‘I’ll Take Political Potpourri For $800, Alex’
1. Pete ‘n Val On the Warpath. Word on the street is that John Viola is about to lose his Majority Whip post. As well he should. While Andria Viola Bennett might have daddy issues, Pete ‘n Val suffered from daddy/daughter issues. The tragicomedy of Bennett going off the reservation and killing tax increases led to draconian budget cuts. $30 mill in education cuts alone. The mathematical formula for the out-of-tune Violas is 2 times zero equals zero. Both should also have serious primary challenges. DelDem over at Blue Delaware suggests that Melanie George Smith could be deposed as JFC Chair. This is almost certainly her last term as she and her husband have purchased a house outside of her district.
2. Rep. J. J. Johnson To Retire. He’s one of our very best. A rarity for a public official, someone comfortable in his own skin. Has done effective work on criminal justice reform, including the rights of offenders and ex-offenders. Word is that there is a very solid D candidate who will run for the RD 16 seat. About as solid a D seat as you can get. Centered on Route 9 as you head out of Wilmington. Registration: 10,867 D; 1674 R; 2837 I. Frankly, this is a district that reflects overcompensation on the part of the House in ensuring minority representation.
3. Rep. Deborah Hudson To Draw D Challenger. Word is that it’s a teacher. A good time for a challenge. Hudson is nearing the end of her run, she has not had a challenger in forever. It could be a D year. And the numbers in RD 12 have moved inexorably toward the D column, although it still has an R edge. Registration: 7038 D; 7502 R; 5362 I. View it the way that RD’s 7 and 10 were viewed about a decade ago. It might take two runs to win it, but it’s time it was put in play.
4. Gerald Brady Is Either Not Running, Or Has a Political Death Wish. Squiring his inamorata around town while rubbing his Irish-Catholic constituents’ noses in his old-age crisis. I don’t see how he can win any more. He’s always been a phony, he just kept it from the public longer than I thought he could. The question is: Will a true progressive run for the seat? Hey, it’s Trolley Square, there should be a surplus of possibilities. Only name I’ve heard so far is Tracy Schofield, who served briefly on Wilmington City Council when Steve Martelli resigned to take a federal job. Not sure she has any progressive cred whatsoever.
What are you all hearing out there?
Jerry Brady is not going anywhere. He will hang on there forever and can’t be beaten in that current district. Going to have to wait that one out until 2022 and redistricting….
I’ll betch’a cash money on that one. His entire base of support revolves around his family, his family ties, and his ties to the Church there. I think he’s blown up his entire base of support.
I’m sure you’ll agree with me on this, though: Bernard Brady is the TRUE public servant in that family, one of the finest people I’ve ever met.
Point of pedantic parochial order, the neighborhood in which both Tracey & I live is Forty Acres. Always has been. Trolley Square is a strip mall where the old Wilmington city trolley shed used to be.
Unless you’re a real estate agent…
I know that. And the district is not limited to Forty Acres or Trolley Square.
Just trying to give readers an easy reference.
What’s your tale on Tracey?
Did you mean to say that Hudson will have a primary challenger or a general challenger?
The tragicomedy of Bennett going off the reservation and killing tax increases led to draconian budget cuts. $30 mill in education cuts alone.
The educations cuts and all other budget cuts were already a done deal before Bennett voted against HB 240. Not one cut was made because of her vote, other taxes were raised. Her vote lead to increases in the tobacco tax, the alcohol tax and the real estate transfer tax.
Wrong. The mix would have been different. Fewer cuts, more revenue. Once she cast the deciding vote, there was nothing to do but put together a patchwork catch-all. But nice try. I’m sure she’s a real nice lady.
LG: A general election challenger. I wish we had an editor. Going back to change it right now.
Wrong. The mix would have been different. Fewer cuts, more revenue. Once she cast the deciding vote, there was nothing to do but put together a patchwork catch-all. But nice try. I’m sure she’s a real nice lady.
Carney came out of the gate proposing $37 million in cuts to education. Here’s an article from March 2017:
http://delawarepublic.org/post/income-tax-hike-cuts-schools-seniors-balance-gov-carneys-budget
In education, the governor is cutting a combined $37 million that trickles down to each school district – $22 million of which the districts could unilaterally raise by upping property taxes without a referendum.
Why do you think teachers showed up at all of Carney’s “Budget Reset” meetings? He was always going to cut education, cut senior tax breaks, and kiss corporate ass (he fought additional tax brackets, too, while gleefully signing off on the elimination of the “death tax”). That’s what a “Fully Owned by the State Chamber” Governor looks like.
Which is why it was so important that tax increases be in the mix. To stop that asshole from doing what he was inclined to do. The alcohol and tobacco tax increases were already figured in.
Absent the new revenue, they merely raised minimal revenue through the real estate transfer tax increase, kicked the can down the road, and went home. The cuts would have been less draconian with the income tax revenue. Thanks to Andria Viola Bennett, the D’s didn’t even have that card to play.
Of course, what passes for D legislative leadership already had screwed the pooch by giving away the Estate Tax Repeal for nothing, and giving way even more corporate tax breaks for nothing.
It’s why we need Mo’ Better Democrats. Wouldn’t hurt to start with both of the Violas.
I also hope that Pete & Val DO throw Melanie George Smith off of JFC. The sheer glee that she took in slashing budget lines is what in part led to the shutdown of JFC at the end of May. She was fine with all of ’em, as long as Del-Tech stayed on the Money Train. All brain and no heart.
I only have an opinion about Tracey as a neighbor. She’s great. Not relevant in this context.