We're with the Guv!
That's the Delaware Republican rallying cry while the Democratic leadership holds the budget process hostage. For those not aware, the state faces a $400 million budget deficit that needs to be resolved by the end of June.
There is a process to do that, and the people involved, people from both parties, were busy at work following the blueprint set forth by the governor. That blueprint, developed after a series of town hall meetings the governor held throughout the state last fall, had a mix of tax increases and budget cuts.
But in an unprecedented move, the Senate and General Assembly leaders, both Democrats, suspended the process last week.
At a recent meeting of the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce, Senate Pres. Pro Tem McBride and Speaker Schwartzkopf made it clear that their goal was to move away from the blueprint and balance the budget with tax increases. Repeating a phrase found in Dennis Forney's Cape Gazette column June 6, Rep. Schwartzkopf proudly announced "he can count the votes," and no doubt he can.
He knows that he can't get the budget passed without Republican assistance.
Again referring to the Forney column, who in their right mind would believe that anyone agreed to give up the estate tax for the franchise tax increase without there being other items to balance out the equation? It's obvious there was a grander bargain here that was derailed in mid-step. (In the business world we would call this retrading the deal, a very unflattering description usually surrounded by words your mother wouldn't let you say.)
So what's really going on here? Political grandstanding. Budget cuts are coming: they will not be popular and the Dems are looking to paint them on the Republicans. As for the chamber reaction I understand there was a deafening silence (which is how you boo in polite company).
You could see this coming. I posted a letter in this paper Dec. 26, where I outlined the tax increases I felt would be proposed.
Shortly thereafter I received a call from Rep. Schwartzkopf where he expressed his displeasure on two main points. First, he felt that I was unnecessarily upsetting people about tax increases. Second, he felt that he deserved more credit for solving a prior year's budget problem.
Today I can say two things. First, I didn't upset people enough, and second, the process now belongs entirely to Rep. Schwartzkopf. After all, the budget is the responsibility of the legislative body he leads.
As for the residents in Eastern Sussex County, I will repeat my warning, we are viewed as some of the wealthiest people in the state and ripe for the picking. So yes, Rep. Schwartzkopf can count the votes, and the ones he's counting are those in his next election. To get those votes he needs to distance himself from a process which, as speaker of the House, is solely his responsibility. This should be an interesting month.
As the for the Republicans, all they're saying is "We're with the Guv!" Make a note of that. This may be one of the few times the Republicans so blatantly side with the Democratic governor.
Lee McCreary
Rehoboth Beach
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