Kowalko Suits Up For Battle
John Kowalko has been fighting tooth and nail with the Governor (against the across-the-board pay cuts) and against the Republicans that don’t think that we should increase a single tax (even a small tax on alcohol and a larger one on cigarettes). But now, it’s crunch time. By midnight Tuesday they need to have a solution.
This administration has unfortunately chosen to misrepresent “fairness of burden sharing” and refused to address the avenue of seeking relief from the wealthier corporations in Delaware. It seems apparent that the News Journal has decided to ignore the reality of the discourse and only publish the slanted, fear-inducing perspective that misreprersents reality. An honest accounting of all sides and positions being taken in this debate would better serve the interests of all the people and businesses of Delaware rather than a selective attempt to influence and distort the reality of this very serious problem.
Specifically, he is asking for a correction from the News Journal, which seems to be taking liberties with the facts.
Your recent article on “Tax Hikes” in the Sunday News Journal presents a false, misleading and harmful slant as to my motives in fighting the proposed State salary cuts and supporting tax increases. My wife has never been a public school teacher nor does she receive a state pension. She works in the private sector and no one in my family works as a state employee other than my position as a legislator.
I am not retired, nor eligible for any pension. My motive in fighting for a true “fair shairing” of the pain is a responsible look at economic consequences of our actions. I also stated to the reporter that we must look at revenue contributions from the corporate sector first, not from individuals. The corporations that I referred to are 1500 of the richest companies incorporated in Delaware with a minimal stock asset value of $660 million. I would be curious to see the family incomes and connections of all those other persons quoted in the article.
It’s on.
Tags: Delaware Budget, Governor Markell, kowalko, Local Media Sucks!
I’ll call Round #2 for Kowalko.
The Delaware State Budget is 46% personnel. In order to achieve a balanced budget there must be adjustments to personnel costs.
The Delaware GDP (2005) was $56,483,000,000 so to say if you took $91,000,000 out of the economy (state employee wages) it would hurt the economy is not very accurate. You assume the increased taxes paid by other entities have no affect on the economy.
Without the corporate connection Delaware has about 23% of our state budget would have to be replaced by taxes. Overnight, we would be bankrupt and soon look like New Jersey.
In this video I lay out the spending problem Delaware has made over the last 15 years, it is not a revenue problem.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVzIRLvdj1M
Mike Protack
PS- This issue should have been settle a month ago.
Tax and Spend incarnate.
Unstable Isotope
“I’ll call Round #2 for Kowalko.
I’ll give Kowalko 5 Kilroy gold Stars. The man has grit. But as far as sharing the pain, I’ll be glad to sit down with him and share my pain. (no being sarcastic).
Minner allowed government to grow and did not to address this budget mess. The taxpayers should be bailing government out. We didn’t ask for golf courses.
Kowalko and I have communicated in the past and I appreicated those communications. I sure he wouls love to drop in here with some comments but he’ll get pounched on!
Mike Protack
“In this video I lay out the spending problem Delaware has made over the last 15 years, it is not a revenue problem.”
Mike, I am confused! Are you still running for governor? The election is over!
Dam, we know the spending problems the last 15 years under Carper and Minner and one being allowing education to become over bloated with managment and the cash cow DSTP. The problem is now and because no one had an effective video 15 months the backs are against the wall. We’re going to get screwed! aka tax to death! Education represents over one third the state budget and that doesn’t include federal money.
Taxes will be raised in 2009 and axes will fall in 2010 & 2012.
The state really does little for the corporations that are chartered in Delaware and the revenues derived from them are ‘found money’.
Perhaps the losers who espouse socialism should remember the fable about the Golden Goose.
When a political hack is in line for a pension of nearly $400,000 per year, there is something wrong with the system.
LOL Kilroy! Protack should have made that video sooner.