A New Day in America, A New Day at Home

January 20, 2009 will long be remembered as one of the most significant days in the political and governmental history of our republic and our State. Today, we inaugurated the first African American President of the United States and the first Vice President of the United States from Delaware.

Regardless of we supported in the general election, today, we are all Americans and can all be proud of the fact that we are who we say we are - the shining city on a hill, where hard work, integrity and determination can overcome any obstacle.

God Bless the United States of America.

Centre of equal daughters, equal sons,
All, all alike endear'd, grown, ungrown, young or old,
Strong, ample, fair, enduring, capable, rich,
Perennial with the Earth, with Freedom, Law and Love,
A grand, sane, towering, seated Mother,
Chair'd in the adamant of Time.

Walt Whitman "America"

145th General Assembly, Week One

Change, the only constant

On Tuesday, January 13, the 145th General Assembly began as all do, with the swearing in of reelected and newly elected members. The largely ceremonial day was undergirded by change. Offices had been moved, personalities considered to be a part of the fabric of the institution were absent due to electoral misfortune. New legislators gathered for their first day of session with proud supporters and family members looking on.

In the House, the Democrats had moved to first and second floor offices as the Republicans, having lost the majority, moved their offices to the basement. As recently as 2003, the House was comprised of 29 Republicans and 12 Democrats. Shifting demographics and a 2008 Democratic Party electoral tide has brought a 25-to-16 Democratic majority. Six Republican incumbents lost their seats, including the longest serving speaker in Delaware history, Terry Spence. Bob Gilligan (D-Sherwood Park), the longest serving member of the General Assembly, elected in 1972, was elected speaker. Representative Pete Schwartzkopf (D-Rehoboth) and Representative Valerie Longhurst (D-Bear) were elected majority leader and majority whip respectively. The Republicans chose former majority leader Dick Cathcart (R-Middletown) and Representative Dan Short (R-Seaford) as minority leader and minority whip.

In the Senate, the majority shifted from a 13-to-8 to 16-to-5 as the Democrats picked up three seats. Chairmanships remained largely unchanged. New to the upper house are former House member Bethany Hall Long (D-Back Creek), Michael Katz, MD (D-Centreville) and Brian Bushweller (D-Dover North).

Governor-elect Markell and Lieutenant Governor-elect Denn will be sworn in on January 20, immediately after midnight. They will then travel to Washington for Inauguration of President-elect Barak Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden. There will be a ceremony to celebrate the gubernatorial inauguration on January 21 in front of Legislative Hall.

Fiscal Challenges

The 145th General Assembly faces the greatest economic challenges a Delaware legislature has confronted in decades. The structural shortfall (difference between the budget and projected revenue) for Fiscal Year 2010 is currently at $560 million. With the problems in the broader economy, it is likely that tax revenue will continue to trend downward during the course of the session. There are considerable number of new faces in Dover, many of whom will be looking to experienced hands such as Senate chair of the Joint Finance Committee, Nancy Cook and Speaker Bob Gilligan. There is much discussion among observers of the possibility of tax increases and even layoffs as the General Assembly and the Markell Administration seek to meet the State’s constitutional requirement for a balanced budget.

Card Check Resolution Introduced in the General Assembly

House Concurrent Resolution 1 (145th General Assembly) was introduced on January 6 and placed in the House Administration Committee. The resolution urges the 111th Congress to pass the Employee Free Choice Act, also known as “Card Check”. This legislation would eliminate the secret ballot requirement in union organizing in the workplace. The secret ballot is essential to protecting the privacy and political rights of Americans, whether exercised in a civic or private context. We oppose both House Concurrent Resolution 1 and the federal legislation that the resolution is designed to promote.

We strongly our members to contact their state legislators to express opposition to House Concurrent Resolution 1 and the members of Delaware’s Congressional Delegation in order to ask them to vote against the Card Check bill, or as its proponents have titled it: the Employee Free Choice Act. In the U.S. House, this legislation is H.R. 800. Its companion bill in the Senate is S. 1041.

For more information about the legislation, visit the following website: http://www.uschamber.com/issues/index/labor/cardchecksecrbal.htm

To find out who represents you in Dover call the New Castle County Department of Elections at (302) 577-3464. For your legislators’ contact information, visit http://legis.delaware.gov/.

The Wilmington office contact information for members of the Delaware Congressional Delegation is as follows:

U.S. Senator Thomas R. Carper
301 N. Walnut Street
Suite 102L-1
Wilmington, DE 19801
(302) 573-6291
http://www.carper.senate.gov/

U.S. Senator Edward E. “Ted” Kaufman
1105 N. Market Street
Suite 2000
Wilmington, DE 19801
(302) 573-6345
http://www.kaufman.senate.gov/

U.S. Representative Michael N. Castle
201 N. Walnut Street
Suite 107
Wilmington, DE 19801-3970
(302) 428-1902
http://www.castle.house.gov/