Well. That was quite an ambitious, and welcome, State of the State Address from Governor Markell last Thursday. There is no surer way to jump-start our state’s economy and, not coincidentally, address long-postponed infrastructure deficiencies, than by proposing a massive capital upgrade. Our roads and bridges need it. So do our workers. I suspect that we will hear this week how Gov. Markell intends to pay for the proposed $500 million program. No doubt an increase in the gas tax will be one of the proposed revenue generators.
I, for one, strongly support such an increase. People have choices as to what kinds of vehicles they drive. If they want to drive massive gas-inhalers, that’s their choice. If they opt to downsize, that’s their choice. The fewer massive gas-inhalers out there, the less pollution gets emitted. Those with mass transit and/or car pool options would be more likely to consider them should gas prices rise. There would be fewer unnecessary trips if people really were concerned about higher gas prices. Less traffic, smaller vehicles, less pollution. Why not raise the gas tax to help pay for this engine of economic recovery? There no doubt will be other revenue sources. I, of course want to see some equity restored to our tax code. But I’m completely on board with this proposal.
Lotsa other good stuff in there as well, including specific job skills training for high school students, and an intense campaign to clean Delaware’s waterways. The question is, will D’s respond favorably to one of the best and only Democratic proposals from our D governor. Here are two early reactions:
“I’m going to keep an open mind. In order for us to get there, stir the economy and get people back to work, we have to have an open mind.”
“No gas tax. I won’t do it.”
Know what’s interesting about those two quotes? Both were uttered by the same legislator. The first quote is from Valerie Longhurst in Friday’s News-Journal. The second one is from Valerie Longhurst in Sunday’s News-Journal. As far as the ‘she won’t do it’ meme, maybe it’s time that a real Democrat was House Majority Leader. I mean, she doesn’t get to decide for her entire caucus, does she? Clip ‘n save.
Even by R standards, the Rethuglican response was weak. Here it is in two parts:
1. “B-b-b-but the Veasey Report.” Tell ya what. When the bleeping Koch Brothers and their, wait for it, ilk, stop funneling billions of dollars toward removing democracy from our democratic system of government, I’ll worry about the kind of loophole that Markell used. First Rethug that says, “B-b-b-ut the Koch Brothers…” gets an attaboy from me.
2. “How are they going to pay for it?” Hello. That’s what the Governor’s proposed budget is for, it’s coming this week, and they know it. BTW, I use the term ‘they’ instead of the term ‘we’ b/c Delaware Rethugs don’t give two bleeps about jobs or clean waterways unless the waterways run past their chateaux. Allow me to coin a phrase that describes them: Ir-elephant. You’re welcome.
The real question is whether the legislative D’s will fully embrace this. I sincerely hope that they will. As critical as I’ve been of this governor for not protecting the middle class and the working poor, this is precisely the type of proposal I’ve been hoping for. Well, this and making the filthy rich pay their fair share. Time for D’s to make this a reality, IMHO. Let the Rethugs retreat to the Vicmead Hunt Club to fulminate. And, since John Kennedy Toole is no longer with us, perhaps I’ll be the one to pen a great, but overlooked, American classic: “A Fulmination of Ir-elephants”. Any publisher wish to float me an advance? Plus a membership to the Vicmead Hunt Club? Besides, ‘A Confederacy of Dunces’ is already taken, though no less apt.
Enough artistic license for one paragraph. Here’s what happened in Dover on Thursday in addition to the State of the State address. Two bills of note passed and head to the Governor. SB 21(Henry) passed the Senate with the compromise House amendment that provides for one state employee member of the State Employee Benefits Committee. Incremental progress is nonetheless progress. Sen. Cloutier joined all D’s in voting yes, the rest of the R’s voted no. SB 55(Townsend) requires that members of the Public Service Commission reveal certain financial information. It passed unanimously in the House.
This will be one busy week. The House Business Lapdog Committee will let out a mighty ‘arf’ (Trivia for completists: What did George Will reference when he wrote about a ‘tinny arf’?) and will almost certainly release legislation increasing the minimum wage from committee. This is a rare Tuesday House committee meeting. The Senate holds an Executive Committee hearing today to consider nominations, however consideration of the nomination of Leo Strine to be Chief Justice of the Delaware Supreme Court takes place tomorrow.
Here are the House and Senate agendas for today. Rep. Johnson’s Box Bill is on the agenda. The bill would:
prohibit a public employer from inquiring into or considering the criminal record, criminal history or credit history or score of an applicant before it makes a conditional offer to the applicant. It would permit inquiry and consideration of criminal background after the conditional offer has been made. The bill specifies that once a background check is conducted an employer shall only consider felonies for 10 years from the completion of sentence, and misdemeanors for 5 years from the completion of sentence.
A damn good bill from one of our best legislators. And pretty much the only one that catches my interest.
Lotsa action in Wednesday’s committee meetings. Starting with the Senate.
I know that the IPOD Party, if indeed it is a party, will not like HB 159(Jaques). Everybody else? Not so much. Senate Admin. Services/Elections Committee. Passed 41-0 in the House. Could be on the way to the Guv by Thursday afternoon.
Good bill from Rep. Barbieri in today’s Senate Health & Social Services Committee meeting. Unanimously passed the House.
I’m a big fan of HB 56(D. Short), which ‘sets certain regulations for motor vehicle data-reporting devices to prohibit the use by insurance companies of such data for anything other than consideration for premium discounts, requires disclosure to the insured of others who may gain access to such data, and otherwise prohibits insurance companies from releasing such data to others.’ In today’s Senate Insurance Committee.
Some good House bills will be considered in today’s Senate Judiciary Committee meeting.
Here is the complete list of House committee meetings. Here’s what interests me:
Oh, please baby, please, please. Please vote to release HS1/HB 60(Hudson) from the House Business Lapdog Committee. There is no legit reason to prevent the direct shipment of wines to consumers. Underage drinkers are gonna order $80 pinot noirs from Oregon? Puh-leeze. These wines are otherwise unavailable to consumers in Delaware stores. In most cases, the consumers have visited the wineries in question. Can someone please explain to me why those of us who love wine can’t purchase it from small wineries that we’ve visited? There is none, and most states agree. BTW, here’s another interesting and, at first glance, positive, bill that’s being considered in the Lapdog committee today.
Without a doubt, the most interesting committee meeting is that of the House House Administration Committee. The one guarantee? This bill is coming to the floor on Thursday. I support this one as well.
Rep. Darryl Scott has been a stalwart on the issue of personal privacy protection. Here’s a good example of his priorities. In today’s House Judiciary Committee.
Another good manufactured housing bill from Rep. Baumbach. In his House Manufactured Housing Committee.
I look forward to two Thursday agendas chockful o’ interesting bills. Until then, well, there’s always today’s Al Mascitti Show, 10 am to 12 noon at WDEL 1150-AM. You can listen on your radio, or you can stream it.