General Assembly Pre-Game Show: Tues., April 25, 2017

Back from its  latest vacation,  the General Assembly may, or may not, tackle the big issues before its next, and final break (Memorial Day) before the end of session.  I HAVE to think that we will see some revenue-generating initiatives from the D’s being considered.  I would love to see if the House, at least, could pass marijuana legalization before the beginning of June. Perhaps it would help John Carney to focus his thinking on this.

There’s one key bill on the today’s Senate Agenda.  SB 20 (Lavelle)  requires that funds expended from the Transportation Trust Fund go directly to transportation-related projects.  Any deviation from that would require a 3/4 vote of the General Assembly of each chamber.  It’s a good bill, with one political caveat.  The reason why we’ve gotten to this point is because then-Gov. Mike Castle and then-Transportation Secretary Kermit Justice raided this fund to cover DELDOT personnel costs immediately after the bill had been enacted. So, when the Rethugs got their panties in a bunch that the D’s were taking advantage of the bill’s intent, they were, what’s the word I’m looking for, lying.  And they knew it.  Greg Lavelle is such a partisan political hack that he, of course, gave voice to this lie solely for political advantage.  Just remember that.  Make sure that history isn’t rewritten using alternative facts.

Rep. Lumpy Carson’s noble stand to save the Dover Mall finds its way onto today’s House Agenda via HB 115 and HB 116.  HB 115 adds Dover to the list of municipalities designated under the Special Municipality Development District guidelines. HB 116 authorizes Dover City Council to levy certain taxes to pay for the Road to Nowhere‘ the Dover Mall.  Gotta get out my obfuscation dictionary to see what ‘ad valorem’ means, be right back…OK, kids, checked out the undeniable authority, aka Wikipedia, and came up with the following:

Ad Valorem is a tax whose amount is based on the value of a transaction or of property. It is typically imposed at the time of a transaction, as in the case of a sales tax or value-added tax (VAT).

OK, all you fidouches our there, what does that mean?

The reason I ask is b/c this is what HB 116 permits:

allows the City Council of Dover to levy and collect special ad valorem taxes, special taxes, and ad valorem taxes in amounts it deems necessary for any municipal tax increment financing under the Municipal Tax Increment Financing Act and any municipal development districts under the Municipal Special Development District Financing Act.

Does this mean that we’re giving Dover the right to impose a sales tax?  Better change the signs to read “Home of Tax-Free Shopping, With the Exception of Dover, But You Really Should Visit their Mausoleum Mall Anyway”?  I’m guessing no, but I don’t know what these taxes would be otherwise. A little help?

Loads of committee meetings this week.  Starting with the House highlights:

*The House Labor Committee considers HB 1 (Longhurst), which ‘prohibits employers from inquiring into a prospective employee’s compensation history.’  The idea being that women who have been paid less for work at least equal to their male counterparts should not have the gap in wages perpetuated moving forward.

*I guess the shortage of available substitute teachers must be real.  HB 88(Matthews) ‘ allows for juniors and seniors majoring in education at a Delaware college or university to be paid $83 per day as substitute teachers, the same rate paid to those who hold a bachelor’s degree but not a teaching license.’ Education.

*More of Lumpy Carson’s Mall Bailout package will be considered in the House Administration Committee.  HB’s 117, 118, and 119, to be specific.

*I like HB 114(B. Short), which ‘ rais(es) the minimum automobile bodily injury and property damage limits to reflect the current economic conditions’.  Believe it or not, these limits have not been raised since, wait for it, 1983.  Why? Does the phrase ‘foxes guarding the henhouse mean anything to you?

*I’m also a fan of HB 126(Lynn), which permits ‘families that receive child care assistance to continue receiving that assistance for at least 90 days after losing their job provided they are seeking employment during that time’. Health & Human Development.

*I don’t write the bill synopses.  I only occasionally quote them, sometimes verbatim. Ex-cop and State Rep Steve Smyk has provided a quotable one.  From a bill that allegedly somehow will address one of the issues in the state corrections system:

This bill provides greater protection to correctional officers and other state employees who are assaulted in detention facilities by prohibiting assaults committed with a reckless state of mind.

I suppose that I could call for a ban on legislation introduced by ‘Honorables’ in a reckless state of mind.  Or a ban on ‘Honorables’ who introduce legislation while in a reckless state of mind. But that would be too easy and cheap, so I won’t do it.  Uh, Corrections Committee, for those interested.  Some things I simply cannot make up.

OK, not much going on in this week’s Senate Committee meetings.  Only two committees are scheduled to meet.

That’s it for at least a couple more days.  I’ve been on vacation and, for the next two days I’ll likely be off the radar screen, meaning I don’t think I’ll have internet access.  Time to relax-x-x-x…