A Republicans state senator fired back after the state Democratic Chairman took aim at the GOP anti-poverty plan.
Delaware Democratic Party Chairman John Daniello issued the following statement in response to the Delaware Senate Republican Caucus’ release of its “Anti-Poverty Agenda”:
“While I’m glad that Senate Republicans have decided Delaware’s economic growth ought to include the very people their policies have left behind for generations, the sad fact is that their plan offers little in the way of solutions that would do anything to help the working poor,” stated Democratic Party Chairman John Daniello. “While Democrats have been proud to support efforts to reduce the tax burden on those living near or beneath the poverty line, the Republican plan of replacing proven safety net programs with a litany of tax credits for wealthy benefactors and corporations simply doesn’t add up.”
House Minority Whip Greg Lavelle issued the following:
“…we were terribly disappointed by the aggressive, nasty attack issued by the Delaware Democratic political machine. We hear constantly that people are sick of Washington, DC politics and flame throwing. That kind of response has no place in a genuine discussion on how to make life better for the many Delawareans suffering in poverty. They deserve much better.”
Lavelle went on to “extend our thanks to Governor Markell, Attorney General Denn and the other elected Democrats who have responded to our good-faith effort to have a positive conversation around reducing poverty in Delaware.”
None of this satisfied Daniello.
“It is sad to see the Party of Russ Peterson move to the right and adopt an election-year plan being fueled by the Koch Brothers on the national stage. Democrats have been at the forefront of fighting for economic justice since the Great Depression. While we are eager to find ways to improve efficiency and effectiveness in our social programs, fighting poverty in our cities and rural communities must not be left to corporate incentives. We already know that trickle-down economic policies have time and time again failed the working poor.”
Daniello added: The good news is the Republicans have revived the bi-partisan conversation around solving chronic poverty and seem to have rallied behind some important efforts, like Sen. Henry’s work with Neighborhood Assistance Tax Credits and Rep. Baumbach’s legislation to make the Earned Income Tax Credit refundable. If they are serious about fighting poverty, they can join us in supporting other proactive, outcome-driven efforts like sentencing reform, providing family leave, increasing the minimum wage and expanding early childhood education — things they’ve routinely opposed in the General Assembly and beyond.
