General Assembly Post-Game Wrap-Up/Pre-Game Show: Weds., Jan. 16, 2019

Can we start with John Carney’s Group Hug? Trying to stay one step ahead of the posse, er, courts, John Carney announced a commitment to provide $60 mill in funding over three years to ‘educate English language learners and low-income students’.  Great.  No, I mean it, it’s great.  Of course, we’re talking about $20 million a year over the finite period of three years (mustn’t add anything to the base of the budget…).   My favorite line?:

“This is an issue we can’t afford to ignore any longer,” he said. “We can’t afford to leave one child behind.”

Carney channeling his Inner Dubya some 19 years later. My translation:  “The courts could really screw us.  Here are some crumbs I’m willing to scatter.”

While the initiative deserves a polite golf clap, I side with the Delaware Chapter of the ACLU:

Kathleen MacRae of the ACLU called Carney’s proposal a positive step but one that falls well short of addressing the underlying problem.

“The fact is it’s only 1 percent of the state’s overall education budget and only extends for three years,” she said. “Our hope is that the state finds a more permanent and substantial solution to this issue.”

Let’s see if Carney’s fig leaf keeps the court from seeing the state’s shriveled  education funding mechanism.  At least he’ll have something to discuss during his State of The State. BTW, it’s a little off-topic, but it wasn’t Carney’s only recent Group Hug.  The other, of course, starring the usual Delaware Way suspects.  But, I digress.

Let’s now take a look at the House Administration Committee. Originally created as a committee that addressed bills that did not otherwise fall under the purview of other committees, the committee now functions as a rubber stamp for whatever bills that Speaker Pete and our PAL Val wish to rush through the House with as little discussion as possible. Take today’s committee agenda. Please. It’s possible that these bills are innocuous. However, lest we forget, Pete and Sen. Lopez, who are or were under the thrall of Park City Kathy, were poised to run a charter change that would have done this. I am suspicious of some language in this bill.  Can any of the barristers who read it assure me that there’s no skulduggery afoot?

Oh, and any bill pertaining to the Fabled Underwater Kingdom Of Ft. DuPont is immediately suspect.  But this is Pete ‘n Val’s personal legislative clearinghouse, so you just know that both bills are headed to the floor.

Here’s what happened yesterday.  Buccini/Pollin is one step closer to securing that alcoholic beverage license for the riverfront arena with the passage of HB 35 in the House.  The arena is scheduled to open before the end of January.  You can bet that the Senate will pass this bill before the opening tip-off.  Oh, and as if that’s not enough largesse from the General Assembly, you might want to take a look at SB 9, which is a reallocation of some Bond Bill funds.  One of those reallocations?  “(R)evise the fund amount for the Garashes L Project and expand the use of funds for road projects at the Wilmington Riverfront Sports Project”.  God forbid that Buccini/Pollin pay for anything when the state can pick up the tab.  BTW, does this seem a little hinky?:  “(A)uthorize funding from the Delaware Strategic Fund when interest earnings are not available for the New Castle County and Middletown Chamber of Commerce’s business incubators”.  Oh, well, the deals have been cut, there’s literally nothing to see here since the so-called Delaware Strategic Fund operates outside the boundaries of FOIA.

Here is the Senate Committee schedule for today.  The only bill scheduled for consideration is HB 1, the Delaware ERA constitutional amendment. The Senate Executive Committee will consider, and assuredly release, the bill. (Memo to Sen. Sturgeon: You might want to look at today’s Senate Education Agenda through the eyes of a teacher…)

Here is the House Committee schedule.  Other than the doings of the House Administration Committee, not much going on.

A slow January slogs ahead. Be back tomorrow to guide you through the slog. ‘Slog guide’. I kinda like it.