John Kowalko chairs the Joint Sunset Committee and he’s trying to challenge the Delaware Way from that vantage point. Case in point: HB253 (restructuring the Victims Compensation Board). From the presser:
House Bill 253 is identical to Senate Bill 144, which was developed by and sponsored by the members of the Joint Sunset Committee, a legislative panel that reviews various state boards and commissions and determines what, if any, changes need to be made. SB 144 was introduced in the Senate on June 4 and sits in the Senate Executive Committee.[…]
“This is too important of a bill to let it languish considering the time constraints we are under,” said Rep. Kowalko, noting that there are only four days of session left. “Staff and legislators have spent more than 100 hours reviewing this board, listening to testimony and crafting the legislation to create a body that will better serve the victims. The energy and efforts of the Joint Sunset Committee in restructuring this board should not go to waste.”
So how does this tie in to our budget problem?
The bill also would have a cost savings aspect. By merging the board with the Department of Justice, it would eliminate the need to rent office space, saving $53,000 annually. Also, board members who are appointed or re-appointed would be paid $100 per meeting. Currently, board members receive $10,000 annually, while the vice chair receives $11,000 and the chair receives $12,000 annually.
And lest you think that the Sunset Committee acted alone in this, disconnected from the realities of the world, as The News Journal seems to believe:
The proposed changes recommended by the Joint Sunset Committee are supported by numerous police agencies, including Delaware Police Chiefs Council, Delaware State Fraternal Order of Police and seven police departments. Other groups endorsing the changes include Child Inc., Delaware Coalition Against Domestic Violence, state Department of Correction, state Department of Justice, MADD and Delaware Developmental Disabilities Council.
So who is against it? The Delaware Way. As El Somnambulo pointed out, this is a cushy 10K/year position that can be done a lot cheaper. But, of course, Thurman Adams’ friends would have to find other work that might actually make them… you know… work.