenue. Now the 2010 projection is just a guess, but the closer you get, the more accurate the forecast. We still have to be careful. The Delaware State News reported this on today’s newszap forum in a Drew Volturo article. State [...]

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I may not believe in Santa Claus, but Uncle Sam is just as good.  Congress loaded up a gift for nearly everyone in the massive new housing bill which takes effect in October.  The New York Times had this report. But it also includes many handouts to first-time homebuyers, longtime homeowners, returning veterans and senior [...]

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