In his State of the State address, an upbeat Gov. John Carney praised Delaware’s response to coronavirus.
“I’m optimistic today,” Carney said, citing the resilience of state residents in battling the pandemic.
He also cited the $400 million in assistance to small businesses that struggled with Covid-related capacity restrictions and wary customers.
In praising the efforts of health care workers, teachers, and the National Guard, Carney cautioned that the virus remains a serious challenge. He pointed to the 300 National Guard members who are now at work at hospitals around the state.
Carney said Delaware has added 20,000 new jobs and credited the Delaware Prosperity Partnership with retaining thousands of others. The partnership is a public-private entity that handles economic development work in the state and took over some functions of the Delaware Economic Development Office.
The governor went on to take note of a series of announcements last year regarding companies coming to Delaware or expanding operations.
According to Carney, the state, with the help of federal funding, will spend $400 million on water quality improvements.
He also pointed to the state’s funding of the EDGE Grant program, which has assisted 35 small, growing businesses.
Carney said the State now faces a severe longer-term challenge in the form of a labor shortage, with available positions now exceeding applicants. A $50 million state workforce training program will help in easing the gap between qualified applicants and open positions, Carney said.
Carney also touched on efforts to improve Wilmington’s schools and keep children in the classroom during the pandemic.
He also paid tribute to his predecessor, the late Gov. Ruth Ann Minner who passed away last year. Minner was the state’s first woman governor.
Carney praised the work of Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long in addressing health care, substance abuse, and other issues
The State of the State is one of two addresses given by the governor in the early days of the legislative session.
The next address will offer details on the administration’s state budget request.
The address was held in Dover’s Legislative Hall, minus the packed house that generally accompanies the annual speech. That’s due to Covid-19 concerns arising from the fast-spreading Omicron variant.
