The governor’s office released its newest budget proposal yesterday. I haven’t had time to dig into it yet but here’s some highlights. The budget makes $100M in cuts and according to the press release the reason for the gaps are health insurance cost increases, loss of stimulus funds and $54M for an extra pay period for state workers. Here is the details of the cuts:
Some of the more significant cuts proposed in the budget include (figures are in 1,000 of dollars):
- Reduce administrative costs of Delaware Prescription Assistance Program – $1,250.0
- Reduce supplies and materials funding in Dept. of Correction – $778.7
- Reform health and pension benefits for state employees – $3,200.0
- Eliminate Farmland Preservation funding – $10,000.0
- Eliminate Open Space funding – $10,000.0
- Reduce Higher Education funding – $6,527.6
- Reduce DIMER and DIDER to freeze admission to the program for one year – $507.5
- Eliminate Local Law Enforcement Education funding due to duplicate programs – $50.0
- Improve procurement of vaccines in Division of Public Health – $118.3
- Reduce contractual services in Services for Children, Youth and Their Families – $1,250.0
- Reduce contractual services funding in DelDOT – $ 496.0
- Reduce real-time crime reporting services – $24.0
- Reduce fleet services – $33.7
- Reduce contractual services in DHSS – $1,407.8
- Reduce casual/seasonal positions in DHSS – $2,341.6
- Realize efficiencies in Division of Aging and Adults with Physical Disabilities – $1,200.0
- Reduce grants, publishing and operations in the Delaware Heritage Office – $17.1
- Implementing 90/10 Pupil Transportation split as a best practice – $7,133.8
- Reduction of Charter School Transportation funding for equalization with school district reduction – $500.0
- Eliminate Board of Parole and associated costs – $529.2
- Eliminate in-house Printing and Publishing production in OMB – $421.2
- Mandatory use of the Trapeze routing system to create more efficient school transportation routes per report recommendations – $448.0
- Eliminate General Assistance funding in DHSS – $4,547.5
- Reduce rental maintenance and software budget in DTI – $679.2
- Eliminate Northeast Old Car Rally pass-through funding in DEDO – $2.7
- Reduce mowing, parking lot and road maintenance for Angola Neck in DNREC – $40.0
- Eliminate New Castle County (NCC) Dredge Program for NCC Conservation District – $225.0
- Realize lease cost savings – $80.9
- Reduce funding for equipment purchases in the Dept. of Finance – $5.0
- Reduce printing and postage costs for personal income tax-related mailings and forms in the Dept. of Finance – $48.1
- Reduce funding for staffing, collections and library services – $72.6
The cuts are coming in many areas but it looks like education, public safety and environmental services are taking a hit here. The News Journal‘s analysis of the budget is at this link. It’s not detailed in the governor’s press release but this budget means some layoffs (55, according to TNJ).
The budget also details the capital funding in the budget plus $31.9M for the Strategic Fund, which is to help bring businesses to the state.
Projects proposed for funded through the Capital Budget include (figures are as stated):
- $1.0 million for Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCOR).
- $1.0 million in state match for the IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) Program.
- $1.0 million for Fraunhofer Vaccine Development.
- $5.0 million for the Diamond State Port Corporation.
- $93.0 million for Public Education projects.
- Funding for Minor Capital Improvements.
- Funding for major capital projects in Appoquinimink, Capital, Seaford, Sussex Tech, Laurel, Woodbridge, Cape Henlopen, New Castle County VoTech and Polytech.
- $10.5 million for Higher Education projects.
- Funding for projects at Delaware State University, Delaware Technical and Community College and the University of Delaware.
- $20.1 million in agency Minor Capital Improvements and Equipment (MCI).
- $2.3 million for NVF site redevelopment.
- $1.5 million for DSHA Rental Assistance Program.
- $4.0 million in Housing Preservation to preserve and maintain existing housing sites.
- $6.0 million for libraries in Bear, Claymont, Dover, Greenwood, Smyrna and Wilmington.
- $9.9 million for Howard R. Young Correctional Institution renovation.
- $2.7 million for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, which leverages $14.0 million in federal funds.
- $1.0 million for Clean Water State Revolving Fund, which leverages $5.0 million in federal funds.
- $300,000 for new Troop 3 and Troop 7 in Camden and Lewes respectively.
- $2.0 million for the completion of the Kent County Courthouse complex.
So, what do you like and what do you not like about this budget?