Issue Position: State Spending

Issue Position

I voted for last year's budget but was concerned that while it was balanced the revenue projections to support spending could be subject to changes in the economy. Unfortunately those concerns have surfaced. The recent projections of DEFAC (the state's revenue forecasting committee) reduced available revenue for 2017 by $167 million. Next year's budget will be difficult to balance without serious efforts to cut state spending.

I will not support "tax and spend' policies and budgets that mortgage our children's future.

Already there are rumblings to address part of this shortfall by resurrecting the proposal to cut the Senior Citizen School Property Credit. I opposed this proposal last year and I will do so again. Seniors no longer burden the school district with the cost of educating their children. That is why in fairness this program was developed.

Those Delawareans over 65 must carefully budget for their total expenses, particularly limited with fixed incomes. Those same seniors care about their grandchildren and have generously supported the school board when it was necessary to seek more resources for the district. The tax credit is a way to compensate in part for both of these situations

In a $3.8 billion dollar budget, we can certainly find $11 million that would have been the resulting revenue by taking away this credit.

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