Delaware Governor Jack Markell delivered his annual State of the State before a joint session of the General Assembly Thursday.
State of the State Speech Highlights.
State of the State Speech Highlights.
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Markell spent a significant portion of his almost 40 minute speech on education. He's seeking better pay for teachers to keep then in the classroom, especially classrooms in high poverty schools.
"If we're to have the best education system in the country, we can't continue to have the lowest starting and average teacher salaries in our region. We can change this without substantial new resources by reexamining our pay structure, which hasn't been substantively changed in decades," said Markell.
The governor also called for more rigorous teacher preparation programs and stronger standards for those entering the profession.
He is also seeking funds for 30 more mental health professionals in middle schools that don’t have them now and six more state police troopers to fight gang violence and drugs.
And Markell suggested seeking these and other initiatives means extending the 2009 tax increases that sunset in 2014.
"We will continue to find savings wherever they may be, but there are things that we won’t do, if it means compromising public safety or turning our backs on our most vulnerable citizens,” said Markell. “And while we want to keep taxes low –and Delaware’s are attractive – we should not shortchange our children and their future to pay for unaffordable tax cuts today."
Senate Majority Leader David McBride (D-Hawk's Nest) agrees with the governor, but notes that the tax issue will likely result in some rigorous debate at Legislative Hall this year.
“This body, the legislative body needs to have a very serious discussion on exactly what we need to do with that. Quite frankly, I think that some of them probably will stay in existence,” said McBride.
House Majority Leader Valarie Longhurst (D-Bear) said the tax sunsets were on the table, but wouldn’t speculate as to how the Democratic caucus would vote.
Reaction from legislators to the State of the State.
Reaction from legislators to the State of the State.
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On the other side of the aisle, Republican Senate Minority Leader Gary Simpson (R-Milford) sees merit in Markell’s proposals, but wonders about paying for them with the state's revenue forecast so uncertain.
"Some of the actions that are called for are going to cost a lot of money. So, I think overall it was a forward looking, visionary message. The hard part now is coming up with the money to support the programs," said Simpson.
Republican House Minority Leader Daniel Short (R-Seaford) also liked some of what heard, including pieces of the education, mental health and school safety initiatives outlined, but like Simpson, he is not sure how much can actually be accomplished.
"It does come down to prioritization. Ultimately, it does come down to what we can actually afford to do here in the State of Delaware. We'll have that tough discussion and it's a welcome discussion because there is a lot of good things we can get," said Short, who added that he expects some battles over the gun legislation Markell unveiled Monday and the tax issue.
Markell will lay out his budget proposal next week.
