Del Tech funding deserves support

Del Tech officials are making the rounds in Delaware this spring. They're drumming up support for a law that would give them bonding authority to raise money to address the college's crumbling infrastructure. The legislation would also create a revenue stream - a new property tax - to service the debt on bonds sold largely to pay for maintenance projects deferred for years.

How bad is the situation? "One example among many. The roof is leaking in the college's data center," said Jerry McNesby, finance director. "It's bad enough we have to worry about hackers; we shouldn't have to worry about water wreaking havoc too."

Del Tech educates more of Delaware's workforce than any other institution.

Jack Owens' belief in all people's ability to learn - and his vision decades ago for an affordable college on the Georgetown site of the former William C. Jason Comprehensive High School - started the Del Tech ball rolling. Since then, agile and facile at meeting the training needs of Delaware's changing economy, Del Tech has shown an uncanny ability to do much with little.

Even with Delaware facing tough financial decisions, this legislation is as close to being a no-brainer as any. The proposed $3 increase in property tax in the first year for an average Sussex property, up to a maximum of $16 after five years, is a practically painless investment in economic development.

Although this statewide legislation would benefit all four Del Tech campuses, money raised in Sussex would be used at the Owens Campus. It could be put to use immediately on projects ready to go. That means jobs. And it would further bolster the Owens Campus, which puts nearly $40 million of annual payroll into the local economy via 300 full-time employees.

Sussex legislators should be leading the way on getting this legislation passed. Support is strong in Delaware's House, but the outlook is cloudier in the Senate. In Sussex, Sen. Ernie Lopez has pledged full support. The rest of Sussex County's senators - Gerald Hocker; Brian Pettyjohn, in whose district Del Tech is located; and Bryant Richardson - should mirror Lopez's political courage and good sense, and join forces with him.