What once was gonna be the obligatory last-day coverage of the key bills remaining, has instead morphed into at least three blatant examples of the casual corruption of the Delaware Way. Order completely at random:
1. The Queen Gets $1 Mill From Bond Bill. I quoted this from Karl Baker’s article previously:
The bill also includes a $1 million appropriation for renovations at The Queen, a Wilmington music venue owned by a nonprofit.
Asked why lawmakers are earmarking money for the private venue, Senate Democratic spokeswoman Sarah Fulton said the facility draws people into downtown Wilmington, benefiting nearby restaurants and hotels. She described it as a venue that “puts Delaware on the map.”
Ignoring the fact that the Queen ‘puts Delaware on the map’ far less than it used to be, you know who operates the ‘not-for-profit’ venue?:
“Local leadership means the venue can reflect Wilmington more authentically through the artists, the audiences, the neighborhoods, and the broader creative community,” says Chris Buccini, a founder of Wilmington real estate developer Buccini Pollin Group (BPG), which oversees operation of the venue.
Fiscal ledgerdemain aside, they need another $1 mill? Wait, it gets better. Who, you may ask, is the general manager of The Queen? Hint, he holds, or held, at least three union checkbooks and spread(s) their money around liberally. Longtime readers can likely guess. That’s right, one Brian McGlinchey, described by the News-Journal as a ‘Delaware Consultant And Politico’. Even by Delaware Way norms, this whole thing stinks. There is no legit justification for this. The Delaware Way at its worst.
2. Et tu, Kerri? Kids, remember how SB 1 was essentially rewritten with the, ahem, input of ChristianaCare, thus emasculating the bill? It looks like Kerri Harris is doing the exact same thing for Delmarva Power. We’re talking SB 326 (Hansen). The bill was amended by SA 1, which to my eyes, appears to be a strong amendment. So far, so good. SB 326 is on today’s House Agenda, and Kerri Harris has introduced an amendment that does to the bill what ChristianaCare’s rewrite did to SB 1. Check it out:
‘ This amendment removes the content of Senate Amendment No. 1. It also eliminates the language that would limit nonmandatory spending limits.‘
What the fuck? One of two things is possible–either Harris and her co-sponsors (Alonna Berry, really?) are doing this on their own on behalf of Delmarva Power, or it’s yet another secret agreement with the Delaware Way denizens who run the place–on behalf od Delmarva Power. We’ll know if/when this amendment gets a vote.
3. Same miscreants get Grants-In-Aid Funding. Nicole (No Longer) Poore’s phony Jobs For Delaware Graduates gets another $1,395,197, unencumbered by any research into the agency’s efficacy (which is close to non-existent). Oh, and the Delaware Police Athletic League is back in the good graces of the General Assembly, despite an unaccounted-for $500K or so. This year, to the tune of $202,205. Here’s the thing–although several of the grants are contingent on audits addressing questions about previous funding, there is no such provision for the Police Athletic League. Um, why?
All this in addition to the underhanded funding of the Port Of Wilmington. None of this will change with this cast of characters in office. There’s always September…
Ho-kay, that’s what I’ll be following today.
Here’s the House Agenda. OK, I just can’t resist–SJR 19 (Seigfried) ‘directs the Department of Health & Social Services to explore and consider additional solutions for tackling the State’s high cost of health care and to submit a report to the General Assembly by January 1, 2027, that explores the feasibility of additional strategies to lower health care costs.’ Yo, Ray, you made your money helping ChristianaCare to fatten the corporate bottom line at the expense of health care consumers. You voted for the amendment that significantly weakened SB 1 in favor of your former employer. You know DAMN WELL what could lower healthcare costs, but you’re not gonna bite the hand that feeds you that huge pension.
Ahhh, I feel better now.
Session Adjourned. God Willing.
