JFC Looking At Cutting Education Funding
Sometimes it is like we don’t even have Democrats controlling the state of Delaware.
The Joint Finance Committee is trying to scrape together enough money to invest in schools boasting a high number of students coming from low-income families and those learning English as a second language.
JFC co-chair, Rep. Melanie George Smith (D-Bear), said she doesn’t want to take away funding for existing programs, but a proposed $1.9 million in new dollars for language immersion might be needed elsewhere.
The committee grilled newly minted Secretary of Education Susan Bunting for three days on nearly every line item and staffed position.
Not once in the Delaware Public Radio article did anyone mention raising taxes. Not once.
Carney will be making some public appearances soon where you can express your views:
7:30 a.m. – February 15 – Drip Café, Hockessin, with Senator David Sokola
8:00 a.m. – February 21 – Drip Café, Hockessin, with Senator Greg Lavelle
9:00 a.m. – February 22 – Downtown Dover Partnership, Dover, with Senator Brian Bushweller
February 22 – TELE-TOWN HALL
9:00 a.m. – March 1 – Nanticoke Senior Center, Seaford, with Representative Daniel Short
8:00 a.m. – April 5 – Café Gelato, Newark, with Representative Paul Baumbach
Also:
8:00am – February 23 – Crossroads Restaurant, with Representative Kim Williams
Carney says that the only solution to this budget problem is strong economic growth. Said it right to my face. What he failed to mention was the words between the ‘only” and the ‘solution.’
It’s the only ‘politically expedient’ solution because our “Democratic” governor is a corporate shrill and a squid.
We know where the money is. It’s concentrated and hoarding under the guise of “strong economic growth.” Figure out a way politically to go get it.
We’ve had economic growth, but it all went to the top 1%.
MAKE. THEM. PAY!
Pay their share!
MAKE. THEM. PAY!
Pay their share!
MAKE. THEM. PAY!
We need to get in Carney’s face. They have all internalized such utter bullshit. But Carney is the worst.
The top incomes need a tax increase, and the lowest incomes need a minimum wage increase.
interesting that Carney’s making these appearances in Townsend country with Townsend allies but not Townsend
Tell them corporations that if they want to continue to reap the benefits of Delaware’s talented workforce they’re going to have to pay a little more to keep them in the pipeline. If they don’t like it, they can move to Mississippi.
Then tell the citizens of Delaware that we’ve run out of ways to get people and businesses from the other 49 states to pick up the tab for our school systems, our prisons and our roads. If we don’t want to continue down the road to becoming a banana republic, we’re going to have to pay for some of this stuff ourselves. And, if you don’t like it, you can go to Mississippi too.
Interesting how Carney didn’t plan a meeting for citizens living near Lewes, Millsboro etc. Carney has no solutions to any of these financial problems. He listens to the Chamber and the corporate lobbyists (shadow govt) while ignoring what our citizens offer up as solutions. There are about 5 good legislators in this state, the rest are corporate supporters just like the republicans.
One very easy way to increase revenues is to follow Maryland and charge 2 different EZ pass fees – instate and out of state. THe journal showed how many more people came through DE last year and if the out of state travelers paid $2 for each toll on the ROTH bridge while DE still paid $1 that would generate at least $7-10 million annually
Another prison guard severely assaulted today as reported on wdel …..who is going to deal with the staffing shortages there? that costs $$$$$$$$
The recent News Journal headline “B.F. Rich closes its doors, laying off 130 workers” is an ominous yet predictable heralding of Delaware’s economic future if we refuse to acknowledge our flawed policies and priorities. The first paragraph alone, “B.F. Rich Windows & Doors is going out of business after nearly 60 years, laying off all of its roughly 130 workers”, should strike an alarm that must be heard and answered.
Our State government’s failure to even try to help this local business and its hard-working loyal employees while giving away hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars to Astra-Zeneca (130 recent layoffs), DuPont (1700 recent layoffs), JP Morgan ($24 Billion in profits last year), Incyte, Chemours, Sev-One, and dozens of other uber-wealthy global corporations that have their way with Delaware taxpayers money is the result of years of failed economic policy and neglect of Delaware’s small business community and their problems. This continuing practice of corporate welfare and tax cuts for the wealthiest corporations that consistently have their hands out and move their jobs overseas and out of state is a dereliction of economic duty and responsibility that will inevitably crush the opportunities and prospects of the small, local business community that provide over 75% of Delaware’s jobs. I have consistently and continuously written and spoken out against these corporate extortion economic policies. The loss of 130 local jobs and a once successful company, native to Delaware, is another tragic example of the last Administration’s abject economic policy failures and if we do not change we can expect many more to follow. Please contact your State Senators, Representatives and Governor and ask them to cease gift wrapping your tax dollars for wealthy corporations and start supporting and bolstering the local business community that have earned the right to be part of Delaware’s future.
State Representative John Kowalko 25th District
Given that Delaware has so much banking expertise, why not a State owned bank that offers low interest loans to distressed but potentially viable locally born and bred companies to give them a hand with survival? Not handouts, loans, long and short term.
@Stan: Look up the Farmers Bank scandal of the 1970s. That was a 75% state-owned bank that went belly-up on Gov. Sherman Tribbitt’s watch, leading to the election of Pete du Pont. That’s why not.
Beyond that, I think David Swayze runs enough of the state without giving him a bank to oversee.
Amen, Rep. Kowalko!
Please make no mistake about it. These giveaways to the wealthiest corporations, these tax breaks for the richest global corporations and the failure to even attempt to institute a fairer, more progressive tax system in Delaware have been supported by leadership of both parties. This must change now. The ideological constraints of Republican legislators must be cast off and the subservient and self-preservationist attitude of Democrat legislators must not suppress their responsibility to all Delaware taxpayers, families and businesses. An unabashed commitment to a party ideology or re-election security should never replace the obligation and responsibility elected public “servants” have too the only special interest that counts…the people.
representative John Kowalko
We can’t have Dems like Carney in “safe seats” where they get to ignore Delaware’s taxpaying, families and businesses in order to shower the wealthiest corporations with tax breaks.
It is well past time to start making all “business as usual” Democrats very nervous.