While Gov. Markell is looking at ways to get us through our current budget crises, State Rep. Charles Bill Oberle (R 24) has sponsored some odd legislation that will take money out of the state budget, HB 48, just when it is needed most.
This Act allows for a Personal Income Tax deduction for the amount of motor vehicle document fee paid during the tax year 2009. If manufactured in Delaware, the deduction allowed is doubled.
Forget about the asinine double deduction. I understand why lawmakers might want the double deduction, but Delaware only makes up 0.28% of the US population and I don’t see how Delawareans buying cars made in Delaware is going to keep auto manufacturing jobs here.
More to the point, the Document Fee is a large revenue stream for Delaware and if a portion of this is actually deducted, it could mean more devastation to our state budget at absolutely the wrong time.
I am really trying to grasp why this legislation is needed now. What are Oberle and his co-sponsors thinking? The co-sponsors are Republican Representatives Booth, Cathcart, D. Short, Hocker, Lavelle, Outten and Ramone; Republican Senator Connor; and Democratic Representatives Brady, Carson, J. Johnson and Kowalko.