General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Thurs., Jan. 20, 2011

If you haven’t guessed the overarching theme of today’s State of the State address by now, then you haven’t been paying attention. At every given opportunity over the past few months, Gov. Markell has stated in numerous permutations that he wakes up thinking about jobs and goes to sleep thinking about jobs. Accordingly, in my first tentative attempt at prognostication since my prescient prediction of an easy Sheldon victory, I hereby predict that today’s address will focus on jobsjobsjobs.

Markell has figured out that the current recession has changed our economy and fundamental truths about employment opportunities forever. It has caused profound and permanent dislocation for countless long-time workers in traditional industries. Markell’s proactivity represents a potential godsend. Could you imagine, say, Bill Lee or Ruth Ann Minner ‘dealing’ with this crisis? Throughout the country, there ARE Lees and Minners competely incapable of  dealing with the crisis. We really are lucky to have Markell.

So, I will be most interested in hearing Markell unveil his proposals for job creation and economic development. I expect this to be his signature State of the State address, and that it will go a long way towards determining his ultimate legacy as Governor. I honestly can’t remember being more intrigued about what is all too often an exercise in tedium. Often delivered by tedious speakers. Castle, Carper and Minner between them conveyed not  a single drop of passion in their deliveries. They simply read boilerplate addresses that a succession of hacks had cobbled together. That won’t be the case today. No one can say that Markell lacks ‘the vision thing’, and he does a good job of conveying it. Today at 2 p. m. in the Senate Chamber.

I’ll also be listening closely to hear how Markell  proposes to close the budgetary shortfall. Much of this might wait until next week when the Governor officially submits his Operating Budget. Governor, please hear my plaintive plea: Restore some progressivity to Delaware’s Tax Code by ending the Flat Tax for those making over $60 K a year. Those making $60 K should not have to pay the same percentage in taxes as those earning millions. It simply isn’t progressive. And, if it means that those in danger of falling through the safety net will be afforded more desperately-needed assistance at the expense of the Billionaires on the Hill, then that’s exactly what a Democratic governor and a Democratic General Assembly should do. (End of screed.)

You can already see glimmers of the Governor’s priorities in some early legislation this session. If you take a gander at Tuesday’s Session Activity Report, you see that HB 10(Longhurst) is specifically designed to make it easier for whomever is running the once and future refining facility in Delaware City. SB 7(Marshall) would make it more likely that the long-term unemployed could continue to receive federally-funded unemployment benefits.

While we don’t yet have Wednesday’s Session Activity Report posted, we do know that several bills cleared committee as they are on today’s House Agenda. HB 1(Schooley) is being fast-tracked as its passage is required to ensure that the State remains eligible for $33 million in annual Federal education funds. I’m sure it will pass both houses before the Joint Finance Committee recess following next week’s sessions.

Rep. Bennett’s HB 5 reprises his bill from last session that would “set… a deadline when public bodies must provide a public record to a person making a request under the Freedom of Information Act.” The bill’s prime Senate co-sponsors are Senators Peterson and Katz, which no doubt explains why the bill got buried in the Senate last year.

The previously-referenced HB 10 is also on the House Agenda, which suggests that this bill too is on its way to passage before recess next week.

In the Senate, we had a piece of legislation both introduced and passed since we last spoke on Tuesday. And it’s one of those interesting windows into the Delaware Way. The bill in question is SB 8, sponsored by Dover area legislators Sen. Brian Bushweller and Rep. Daryl Scott. Now why would a charter change bill for Dover pique my interest? Here’s why. The bill would “remove the requirement that a Councilperson relinquish his or her Council seat in order to become a candidate for Mayor.” I’m fine with the bill and its premise, I’m just curious about what precipitated it. Dover holds municipal elections this spring, but they are for the councilmanic seats, not, as far as I can tell, the ‘non-partisan’ mayor’s office. The bill suggests to me that someone who either is already on council or is running for council is very interested in running for Mayor in (I think) 2012. Otherwise, why would this bill surface now? I will leave it to those with knowledge of the Dover scene to fill in the blanks.

Back atcha’ next week with more grist from the legislative mill.