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, 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 of 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.
Well, the House tabled the senate bill that would require people to clean snow and ice off their vehicles. It passed the Senate 21-0. One person in the House
(Collins?) was worried about box trucks that might not deliver groceries because they can’t clean off their trucks. He wanted an amendment, so the whole thing was tabled. So it appears that for another winter, there will be no penalty for lazy people putting others at risk. Glad he waited until today to bring that up.
The House just finished debating SS2 for SB 100, the marriage equality constitutional amendment. Today, a week after falling short, they had the votes to pass. Wilson-Anton apologized for not voting; she sounded like she got an earful after last week. Ortega said he was changing from “no” to “yes” because, despite his Catholic faith, he was elected to represent the will of his constituents.
He did not comment on whether his faith condones allegedly punching a woman in the face.
Two R’s, the original Michael Smith and Spiegelman, voted yes along with all the D’s.
It will have to pass in the next General Assembly in identical form to become part of the Delaware Constitution. Ground Zero?: The seat being vacated by Kevin Hensley.
The House inexplicably, and barely, passed a bill enabling independents to vote in primary elections–22-17, 2 NV. I hope the Senate doesn’t act on this.
Also, the Bond Bill requires a 3/4ths majority. If the R’s want to make an issue of the Port $$’s (and I think they should), they have the rare power to do so.
That’s crazy. Why would you allow I’s to vote in partisan primaries??? Will I’s be allowed to vote in each party’s primary?
Kerri Harris has dumped her amendment. Quietly. The bill regulating some of Delmarva’s rates passes.
House is in a recess as of 10:15. I honestly think that this is about the Bond Bill.
As of now, neither the Bond Bill nor the Grant-In-Aid bills have been worked. I doubt there’s controversy with the GIA, but the Bond Bill could be another story.
Sen. Walsh running interference to try to delay legislation placing restrictions on large electricity users.
Somewhere, James Maravelias nods in agreement.
Jee-zus: Joe Fitzgerald, representing the NCC Chamber has just given perhaps the most unintelligible testimony I’ve ever heard. The gist–I think–is to ‘hit pause to get it right.’
Didn’t work. Bill passed.
House has been out for over an hour now. GOTTA be the Bond Bill.
Looks like, although it’s no longer required, the General Assembly will be in session after midnight.
I understand that when senators work a House bill, they don’t necessarily have the same knowledge as the original House sponsor.
However, on an important bill particularly, you’d expect at least some ability to run the bill.
Man, Sen. Hoffner was completely unprepared to run a Constitutional Amendment dealing with restoring voting rights for felons who have served their time. Screwed it up so badly that it’s been tabled. She’s um, not exactly a shining star.
She’s never been the sharpest…..
I’m calling it a night. Why? Because, unlike the legislators, I can.