Delaware GOP's Weekly Message
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In the weekly Delaware Republican Message, State Senator Brian Pettyjohn (R-Georgetown) decried the lack of progress on what he called “job creating policy” in the recently ended legislative session of the General Assembly.
"We’ve got thousands of Delawareans out of work or settling for jobs that are barely allowing them to make ends meet. And yet, our governor and the majority caucuses in the Senate and House continue to treat Delaware’s underachieving economy with an inexcusable lack of urgency," said Pettyjohn.
Pettyjohn cited figures that show half the states in the country creating more private sector jobs than Delaware since 2010, praising states that have cut the size of government and attracted new business.
He also drew attention to the state’s gross domestic product, which lags behind the national average.
Pettyjohn says he and other state GOP lawmakers will push ideas that “help restore our economy to prominence.”
Full text of State Senator Brian Pettyjohn's weekly message
Hi, I'm Delaware State Senator Brian Pettyjohn.
Earlier this month, the 147th General Assembly came to a close. And once again, the 6-month legislative session ended without any meaningful job-creating policy. The most important thing for Delawareans right now is jobs -- plain and simple.
We know that because that is what the people of Delaware, whether they live in New Castle, Kent, or here in Sussex County, tell us over and over again. We've got thousands of Delawareans either out of work, or settling for jobs that are barely allowing them to make ends meet. And yet, our governor and the majority caucuses in the Senate and House continue to treat Delaware’s underachieving economy with an inexcusable lack of urgency.
Compared to the rest of the nation, Delaware's recovery from the recession has been, at best, unremarkable. Since 2010, 25 states have fared better at creating jobs in the private sector. In addition, according to the latest statistics from the U.S. Department of Commerce, Delaware's gross domestic product, or GDP, continues to lag behind the national average. If economic mediocrity is what the governor and majority party are striving for, well, congratulations.
If you take a closer look at the states that are truly turning things around, they have a couple of things in common. They have legislatures committed to leaner and more responsible budgets, and they have leaders willing to think outside the box to attract new businesses, big and small. Unfortunately, right now, that is not Delaware. That is why, moving forward, Republicans in the Senate and the House will continue to conceive and push visionary ideas that will help restore our economy to prominence. Because we know that's what you want.
Thank you.