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Delaware Has a Long History for Supporting Veterans

By: Hon. William L. Witham, Jr., Advisory Board Member, A Better Delaware

Delaware citizens have a long and honored history of support for veterans. Veterans Day stands as a solemn reminder of the sacrifices made by those who served in the armed forces dating back to the founding of our country. Delawareans have fought in all major conflicts of this country.  As we begin planning for the celebration of the 250^th anniversary of the United States, we must take the time to honor our present and past-day heroes.

We have flag day and veterans’ day. But we don’t just rely on our federal government to do honor and support our veterans through the Veterans Administration or provide retirement benefits to include burial in national cemeteries.  Nor do we rely on our active armed forces to do this for us. We honor and support them with a myriad number of veterans groups and organizations such as the Delaware Commission of Veterans Affairs. Delaware has adopted a number of veteran-friendly legislation in recent years by granting partial tax exemption on veterans’ pensions, disabled veterans school tax credit and other helpful legislation. We could do more.

This year there will be a push to establish a new Secretary for Veteran Affairs by our legislature. Our Judicial branch has established the first state-wide Veterans Treatment Court in the United States. We have a veteran’s trust fund to aid destitute veterans down on their luck. Local municipalities have honored our service men and women with parades and tributes in partnership with community groups to recognize the dedicated men and women whose military service has protected our freedom through thick and thin.

There are other ways we honor veterans. Our active military services to include the United States Air Force at Dover Air Force Base, and the Delaware National Guard honors our veterans on a daily basis to protect and defend our freedoms.  Delaware has preserved historical archives of our veterans at the Delaware Military Heritage and Education Foundation & Museum in Wilmington, Delaware.  Delaware’s Fort Miles continues the tradition in preserving our military heritage in Sussex County.

We need to fly the Flag this Veteran’s Day in November and pause to honor the legacy of all veterans who serve and continue to serve us in the defense of Freedom.

William L. Witham Jr. is a retired Kent County Resident Judge who has served over 40 years in Delaware’s justice system. He is also a former leader in the US Army Reserve and National Guard with 34 years of service.

Delaware’s New Administration: What Should Be the First Priorities?

By: Jane Brady, Chair, A Better Delaware

It has been ani interesting week. While it appears more than half the voters in the U.S. went red, Delaware remained blue.

Congratulations to the winners of the state elections, from Governor to county and city officials, and thank you to those who ran, but did not win. It takes a bold heart to stand up and take a stand. There are no losers when there is a contest that informs and engages with the public.

So, what should be the first priorities of the new administration in Delaware? Certainly, and, in our view, most importantly, education.  Delaware’s public-school students are simply not learning what they need to, when they need to.  More money is not the answer. The system is bloated and ineffective. We need to implement structural change and focused objectives, and reward achieving those objectives.  Other states have found success by implementing a policy that students do not get promoted to fourth grade if they are not reading at third grade proficiency. The change in approach has transformed the objective from “teach children to read” (which we have been doing, not very successfully, for decades) to an individualized reading plan for each student, giving them the support they need to achieve that goal. Suddenly, everyone – the teacher, the parent and the student – are focused on the same goal, and, in the experience of other states, achieving it. Delaware needs to set specific goals and institute accountability for achieving them.

Next, the Governor-elect needs to revoke the commitment to allow the transmission lines from a Maryland offshore wind project to come ashore in Delaware’s state park. Delaware gains no electricity or jobs from the project yet assumes all the risks to our valuable and unique natural resources.

The new administration should address the apprentice ratios and expand the opportunities for young workers to join the workforce and take on the shortage of workers in the trades.

The Governor should have a broad and complete perspective when considering Delaware’s public policy.  Our standing in the legal and corporate communities is critical to our revenue and central to our business culture and the primacy of our courts.  Placing a government panel in supervision of non-profit and hospital businesses is contrary to that standing. Introducing competition to the health care market in Delaware is a better way to address the issue of health care costs.  Eliminate the Certificate of Need, which increases costs and restricts access to care according to study after study.  Implement policies and laws that encourage competition.

The new Governor should release the stranglehold that DNREC has had on businesses interested in establishing manufacturing in those areas of the coastal zone that permit it. In particular, he should seek to attract manufacturing, and the high paying jobs associated with manufacturing to our state. Recruiting pharmaceutical companies that make prescription drugs would meet several goals – making more of our medicines right here in the USA and attracting solid and long-term jobs to the state.

Finally, get rid of the EV Mandate. Allow Delaware citizens – not the government – to make the right choice of vehicle for their financial situation, work and commute requirements and lifestyle.

There are many other challenges and opportunities that the new administration will face. We remain committed to speaking out about the ideas we believe will make Delaware a better place to live, work and play.  And we will be watching to see if the promise of a creative and innovative new era develops in the months ahead.  We wish the new administration good luck and hope they will be reading at A Better Delaware.

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.

Delaware Election Season 2024: The Race for Governor

By: Jane Brady, Chair, A Better Delaware

As we indicated previously, we are providing information on where the candidates stand on the issues that are relevant to our mission and of interest to our readers.  In this issue, we highlight the race for Governor.

A Better Delaware will not be endorsing any specific candidate or recommending for whom you should vote. Our purpose is to educate you about the candidates’ positions on the issues that we cover on a regular basis.  Here are links to the candidates’ websites so you can further explore those, or other, issues on your own.  Mike Ramone for Governor and Matt Meyer – Democrat for Governor

In order to present the information most fairly, we have relied solely on the candidates’ websites for the information. We are going to provide highlights, and in no way contend the information is complete. Please use the links to the candidates’ websites so you can do your own research and come to your own conclusion as to which candidate you will support.

POSITIONS OF THE CANDIDATES FOR GOVERNOR

EDUCATION

Mike Ramone

“Increase performance-based incentives for Delaware teachers”

“Expand access to voucher programs for all Delaware families.”

“Eliminate Common Core Curriculum”

“Protect teacher retirement benefits.”

“Reconfigure Delaware schools to ensure more money flows into the classroom.”

Matt Meyer

“Advocate for Delaware teacher salaries to surpass that in surrounding states “

“Advocate for Delaware paraprofessionals to receive significant increases in compensation”

“Expand the quality and quantity of professional development available to our teachers”

“Include scientifically based reading instruction”

“Extend the academic day and year for underperforming students”

“Universal access to pre-K throughout the state”

HEALTH CARE

Matt Meyer

“Improve the quality, affordability, and accessibility of our healthcare system by reducing wait times and limiting costs”

“I will absolutely Defend Reproductive Freedom”

“Allow businesses and individuals to buy into the state employee healthcare plan”

“Increase hospital competition and investment”

“Open a Medical School in Delaware”

Mike Ramone

 “Fight to expand benefits for Delaware’s veterans”

 “Increase access to mental health resources”

“Protect women’s reproductive health”

“Educate Delawareans on healthy living”

“Audit the bloated Department of Health and Social Services”

“Combat Delaware’s growing opioid crisis”

“Encourage healthcare professionals to stay in Delaware”

ECONOMY

Mike Ramone

“Expand tax credits for minority entrepreneurs”

“Eliminate Delaware’s gross receipts tax”

“Simplify Delaware’s tax code by reducing 7 tax brackets to   3” “Implementing Zero Based Budgeting requirements for Delaware’s government agencies”

“Increase the senior property tax credit”

“Rollback the real estate transfer tax from 4% to 3%”

Matt Meyer

“Expand access to affordable housing and lower the cost of living”

“Ensure that prices for necessities like food and gas aren’t subject to corporate manipulation”

“I will propose a gasoline tax rebate based on income and location”

“Raise wages and create more good jobs across our state”

“Make way for higher-density housing construction and mixed-income neighborhoods”

“Control Construction Costs”

ENERGY

Matt Meyer

“Fight for a cleaner, greener Delaware through green jobs and infrastructure.”  

 “Changed law to enable large-scale industrial and roof-top residential solar generation”

Mike Ramone

A Better Delaware found no information on energy on Mr. Ramone’s website.

November 5 is Election Day! Early voting is already open.  Please go to the polls and vote for the people you think will make your life better, improve your state and community and reflect your views as they conduct the government’s business.

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.

Delaware Election Season 2024: The Race for Lieutenant Governor

By: Jane Brady, Chair, A Better Delaware

As indicated previously, we are providing information on where the candidates stand on the issues and that are relevant to our mission and of interest to our readers.  In this blog we highlight the race for Lieutenant Governor.

A Better Delaware is not endorsing any specific candidate or recommending for who you should vote for.  Our purpose is to educate you about the candidates’ positions on the issues that we cover on a regular basis. There will be links to the candidates’ websites so you can further explore those, and other, issues on your own.

In order to present the information most fairly, we have relied solely on the candidates’ websites for the information. We are going to provide highlights and in no way contend the information is complete. Please use the links to the candidates’ websites so you can do your own research and come to your own conclusion as to which candidate you will support.

CANDIDATES FOR LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR

Ruth Briggs King

Ruth for Delaware – Together We’ll Build a Stronger Delaware

Education

“As a former tech educator, Ruth knows that not all students are the same, which is why she has been a fierce advocate for tailored education, so each student gets the education they deserve.”

“Investing in early childhood education is crucial…”

“Will ensure that students and parents have the ability to choose what kind of education they want and assure quality throughout all the different education paths.”

The Economy

“As a legislator, Ruth fought to reduce government regulation and ease the4 burden on entrepreneurs.”

“Recognizing the growing popularity of vocational education, she believes that trade work is a key contributor to helping businesses grow on a local level.”

“Removing regulatory roadblocks… quick state approvals are necessary for communities to build a strong economy.”

“Innovation over mandates”

Encourage innovation…. reduce the burden of overregulation on small businesses…to allow them to grow, hire more employees, and contribute to our local economy…. Job creation initiatives that focus on both traditional sectors and emerging industries such as technology and clean energy…. Supporting workforce development programs. 

Health Care

“Push legislation that supports the expansion of primary and emergency care for communities throughout Delaware.”

“Fund Delaware residency programs to retain healthcare professionals in the state…”

Energy

“Thoughtful, forward-thinking energy solutions that balance innovation with the protection of our environment and economy.” 

“Offshore wind projects, such as Maryland’s wind initiative, bring unique challenges and potential risks to Delaware. While we recognize the importance of renewable energy, we cannot ignore the possible effects on our state parks, ecology, and especially Delaware’s commercial fishing industry.”

“I believe it is imperative to foster innovation in our energy sector while protecting Delawareans from unnecessary mandates. The future of energy should prioritize sustainable progress without imposing restrictions on the types of vehicles used by our residents. We must be mindful of both environmental impact and economic consequences as we move forward.”

Kyle Evans Gay

Meet Kyle — Kyle Evans Gay for Lt. Gov (kylefordelaware.com)      

Education

“Senator Gay’s and others’ advocacy led to the reallocation of existing funds to eliminate copays and equalize payment rates across each of our three counties. It also led to an increase in Delaware’s investment in early childcare in each of the last two State budgets.”

“OCCL Pay Schedule removes assigned salary schedules established for childcare licensing specialists and childcare licensing supervisors employed through the Department of Education. By eliminating this language, the Department of Education will be able to provide equitable compensation to early childhood personnel with the Office of Child Care Licensing.”

The Economy

“She worked with the administration through data reporting and budget oversight to identify $30 million to be reinvested into childcare at no cost to our taxpayers.”

Health Care

“Has collaborated with professional and community organizations… to identify ways to ensure providers are practicing at the top of their license.”

“Sponsored interstate compacts for … [health professionals] … which increases access to specialists and providers in need in Delaware.”

“Expanded Delawareans’ access to telehealth services.”

“Kyle is a founding member of the First State Abortion Fund.”

“Prime sponsor of…[numerous] bills. championing reproductive justice.”

 Energy

A Better Delaware found no information on Ms. Evans Gay’s website on the issue of energy.

November 5^th is Election Day! Early voting opens on October 25. Go to the polls and vote for the people you think will make your life better, improve your state and community and reflect your views as they conduct the government’s business.

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.

Delaware Election Season 2024: The Race for Insurance Commissioner

By: Jane Brady, Chair, A Better Delaware

As we indicated in a previous newsletter, we are providing some information on where the candidates stand on the issues that our readers care most about -generally, energy, education, and the Delaware economy.  In this issue, we highlight the race for Insurance Commissioner. The issues we highlight in this issue, therefore, as relevant only to the issues within the authority and responsibilities of the Insurance Commissioner’s office.

We will not tell you how we think you should vote, but we will give you some highlights of the candidates’ positions. In order to present the information most fairly, we have not used third party sources, such as news reports, but have relied solely on the candidates’ websites for the information. The highlights we provide are in no way the entirety of the candidates’ positions, so we have also included links to the candidates’ websites so you can further explore those, and other, issues on your own.

INSURANCE COMMISSIONER CANDIDATES

Trinidad Navarro

• Incumbent Insurance Commissioner
• Retired Law Enforcement Officer

“As Insurance Commissioner, my number one priority is protecting Delaware insurance ocm7usmers. I will make sure the insurance companies obey Delaware law and honor their policies.”

          “Cracked down on discriminatory insurance practices that increased premiums for property and auto insurance”

          “Increased health insurance options from one carrier to four carriers, with enrollment increasing more than 20,000.” Click here for Trinidad Navarro’s website.

Ralph Taylor

• Former Dover City Council Member, School Board Member
• Retired Law Enforcement Officer

      “The health of our citizens is paramount. We will strive to create a healthcare system that is accessible, affordable, and of the highest quality. No one should have to choose between putting food on the table and receiving the medical care they need. We will also prioritize mental health, recognizing that well-being is holistic and must encompass both body and mind.”

     “I am committed to leading our state towards a future where insurance is fair, accessible, and reliable for every citizen. Together, we can build a system that not only protects but also empowers our communities.  Let us work together to foster a transparent, innovative, and consumer-centric insurance market.” Click here for Ralph Taylor’s website.

Be sure to go to the polls on November 5, and vote for the people you think will make your life better, improve your state and community and reflect your views as they conduct the government’s business.

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.

Government: The Solution or the Problem?

By: Kenneth J. Reuter Jr., Guest Contributor   

The world is consuming electricity at an accelerated rate.  You can’t go anywhere in your house without finding some device requiring electricity.  Driving somewhere? It’s everywhere in your car, the windows, seats, nav systems, engine controls- they all require electricity.  Trains, planes and automobiles will not function without electricity.  HVAC systems, even those involving gas and oil burners, require electricity to properly regulate temperature, fans, pumps and fuel consumption. Behind every electrically driven device lies a network of generation, transmission and distribution systems.  Nothing electric works without all three.

Our modern life needs an ever-growing amount of electricity. How are these increased demands being met?  What role should ‘government’ play in all this? Are current policies providing a supply solution or are they becoming more of the problem? This article is focused on generation as ‘the’ most controversial component of the electricity equation.

Everyone agrees that we want clean air, water and an environment that promotes good health and welfare.    That is obvious. What is missing from many of the conversations about the environment is the ‘how.’ How will we provide an abundance of electricity without creating adverse environmental consequences? Political rhetoric has manifested into ‘The Green New Deal’ or ‘War on Fossil Fuels.’  Many of the most boisterous voices, who seem to own the microphone, have little to no technical background to solve such challenges nor do they outline a strategic course necessary to arrive at a good result.  A veritable verbal freight train racing uncontrollably towards an unidentified solution.

We need a fact-based strategy for how to arrive at a sound destination.  Instead, we are speeding to build costly Offshore Wind Farms and other non-dispatchable generation, such as solar, while simultaneously racing to shut down existing coal plants, which produce a quarter of all electric generation in the United States.  These same policies are pushing EV mandates and seek to abolish gas stoves and appliances without consideration of the environmental cost of the mining and earth carving required to facilitate their unrealistic objectives.

There is a relatively clean and viable option to replace the more polluting coal fired generation plants.  It is the natural gas-fired combined cycle turbine configuration.  The technology is proven, refined, safe, and produces a fraction of the pollutants found in a coal fired base plant. Currently, natural gas contributes over 35% of electric generation in the United States and is uber-abundant in our own country.

Equally promising is the cleanest of all the electric generation options – nuclear power.  Nuclear power contributes approximately 20% of electric generation in the US today.   We are making great strides in this technology to make it safer and a more flexible component of our electric generation.  Today’s engineering is focused on making nuclear options very safe compared to the older designs which dot our landscapes.  The SMR or Small Modular Reactor is small and can be factory built and shipped to a generation site.  Engineers are working vigorously to refine their design and make them marketable.

In short, there are options advancing at an accelerated rate that must be considered for the long term, as opposed to relying on extremely costly, non-dispatchable generation whose capacity is intermittent and less predictive.  Before prioritizing the development of very expensive Offshore Wind farms, or mandating what kind of car we must drive, government should devise a longer term, forward thinking electric generation strategy aimed at insuring abundant clean energy carefully and systematically thought through.  You won’t find this in the current government solutions, which are not based on the reality of balancing both current and developing technology.  Remember: technology must drive change and evolution.  Not government mandates!!

Kenneth Reuter Jr. has worked for the past 40 years in the electric industry and now consults globally through his business, Resilience Energy. 

A Disconnect in Delaware’s Healthcare: A Call for Reform

By: Jane Brady, Chair, A Better Delaware

If you open up the 2024 Senior Healthcare State Report Card on the SeniorLiving.org website, the first key finding shows that Delaware gets an ‘F’ grade. The report looks at three key factors affecting senior citizens, who, while suffering declining health and often on fixed incomes or Medicare coverage, have difficulty in navigating and accessing the healthcare they need.  Those factors are cost, access to care and quality of care.

In fact, the report ranked Delaware 49th among the states and the District of Columbia. Sadly, the report noted that Delaware was the only state to rank 40th or worse in all three categories.  Drug costs are notably high, in fact, 39% higher than the national average.  And the report found that we have the worst stroke death rate in the nation.

Why is this important in the big picture in Delaware? Because we have a rapidly aging population, growing at a rate faster than the rest of the nation, and are the fifth “oldest” state in the nation.  How we deliver, and how well we deliver, health care to seniors is important.

You might wonder then, why US News and World Report just ranked Delaware second in the nation for hospital quality. It is in the delivery of care.  The inefficient use of our resources has resulted in poor health outcomes for Delawareans.

And it is not just seniors who suffer – we all do.  The average wait time in an emergency room is over 3 hours, 6^th worst in the nation.  And a recent report by the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services made clear that benchmarks related to cancer screening, opioid deaths, the use of statins for heart health and other preventative care were not met.  Indeed, the director of health care reform for the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services acknowledged there is a “disconnect” between spending and the quality of health outcomes. So, what can we do?

Sadly, we need to look no farther than our own public policies to see how to improve cost, access and quality. Delaware is one of a shrinking number of states that still retains an archaic law requiring a “certificate of need.” That law requires any entity or company that wants to either establish or expand their facilities, acquire a new technology or offer new services to get permission from a government panel, on which other health care providers serve.  As one person put it, imagine Burger King having to ask permission to build a restaurant and McDonald’s sitting on the committee that will decide.  That is precisely what the certificate of need law does. It allows current providers to decide how much competition they will have.  Studies, including those done by the Institute for Justice, consistently show that states with certificate of need laws have higher costs and inferior access to care and health outcomes.

Delaware’s legislature has recognized we are spending more, but the steps they have taken to try to reduce that spending are flawed. Most recently, they established a government appointed panel to review hospitals’ budgets and gave the panel the authority to override spending decisions by the hospital.  We have written before about how ill-advised this law is – it will discourage new providers and companies from coming to Delaware, and the only model for the idea is floundering and likely near failure in Vermont.

But talk about disconnect – at the same hearing at which the legislators approved the funds for the panel, they voted to expand the services which were covered by the state and eliminate co-pay fees for those services.  We need to be smarter about how we spend our money and that doesn’t include installing a government supervisory committee over hospital budgets. Competition will bring down prices. New York and California, which have no certificate of need laws and more open competition, have multiple hospital providers and they have better results for their citizens, Delaware citizens would be better served if we adopted policies that allow the ingenuity, creativity, experience and expertise of those who provide medical care the opportunity to fully offer those services, without impediment or government interference.

Finally, more transparency in the pricing of health care services would help patients make better and more appropriate decisions about where to get care.  We do have laws that require information to be made available, but they are not uniformly followed, and there is no enforcement.

There is some good news. To give credit, the walk-in centers, now associated with our hospital systems, have made a big difference in the overuse and drain on emergency room staff. As reported, we have emergency room wait times of over 3 hours. But that is down from nearly 6 hours and 2^nd worst in the nation a few years ago.

And, we have information. The benchmark report on the quality of health care and health outcomes is an open book that lets us know what our objectives are, and where we are getting better, or not, in meeting those objectives. And we have an honest broker in

Jazette Manning, Secretary of the Department of Health and Social Services. In discussing the benchmark report, she acknowledged that there is still significant work to be done to improve healthcare outcomes of Delawareans.

Every state agency leader should establish and publish goals for their agency, and regularly report on their progress or lack thereof, whatever the facts reflect. With specific goals, focused effort and public scrutiny, our government will work better for us – the citizens who fund it and who it is to serve.

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.

Delaware Climate Legislation:2024 Edition

By: Dr. David R. Legates, Guest Contributor

In August 2023, the General Assembly passed, and the Governor signed Delaware’s Climate Change Solutions Act of 2023, or HB99.  It calls for the state to establish targets “to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions on the State.”  Moreover, it also establishes “Climate Change Officers in certain Key Cabinet-Level Departments who will assist DNREC in the ongoing implementation of the Climate Action Plan.”  Note that the bill charges the DNREC Secretary and other entities within the Executive Branch with making climate change an integral part of decision-making, rulemaking, and procurement—the legislature abdicated their responsibility to oversee its implementation to the Executive Branch.

This year, the General Assembly passed five more bills, supposedly to save the State from the ravages of climate change.  As before, climate change is only the stated goal; it is not the real focus of the legislation.

The Delaware Energy Solutions Act of 2024, also known as Senate Bill 265, supports the net zero goals of HB99 by facilitating “offshore wind to be a significant element of Delaware’s energy future.”  Through this legislation, the General Assembly has passed the authority of making decisions regarding offshore wind to the State Energy Office and the Public Service Commission.

House Bill 9 requires that all state-owned passenger and light duty vehicles be zero emission vehicles by 2040, although exemptions are made for law enforcement vehicles and “vessels of State agency law-enforcement personnel,” vehicles owned by the Department of Education, school districts, and charter schools, and designated take home vehicles for certain state employees.  Similarly, House Substitute 2 for House Bill 13 authorizes a program, headed by the Director of the Sustainable Energy Utility, to assist low-income residents to purchase and install electric vehicles and their recharging systems.

Two additional bills focus on longer-range planning.  House Bill 402 requires that all new state buildings, including schools, to provide a designated space on the roof reserved for future solar panel installation.  And Senate Bill 237 ensures future plans focus on community resiliency and sustainability as it relates to impacts of climate change.

These bills serve to move Delaware toward an economy free of fossil fuel-based energy sources.  Offshore wind and rooftop solar will necessarily make energy more expensive, as will proliferation of plans to protect our communities and prepare public buildings from the non-issue of dangerous climate change.  By every metric available, our very existence is NOT being threatened by increasing storms, floods, droughts, hurricanes, tornadoes, and sea level rise.

In 2021, Delaware’s energy use was only 0.264% of the total energy use in the United States.  Requiring the United States to become Net Zero by 2050 will save the planet from a rise of only 0.06°F by 2050.  Thus, Delaware’s legislation to force the State into Net Zero compliance will lead to a decrease of only 0.00016°F—a number that is unmeasurable with any environmental thermometer in use.  It will have no effect whatsoever on the impact of storms, floods, droughts, sea level rise, and other weather variables that impact people’s lives and affect their possessions.  What will happen is that energy and all goods that use energy for production, transportation, or refrigeration will become much more expensive.

One only has to consider the question of why these legislative bills make exceptions for law enforcement, state-owned school buses, and selective state agencies and why subsidies are needed for low-income residents of the state.  As before, these legislations are not about the science—it’s about making energy so expensive few will be able to afford it.

Dr. David R. Legates is an Emeritus Professor at the University of Delaware and is the Director of Research and Education at the Cornwall Alliance for the Stewardship of Creation.  He also is an Advisory Board Member of A Better Delaware.

Demanding Transparency: Why Delaware Needs to Hold Its Government Accountable

By: Jane Brady, Chair, A Better Delaware

We at A Better Delaware have long contended that more transparency is needed in Delaware’s government.  Information about what our elected officials are doing in their official roles and with our tax dollars should be readily available. Sadly, that is not the case. According to the Pioneer Institute, Delaware ranks among the six worst states for financial transparency.

We certainly saw evidence of a lack of transparency recently with the revelation, months later, that there had been a criminal embezzlement of public funds at the Department of Labor Unemployment office. Think of the complicity that such a deception required – co-workers of the individual who committed the crime, the individuals who investigated the matter within the agency, the police investigators, perhaps even the highest levels of our State government.  Yet they felt no obligation to report the incident publicly. And this is not a partisan issue – both Democrats and Republicans raised concerns, former Democrat legislator John Kowalko among the most vocal.

What if you want to know how well your student’s school is doing with promoting actual learning? Well, according to an expert in these matters, it takes six different “clicks” on the Department of Education website to get to the information. A bill that would have required that to be available from the Department’s Home Page failed in the General Assembly last year.

Did you know that while we have no sales tax in Delaware, we have a gross receipts tax, and that vendors, stores and companies are not allowed to display that tax as an addition to the cost of an item or service you purchase? Tax free shopping? Or invisible tax shopping? Delaware is one of only a few states that retain that tax in their funding structure.

Remember the heavy-handed, boulder-sized response the Governor and General Assembly had last session to address the state’s health care costs? They established a 5-person government appointed panel to review hospital budgets with the authority to reject a hospital’s proposed spending plans or to demand specific expenditures.  (Hospitals are now suing over that legislation.) Did you know that, at the same appropriations hearing at which the General Assembly authorized $700,000 to administer that oversight program, they also authorized expanded health care coverage and eliminated co-apays for state employees and retirees for certain medical procedures? And they wonder why the state’s health care costs are so high!

Why is transparency so important? Without transparency, there is no accountability.  If you don’t know how poorly your student’s school is performing, you won’t be at the school board hearing demanding better. If you don’t know there was embezzlement, you won’t demand better and more effective accounting systems. If you don’t know that the state is crying “wolf” on the one hand, and increasing costs on the other, you won’t ask them “Why?” If you aren’t aware of all the ways the government is getting its tax money, you won’t appreciate that it is not the business that is increasing prices to gouge you but raising them to cover the hidden costs of doing business in the state.

The Center for Public Integrity gives Delaware an “F.” Specific measures include State Budget Processes (42^nd), Internal Auditing (43^rd) Legislative Accountability (48^th) and Ethics Enforcement (43^rd).

Delaware needs to be more transparent, and our state officials need to be held accountable.  An Inspector General can assure an independent review of agency actions, and more transparency.  An ethics officer can assure better scrutiny of the conduct of state officials.  Delaware should pass laws to create both offices now. The citizens of our state deserve to know when, how and why our government is acting, and where our money is being spent.

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.

A Guide to the General Election: Stay Informed and Vote!

By: Jane Brady, Chair, A Better Delaware

The primary election is over, and the candidate slate for the general election to be held in November has been set.

We at A Better Delaware feel it is important for voters to be informed about where the candidates stand on the issues that are important to them.  Over the next several weeks, we are going to present information from materials prepared by the candidates, either electronically or printed, that express their positions on the core issues of education, energy, and the economy.

A Better Delaware will not be endorsing any specific candidate or telling you for which one you should vote. What we want to do to educate you about the candidates’ positions on the issues that we cover on a regular basis in order to help you make your decision about how to vote.  There will be links to the candidates’ websites so you can further explore those, and other, issues on your own.

Only 22% of eligible voters came to the polls on primary day. It’s a shame that more people don’t exercise the authority they have to determine who will govern them. Imagine it this way- your bothersome next-door neighbor that you don’t care much for and disagree with on everything could decide your future simply by pushing a couple of buttons. Sound appealing? Of course not.

Go to the polls and vote for the people you think will make your life better, improve your state and community and reflect your views as they conduct the government’s business.

There are a number of offices we will cover. The statewide offices – Governor, Lt. Governor, Insurance Commissioner, US House of Representatives, and US Senate.  We will also select a few local races we deem competitive, such as state legislature and perhaps even some county races.

This year is a presidential election year and voter turnout is usually higher for the general election in a presidential election year, but it’s a shame so few people engage in our election process.  So be committed to becoming informed and show up at the polls. Bring some friends with you and share the information you learn from our newsletters freely, with friends and your neighbors (except you know who!).

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.