Advocating for Financial Literacy in Delaware Schools: Make Your Voice Heard!

 By: Jane Brady, Chair, A Better Delaware

It is not often that everyone in the Delaware State House of Representatives agrees, but that’s exactly what happened when House Substitute 1 for House Bill 203 was called for a vote. The bill passed 40-0. (The house has 41 members, but one member was absent).

The bill seeks to fundamentally change the systemic disparities that have existed with regard to access to financial knowledge and education. It proposes a 1/2 credit financial literacy requirement be placed in the social studies curriculum of every high school in Delaware beginning in the 2026-2027 school year

Financial literacy is no longer a luxury for the rich. Financial realities today are more complex than ever. Many households in America are living paycheck to paycheck. Some have no savings – over a third report they have no retirement savings.
Studies have shown that nearly 90% of American teens admit they don’t understand the principles and concepts of personal finance.

Delaware students deserve the opportunity to learn about disciplined savings, the impact of interest, how to manage debt effectively, how to recognize the difference between a good investment and a risky one, what taxes they are paying and the impact of taxes on their financial stability, and how to plan for a career. These are essential skills that will help them engage successfully in the 21st-century economy.

Managing your financial stability is as foundational as being able to read or do math. Some schools in Delaware have a personal finance class – some offer even more than 1/2 a credit financial education class. Every school should offer at least a 1/2 credit class.

Many people who work with those who struggle financially support this bill. The National Council on Economic Education assisted the prime sponsor, Representative Jeff Hilovsky, in writing and advocating for the bill. Supporters are reported to include a diverse group of advocates, including the Delaware Bankers Association, Junior Achievement, the Committee of 100 Black Men, the Board of Realtors and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.

You might ask “Why are you telling me all this? The bill passed unanimously in the House.”  That’s correct.  But recently, a few Senators key to getting this bill out of committee and onto the Senate floor for a Senate vote have held the bill up. Contact Senators Elizabeth Lockman, David Sokola and Laura Sturgeon  and tell them that you want them to allow this bill to come out of committee and onto the floor for a vote.

It is generally believed that the bill will pass with a significant margin if allowed to get to the floor. These individuals should not hold up such an important and universally supported piece of legislation. Make your voice heard. Have a role in making Delaware better. Urge your Senator to demand their colleagues release this bill and to vote YES for financial literacy.

Jane Brady serves as Chair of A Better Delaware. She previously served as Attorney General of Delaware and as a Judge of the Delaware Superior Court.

Senate Bill 159: A State Mandate Over Local Zoning in Delaware

 By: Jane Brady, Chair, A Better Delaware

This week, the Delaware State Senate passed Senate Bill 159, a bill to pre-empt county zoning decisions in certain specific circumstances.  Coincidentally, those circumstances coincide precisely with the facts related to the denial by
Sussex County Council of a permit for a substation associated with the US Wind offshore wind project.

The bill addresses “conditional use permits for electrical substations.”  The bill prohibits a county from denying a conditional use permit for an electrical substation if it is being proposed to support the operation of a proposed renewable energy generation project of 250 MW or greater, would be located in a heavy industrial area, an electric substation is an allowed use in the zone, and the specific zoning district already has an electric substation located in the zone. Further, it is to apply retroactively to 2023.

There are many reasons people oppose offshore wind projects – their view of the open ocean is marred, property sales and rental values are diminished, the noise, the lights that are visible at night, the adverse impact on fishing and recreation, and the terrible consequences for marine life and the environment.

But none of those reasons are why the Sussex County Council had the authority to, and properly denied, the conditional use request of US Wind.  Sussex County Council has an obligation to act for the benefit of the residents of Sussex County.  The Council determined there was no benefit to their constituents as a result of this project. Why?

First, US Wind calls this project the Maryland Project for a reason. It was started as a result of an agreement between US Wind and the Maryland government for an offshore wind farm to provide electric to Maryland citizens.  Statutes were passed, policies were adopted, and permits were sought from the federal and Maryland authorities. Problems developed when no subdivision of Maryland would permit the transmission lines from the offshore windmills to come ashore in any Maryland site.

In steps (then) Governor Carney, who agreed, per a term sheet he executed, to allow the transmission lines to come into Delaware’s Seashore State Park.  Permits were then sought to disrupt the beach, go under the Indian River Bay and through wetlands to a site where US Wind proposed to construct a substation.  That site was next to the site where the (now) closed Indian River Power Plant is located.  The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) granted those permits, which are now being appealed before the Environmental Appeals Board and in the Superior Court.

US Wind, however, also needed a permit for the substation to which the transmission lines would connect.  To build that substation they needed permission for a conditional use from Sussex County.

At the hearing before the Sussex County Council, the members heard testimony that there were no jobs that would be created by this project for Sussex County citizens, except, perhaps, a few, on a temporary basis. The representative from US Wind indicated that the site was expected to be monitored remotely from a location in Maryland.  There also was no guarantee, indeed, no expectation that electricity from the project would be provided to Delaware or Sussex County citizens.  In fact, Maryland was guaranteed the expected output directly.

Further, the entirety of the environmental risk and impact fell directly on Sussex County’s valued natural resources and citizens.  The federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Marine and Fisheries both recommended against going under the Indian River Bay, yet DNREC permitted it. US Wind had originally proposed 4 possible routes to get the electricity generated by the windmills to the substation, only one of which proposed the dredging and disruption caused by going under the Bay. It apparently was the cheaper route, the one US Wind proposed, and the one DNREC chose to permit.

The Council also heard testimony that commercial and recreational fishing, boating and other activities will be affected, and that curtailment of those activities, as well as the sight and sound of the windmills off the coast will affect rental and sales of properties in coastal Sussex County.

The Sussex County Council properly determined that their duty and responsibility to the citizens of Sussex County and the precious natural resources under their care would not benefit from the project as planned and denied the conditional use.

The State could not be any clearer that Senate Bill 159 is intended to undo that ruling, made months ago, on a proper record and for the right reasons. The bill must still be passed by the Delaware House of Representatives to become law.  Contact your representative and let them know you oppose this bill and want them to vote NO. Whether you live in Sussex County, boat in Sussex County, visit the beaches in Sussex County, or just don’t want the State telling your local government what to do the next time they disagree with a ruling overwhelmingly favored by the local residents, you need to be heard.

Jane Brady serves as Chair of A Better Delaware. She previously served as Attorney General of Delaware and as a Judge of the Delaware Superior Court.

Towards Transparent Governance: Establishing Delaware’s Office of Inspector General

 By: Jane Brady, Chair, A Better Delaware

Since its inception, A Better Delaware has advocated for more transparency and accountability from our state government.  We have pushed for more open access to what our government does through an expanded Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and for the establishment of an Office of Inspector General.  We may be closer than ever in reaching the latter goal.

The Delaware Senate recently unanimously passed a bill creating and funding an independent and nonpartisan Office of Inspector General.  The office is charged with the authority to investigate fraud, waste and corruption in Delaware government, coordinate with law enforcement agencies and refer matters for prosecution when appropriate.  This bill, and others like it intending to accomplish the same result, have been the discussion of legislative sessions for over a decade. It is time to move forward with opening the window on abuse and waste of taxpayer funds and the abuse of power by those in authority.  The Delaware House of Representatives will take the bill up shortly. Contact your Representative and let them know you support SB4 and better oversight of Delaware government.

The bill would then go to the Governor for signature.  Governor Matt Meyer supported the idea and purpose of an Inspector General in his campaign for office last year.  He even referenced it in his State of the State address following his election as Governor. But, when he submitted a substitute budget for that which his predecessor, John Carney has proposed, he did not include funding for the Office of Inspector General.  Whatever the reasons for not including support for the office in his proposed budget, Governor Meyer should encourage the House to pass this legislation and should sign this bill when it comes to his desk.  There is every reason to support open and transparent government, elimination of waste and fraud and to curb the abuse of power.  Additionally, if his concern was financial resources, DEFAC, the agency that reviews receipts and expenditures and advises how much money the state has available for expenditures, recently increased their projection by nearly $100 million.  There is certainly enough money to fund the office, which, if what many expect is true, will ultimately pay for itself with the exposure of fraud and waste of taxpayer funds.

Let both Governor Meyer know you what him to stand up for this effort and encourage the House of Representatives to act swiftly and favorably on this bill and to commit to sign it when it reaches his desk. And, contact your Representative and let them know that you support Senate Bill 4, and want them to vote YES on Senate Bill 4.

Jane Brady serves as Chair of A Better Delaware. She previously served as Attorney General of Delaware and as a Judge of the Delaware Superior Court.