Conspiracy Theory of the Week: DSEA Sells Out Public Schools, Secures Raises for Teachers.
If you were wondering why DSEA agreed to support charter schools’ grubby grab of public cash earmarked for public schools, we may now have the answer. Included in the Governor’s budget is “$8.5 million for ‘step increases’ for school employees, gradual pay raises teachers get as they gain experience and education”, according to Monday’s News-Journal article by Matthew Albright. Considering that the first $2 mill of the charter schools cash grab is also in the same budget bill, we can see how Markell bought off public education officials. Another $2.6 million is for ‘state testing computers’, yet more money down the rabbit hole of standardized testing. Need I remind anyone that we’ve got $8.5 mill for teachers’ increases, $0.00 for state employee increases. While I’m fine with raises for teachers, Strongly supportive in fact, I’m not fine with the Deal with the Devil that enabled them. Ladies and gentlemen, your Democratic governor. And the purported protectors of public education.
BTW, time for, IMHO, an important digression. Is it possible, just possible, that Jack Markell is campaigning…for CIA Chief? I’m (sorta) serious about this. The man who ran on the issue of government transparency has made secrecy the defining touchstone of his second term. First, the Port machinations. Then, the Charter Schools debacle, where his administration literally dared doubters to file a FOIA lawsuit. And, just this Sunday, an incredible piece by Jeff Montgomery in the News-Journal, which effectively lays out a strong case that Gov. Markell deliberately suppressed environmental data casting serious doubt on the environmental safety of the Delaware City oil refinery. Deliberately suppressed. Anybody getting angry yet?
End, for now, of my digression. You can bet that Al and I will talk about this today on the Al Mascitti Show, 10 am to 12 noon, WDEL 1150-Newsradio. You can also click here to listen live.
And now for….waitaminnit! Markell did what? Propose an $8 million bailout for the racinos? Aren’t they, what’s the word I’m looking for, monopolies? State-sanctioned monopolies? Owned by multimillionaires? And they still can’t cut it? The only question now is, which legislators will jump the shark along with Markell? His record as the steward of Delaware’s economy is looking a little challenged. Ruined, really. Not good for one’s presidential plans. Oh, well, there’s always a Grotto’s Pizza opening to tout. Maybe Markell should alter his approach of bailouts to billionaires, not even crumbs to working stiffs. But he won’t.
Here is the session report for last Thursday. My environmental friends are enthused about the passage of HB 179(Scott), which purports to “reduce average customer energy bills and (to) create local jobs by driving investments in energy efficiency that displace more expensive energy supply purchases.”
Nothing else really caught my interest, but YMMV.
Some interesting bills on today’s House Agenda:
SB 97(Henry) “adds the term “gender identity” to the already-existing list of prohibited practices of discrimination and hate crimes. As such, this Act would forbid discrimination against a person on the basis of gender identity in housing, employment, public works contracting, public accommodations, and insurance, and it would provide for increased punishment of a person who intentionally selects the victim of a crime because of the victim’s gender identity.” SB 97 received the bare minimum 11 votes required to pass the Senate. I think it will likely have a more comfortable margin in the House.
HB 73(Mitchell) “will help deter the illegal possession of firearms by dangerous criminals by increasing the penalties imposed upon persons convicted of violating the crime of Possession of a Firearm by a Person Prohibited. Adults convicted of illegally possessing a firearm after having been previously adjudicated delinquent as a juvenile for acts constituting a violent felony will receive a one year minimum mandatory prison sentence, and persons prohibited from legally possessing a deadly weapon who are convicted of illegally possessing a firearm within 10 years of a prior conviction or adjudication of delinquency for a violent felony, or for illegally possessing a deadly weapon, will receive a three year minimum mandatory prison sentence.” To me, one-size-fits-all minimum mandatories is almost always misguided. Leave the sentencing to judges.
HB 95(Heffernan) “provides the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control with the authority to impose environmental liens on real property in an effort to recover taxpayers’ money expended by the State in order to investigate and clean up contaminated properties in circumstances where the property owners who caused the contamination have failed to do so.” About bleeping time. Real good bill, hope it gets through both houses by June 30.
SB 73(Hall-Long) “authorizes a licensed pharmacist, pharmacist intern or pharmacy student under the supervision of a pharmacist to dispense hypodermic syringes or needles without a prescription to individuals who are at least 18 years of age. The Bill also adds an exemption for individuals licensed by the Delaware Board of Nursing and who are providing hypodermic syringes or needles in the course of patient or discharge teaching or in the course of routine patient care to indigent clients.” There were 2 no votes and 2 ‘not votings’ in the Senate. Appears to have bipartisan support.
A long Senate Agenda today. However, much of it, for better or worse, will be pro forma. The annual corporation law package will fly through, as will the annual package of Sunset Committee bills. Leaving a couple of interesting bills to consider.
SB 116(Cloutier) is a really good bill, and it’s sponsored by a Republican. This is notable because, in the Senate, it’s rare for an R to sponsor a truly substantive bill. Here’s what the bill is trying to do:
No person who suffers an alcohol or drug overdose or other life threatening condition should die because of fear of criminal charges. It is within Delaware’s best interests to encourage reporting dangerous situations where they occur as not only does it save lives, but it also allows those persons saved to seek the treatment and assistance needed to regain a healthy lifestyle and be productive citizens and neighbors. This Act shall be known as the Kristen L. Jackson & John M. Perkins, Jr. Law. On January 31, 2012 Kristen L. Jackson passed away at the age of 23 years old. On May 5, 2011, John M. Perkins, Jr. passed away at the age of 30 years old. If the Good Samaritan 911 Law had been in effect the outcome may have been different. We hope in passing this law that it will save other parents from the pain their parents have endured.
The bill has broad bipartisan sponsorship. I think it will pass handily, if not unanimously.
SB 117(McBride) enables Delaware to join the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact, a nationwide law enforcement network aimed at preventing lawbreakers who have lost their hunting, fishing, and/or trapping privileges in one state due to egregious crimes, such as poaching against wildlife or fisheries resources, from carrying out those activities in other states. Delaware would become the 40th state to join this compact.
SB 98(Henry) adds criminal background check requirements, and prohibits licensure for those convicted of sexual offenses, for many health professional and occupational licensees and applicants.
BTW, HB 165 is scheduled for Senate consideration this Thursday. You have been alerted. Thanks again to Sen. Blevins for providing fair notice for notable bills scheduled for consideration. Yet one more significant improvement over the reign of Tiny Tony.