General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Thurs., Jan. 30, 2014
Been too long since my last musical opening:
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?-Dr. John & Odetta
Brother, can you spare a dime a gallon for a $500 million boost to Delaware’s economy? A jobs creator and a massive infrastructure upgrade? House Majority Leader Val Longhurst has already said she won’t do it, regardless of the number of constituents in her district who will earn meaningful wages for their families. I hope she is in the minority. I hope that the unions who previously supported her are paying attention. With a gallon of gas well north of $3 a gallon, let’s be honest here. That additional 10 cents should hardly be a deal-breaker. But we shall see. The General Assembly has a minimum of six weeks, starting at the end of today’s session, to consider whether a $500 million boost to the state’s economy is in the economic interests of the people who live and try to work here. It’s all about the jobs, as far as I’m concerned. By far the biggest issue facing the General Assembly this term.
We have a new Chief Justice of the Delaware Supreme Court. Congratulations to Leo Strine. I was encouraged that, in his remarks following Senate confirmation, he addressed the issue of Delaware’s high incarceration numbers. I’m convinced that he’ll be a significant force in developing solutions to ongoing prison overcrowding. BTW, I think Markell picked the best person he possibly could have. Although he sure couldn’t have gone wrong with Jan Jurden either. At this point in a governor’s term, some things are about legacy.
Here is what happened in Dover since my last post. The Box Bill passed the House by a 31-8 margin. None of the no votes will surprise you. The bill now goes to the Senate.
The minimum wage hike bill got plenty of love from the Business Lapdog Committee this time, and made it to the floor. 6 favorable, one on its merits, and 3 unfavorable. Amazing what six months of reflection can do.
Here is the Session Activity report from Tuesday, referenced above.
Wednesday saw the Chip Flowers Remedial Reading Bill make it out of committee and onto today’s agenda. Flowers may continue to misread the Delaware Code, but surely, by now, he can read the handwriting on the wall. I DID think that the public brow-beatings from Reps. Schwartzkopf and Longhurst were condescending, though. But not out of character. Here is how the hamster wheel in Longhurst’s head thinks: “People don’t like Chip Flowers. Especially people who I need to curry (‘curry, isn’t that a food or something?’) favor with. I’ll be mean to Chip Flowers. People will like me.” Or, maybe they’ll just see it as one more instance of you being nasty, but that’s just me.
Quite a few interesting bills were released from committee, so I’ll address them as they make their way onto agendas.
Here is yesterday’s Session Activity Report. Except, of course, it’s incomplete. Leading me to make a respectful request, this time of the Senate, which generally has had its stuff together. Could you please make roll calls on nominations available as part of the Session Activity reports? If I’m not mistaken, the confirmation roll calls are also handled electronically, so it should be relatively easy to add them to the report. In fairness, the Senate, under President Pro-Tempore Blevins, has published the names of those scheduled for consideration in the Senate Executive Committee, something that Tiny Tony rarely, if ever, did. Just one more small step for humankind…
The Governor will release his proposed FY ’15 budget today. Wonder if state employees will be in line for a raise for the first time in a long time. I sure hope so. His submitted budget will be considered by the Joint Finance Committee, agency by agency, line by line, beginning next week.
OK, time for the final agendas for six weeks. We’ll start with the House, which has the two most notable pieces of legislation on its plate.
SB 6(Marshall) will have to be considered pretty early in session because at least one House amendment will require Senate approval before the end of the day. HA 1(Brady) merely reflects the unfortunate reality that the effective date of the bill had to be pushed back because of the House delay in considering the bill. Mike Ramone is sponsoring the usual Rethuglican amendments. You know, a ‘training wage’ for young workers, that type of thing. Don’t think any of them have a chance. As this is being written, there is still no amendment to restore a cost-of-living increase to the bill. That’s…unfortunate.
SB 151(Blevins), which makes clear that Chip Flowers interpretation (to put it charitably) of the Delaware Code is incorrect, will be on its way to the Governor’s desk by day’s end. John Kowalko has placed an amendment with the bill that effectively establishes term limits on members of the Cash Management Policy Board. That amendment will only be considered if it doesn’t slow down passage of the bill today. Otherwise, Kowalko will likely introduce this as a separate bill.
Here is today’s House Agenda. I’m also quite impressed with HB 227(M. Smith), which addresses guardianships and protections for minors. Serious legislating from one of our best. I hereby predict that Melanie George Smith will be a judge and, I’m gonna go out on a limb here, will be nominated for a judgeship before Jack Markell leaves office. It will be on merit.
The key bills on today’s Senate Agenda are the House bills. There is clear impetus to get them to the Governor’s office by the end of today’s session. No such urgency for the Senate bills. I consider HB 178(Barbieri) and HB 154(Walker) to be the most notable. Both good solid bills. However, truth be told, the Senate needs to be in session largely to ensure that, should the minimum wage and/or Flowers bills return from the House, the body can take final action on them.
Hey, since we’ve got six more weeks until my next pre-game/post-game, might as well close with one of the great slow-building blues songs of all-time. And it’s on topic! Written by the criminally under-appreciated Fenton Robinson (check out his ‘I Hear Some Blues Downstairs’ album, a classic). Led to a fantastic cover by Boz Scaggs and Duane ‘Skydog’ Allman. I’m givin’ you both at no extra charge:
Someone Loan Me a Dime-Fenton Robinson
Loan Me A Dime-Boz Scaggs w/Duane ‘Sky Dog’ Allman
You’re welcome.
See ya in six. Weeks, that is.
Tags: Boz Scaggs and Duane Allman, Chip Flowers, Delaware gas tax, Dr. John & Odetta, El Somnambulo, Featured, Fenton Robinson, Gov. Markell, Leo Strine, Steve Tanzer Delaware, Valerie Longhurst
The Senate seems to have dealt with SB 151 with a lot more dignity. I found both the Speaker and Majority Leader in the House to be condescending and rude. I am not a fan of Chip Flowers but it was completely unnecessary to talk down to him. This bill had no chance of not making it out of committee and the handling of the matter in the House committee is an embarrassment to the State.
The minimum wage bill is now law. Signed by Gov. Markell as soon as he received it.
Is anybody actually shocked that a few days after the Treasurer
was quoted in the paper “warning” the Speaker to “lay off any strong comments” after the Chipper had just had his own press conference attacking everybody a week before that maybe, just maybe, some of the legislators would push back in a committee hearing?
I consider myself a liberal, but I cannot get behind a tax increase on gasoline, an inherently regressive tax in nature. Raise the tolls for out of state vehicles, create a new top tax bracket or two, consolidate a few school districts…there are other, better sources of revenue out there if the work really needs to be done.
Boz! http://youtu.be/mha7S99TE5U
Mike: Saying something is inherently regressive doesn’t make it inherently regressive. There are lots of ways to cut back on using gas:
1. Drive less by organizing trips smarter.
2. Get a more fuel-efficient vehicle. No, I’m not suggesting that everybody can buy a hybrid, but cutting down on the size of your car and finding one with better gas mileage will save gas.
3. Those suburbanites who moved far away from their jobs in the City can move closer. It’s actually less expensive to live near the city than in, say, Hockessin.
4. Mass transit
5. Car-pooling.
Bottom line is that many of the projects that this would fund have been pushed back for years, increasing the costs of these needed repairs. Doing this now actually SAVES taxpayer $$’s because further delay only adds to the cost, and they eventually have to be done. Not to mention the costs to drivers for car problems caused by driving on roads so in need of repair. Which I submit disproportionately causes expenses for those driving older and less road-worthy vehicles.
Plus, this does create and/or extend jobs, largely to those who really need the jobs.
Keep in mind that there’s already something like a $70 mill shortfall on highway funding for the upcoming Fiscal Year. From, I think, $190 mill to $128 mill. That inherently will cost workers money and livelihoods. So, even an added $100 mill would merely restore the $70 mill and add maybe $30 mill to prevent already greenlighted projects from falling even further behind.
So, for those of you reading think tank pieces to support your positions, might I suggest…thinking?
As to raising tolls, we’ve done that and we’ll probably do that again. I’m all for higher tax brackets for the wealthy, been arguing for it since my first day here. If we can all make that happen, then great. I’m actually pleased that Markell is proposing raising our pathetically-low incorporation fees to fund programs that most of us agree need funding.
But let’s be practical. A gas tax is a user fee on those who use the roads. If you don’t drive that much, you pay less. If you drive to excess, you pay more. If you drive a gas guzzler, you pay more. Yes, some people with economic hardships may pay more. But, there are ways to minimize what is really a relatively small increase on a gallon of gas. Say you’re paying $3.29 a gallon. A 10-cent increase is not that much. And, I doubt that there’s a driver out there who couldn’t find ways to cut their driving miles even a little.
I support a modest gas tax increase for other reasons, but you can’t say it’s not regressive. The fact that you are suggesting ways for lower income people to cut back on their driving is an admission it is regressive. What accommodation do the upper incomes need to make? Try increased fees for vanity plates, higher tax on premium octane gas only, or a special transfer tax for vehicles over $35k.
I’m pointing out how EVERYBODY can cut back. The people who moved to Hockessin aren’t exactly poor, now are they? Try reading entire sentences and paragraphs, Puck, if it’s not too exhausting.
I think about whether my family can shave a gallon or two off of our driving just by planning smarter, and I see no reason why we can’t. More than pays for a dime a gallon increase. And we’re far from wealthy.
I favor $1000 fines for the assholes who park diagonally across two parking spaces.
A gas tax is regressive in that it probably takes more income from those with lower incomes. It is NOT regressive in that is pays for road work that that is an equal opportunity need. The cars of poor people don’t inflict less wear and tear on the roads (and poor people are in worse position for car repairs due to crappy roads), the cars of rich people provide the exact same impact to congestion as do lower income people, and I can’t imagine an argument that better road safety isn’t an equal opportunity improvement. Gas taxes earmarked for road improvements are still user fees — and I can’t figure out why the people who make the greatest use of the roads shouldn’t pay for it.
Definition of regressive: “I think about whether my family can shave a gallon or two off of our driving just by planning smarter, and I see no reason why we can’t. More than pays for a dime a gallon increase. And we’re far from wealthy.”
it is good policy for everyone to reduce driving for other reasons, but the burgher class will keep on driving whenever the hell they want and won’t even feel the ten cents.
As far as wear and tear on the roads, go after the heavy trucks. Long haul freight should be on a train. Short haul freight should be priced to include the road repairs and traffic problems it is responsible for.
If the ‘burgher class’ will continue driving wherever the hell they want, they’ll pay disproportionately more. Whether they feel it or not, it’s at least one way to make them pay their fair share. Believe me, they wouldn’t feel a modest increase in the top rate either, but that doesn’t stop them from fighting against one.
I’m not sure how much anyone’s gonna feel it. A caller to Al’s show yesterday pointed out that Pa.’s gas tax is higher than ours, but that gas stations right across the line in Pa. near Hockessin don’t charge more than the Delaware stations do. Maybe the poor oil companies will underwrite some of this…as they appear to already be doing.
As far as trucks are concerned, fine. As long as everyone is prepared to pay more for food and other essentials. Now THAT’S inherently regressive on those least able to afford necessities.
I say we put the toll booths back on I-95 exits in Delaware, and maybe reduce the use of the interstate as a peak-hour commuter road between Newark/Glasgow and Wilmington. Or if you still want to use it that way, there will be a price.
Making trucks and buses pay more via higher priced operating permits or registrations definitely makes sense, and I’d endorse that. Still, everyone who drives has an impact on the roads and those impacts should be paid for by the people who use the roads. Arguing against a fuel tax to pay for roads seems odd for people who were arguing for carbon taxes to help address climate change.
“As far as trucks are concerned, fine. As long as everyone is prepared to pay more for food and other essentials. Now THAT’S inherently regressive”
Call it a user fee for the Walmart truck fleet (the largest in the world). They can afford it, and they have enough competitive pressure to keep price increases mostly out of the stores.
And have you noticed everything you buy online now comes with “free shipping?” There’s an untapped opportunity for users to pay their fair share of road maintenance, and I believe low income folks make relatively few online purchases.
The economy is too fragile to put an across the board tax increase on gasoline. 10 cents a gallon will actually harm people living paycheck to paycheck.
The proposals put forth in this thread (and others like it) stating how people can just make better choices and cut down on their traveling costs are far-fetched and stem from folks who are out of touch.
1. Drive less by organizing trips smarter. (again for the lowest wage earners already making tough financial choices, they likely have already done this).
2. Get a more fuel-efficient vehicle. No, I’m not suggesting that everybody can buy a hybrid, but cutting down on the size of your car and finding one with better gas mileage will save gas. (not possible for lowest wage earners, who often are driving what they can afford and have very limited options)
3. Those suburbanites who moved far away from their jobs in the City can move closer. It’s actually less expensive to live near the city than in, say, Hockessin. (again nothing to do with lower wage earners)
4. Mass transit (in Delaware? Lol)
5. Car-pooling. (a possiblity but tough, again, for lower wage earners who are already juggling one car among several people)
We have a Democratic Governor, a Democratic House and Senate and Democrats at every level of State Leadership. If you can’t put an actual progressive system in place and can’t pay for your projects by taking away from the people least harmed by the past 10 years, then we should give up now.
“and I can’t figure out why the people who make the greatest use of the roads shouldn’t pay for it.”
Those with lower incomes are forced to live much further away from where they work and are underserved by public transportation. So they typically drive further. This is typical in large metropolitan areas, maybe not so much in DE. Still, the “last mile” serves everyone.
“I favor $1000 fines for the assholes who park diagonally across two parking spaces.”
I favor keying to defeat the purpose of parking diagonally. Rough justice perhaps, but justified in my view. Also applies to those who park in handicap spots when they are obviously not handicapped, with or without the HP plates.
Infrastructure serves everyone and roads need to be repaired, replaced, and new ones built. To me it’s a no brainer. Since the last gas tax increase was in 1995, 10 cents per gallon is a reasonable increase considering it’s been 19 years.
@D “Since the last gas tax increase was in 1995,…”
What we ought to do is make the tax a fraction of the price at the pump, or a fraction of the wholesale cost. That way, we’ll never be in a position where we need to fight to raise the gas tax.
If they did that back in 1995, there would be no discussion today.
^ Like ^
Infrastructure serves everyone and roads need to be repaired, replaced, and new ones built.
I thought that’s what the ‘stimulus’ was supposed to do…remember, ‘shovel-ready jobs?’ Or was that just the usual political bulls#!t?
lol. someone needs a nap.