Delaware Gov. Jack Markell signed budget legislation as the session came to an end early Sunday morning.
- Gov. Markell signs the budget. Photo courtesy of the governor’s office.
“This session provided an opportunity for us to build on our existing strengths and to make sound choices to keep Delaware moving forward,” said Markell, a Democrat, who is running for a second and final term. “We created more opportunities to put Delawarean’s back to work, invested in our classrooms and our students and we stayed fiscally responsible while remaining committed to the safety and well-being of all Delawareans.”
The governor thanked legislators for their efforts when the session ended early Sunday morning.
The final day of the session also brought the surprise announcement that House Speaker Robert Gilligan, D-Wilmington, would not run for another term after serving in the chamber for four decades.
“Our strength resides ing the capacity of our people, even in challenging times, to work with a common purpose,” said Markell. “I want to thank our legislators for, once again, putting aside their differences and partisanship and instead focusing on how we can create a greater state in which to work, live and visit.”
The budget did draw opposition from some Republican legislators who said it did not rein in spending. The budget process was aided by a slow economic recovery that led to modest growth in tax revenues. Democrats also control both houses.
The administration took note of the Lobbying Disclosure Bill (SB 185) which expands disclosure requirements for lobbyists. Also, the Delaware Elections Disclosure Act (HB 300/310) requires prompt reporting of third-party spending on advertisements during an election season days before they go to the polls. The Act also enhances disclaimer requirements for third parties.
The governor’s office said the budget bill will aid efforts to retain and add jobs in the state, citing the state’s Strategic Fund. The fund offers employers various incentives tied to employment Cited were the following examples of job growth:
-JP Morgan Chase plans to expand its operations in Delaware and add up to 1,200 new jobs in the state. The proposed expansion is one of many announcements of job creation in Delaware’s financial services industry this year. I
-In February, Citibank celebrated the grand opening of its new facility in Wilmington, where 260 people will be employed.
– Bank of America committed to adding more than 500 jobs over the next three years.
– M&T Bank is building a new data center in Millsboro adding 50 more jobs to its 450 current workforce there.
– Capital One plans to expand by 500 jobs in Delaware, as part of a proposed agreement that was announced last fall.
– Also supported through a $1 million investment from the Strategic Fund is the Delaware Rural Irrigation Program (DRIP). DRIP is an economic development and agricultural loan program launched this fiscal year that will help provide irrigation to more than 850 acres of Delaware farmland.
– Bloom Energy, which will build its first East-Coast manufacturing center on the 272-acre site formerly occupied by a Chrysler assembly plant, and now owned by the University of Delaware. Opponents of the plant have filed a lawsuit in an effort to stop the project. They claim a related deal to use Bloom servers to provide electric power in Delaware is too costly for electric customers.
– Amazon is building a 1 million‐square‐foot fulfillment center in Middletown, which will bring over 850 jobs to the area.
Also cited were the following:
– Executive Order #36, which the Governor signed this spring to tackle outdated, ineffective and redundant regulations while giving a boost to small business.
-The Veterans Opportunity Tax Credit (HB 275), a new effort to help put recent combat veterans to work when they return from service. It gives companies a $1,500 annual tax credit for each recent veteran they hired.
– The Governor also signed an agreement with local municipalities to reduce municipal electric rates, with the goal of attracting new jobs in Delaware.
– The budget supports the Delaware Young Farmers Program, a no-interest loan program launched in July 2011 as a way to reduce the capital investment for young people looking to set up agribusiness operations. New farms will be started as a result of the program’s first year.
– The Delaware Gaming Competitiveness Act of 2012 (HB 333) aims to improve the ability industry to provide services in an increasingly competitive marketplace. The act authorizes internet gaming under the control and operation of the Delaware Lottery. That represents a first in the nation.
– Funding for employment and training to support workforce investment and job search efforts; and funding to increase participants in the Department of Labor’s Summer Youth program.
– The governor signed a bill (HB 289) that limits the number of payday loans; changes the definition of a short-term loan; establishes a database to track the number of short-term consumer loans an individual obtains over the course of a year and calls for the Banking Commissioner to provide a report on the loans to the General Assembly. Neighboring states ban the loans that can carry interest rates of hundreds of percentage points.
