State of the State address projects healthy economy
Gov. John Carney gave an encouraging State of the State address Jan. 23, reporting strong finances and plans for more infrastructure investment.
“Three years ago, I promised that our economy would be stronger … At the end of three years as your governor, I’m pleased to report that the state of our state is strong and getting stronger,” he said, noting how far the state has come since facing the $400 million deficit when he first took office.
The state now has a $200 million surplus with $126 million in reserves that can be tapped at anytime, Carney said.
In his 2021 budget, he said, he will unveil the largest infrastructure project in Delaware history – topping the same pledge he made last year.
Bringing businesses to Delaware and keeping them here is a big priority; Carney plans to grow the $1.5 million already given to small business owners. “We want companies to start here, grow here and stay here,” he said.
There are now 20,000 more people working in the state than when he took office. “More are working than at any point in our history,” he said. Investment at the Port of Wilmington is expected to bring hundreds of new jobs, possibly thousands, he said.
Through an Education Economic Development Fund, Carney said, he wants institutions of higher learning to help drive economic growth in the state.
In Georgetown, he said, Delaware Technical Community College has an automotive center that will help meet the workforce needs of employers, and the aviation program at Delaware State University is expanding and replacing its fleet of airplanes. A national research center for bio pharmaceuticals at University of Delaware is meant to encourage entrepreneurs to innovate in Delaware, he said.
“But we’re not stopping there. In my budget next week, we’re proposing $50 million in capital investments to further strengthen our economic infrastructure,” he said. “These investments are all designed to shift our economy into a higher gear. Many emerging companies have outgrown the Experimental Station or the Star Campus. So we’re investing in lab space where they can keep growing here in Delaware. We’ll create a Site Readiness Fund, so we can quickly convert existing properties to meet the needs of prospective employers. And we’ll expand the EDGE grant program, to encourage even more small businesses to grow and innovate.”
On public safety, Carney said, organizations are working together through a group violence intervention program to encourage Wilmington residents in crime-ridden areas to live law-abiding lives. “We need a similar approach in our Capital city,” he said.
As part of his efforts to improve education in the state, Carney thanked his wife, Tracy, for the work she is doing to provide books to students and encourage them to read.
“I think she can do a better job than I delivering this speech,” he said, acknowledging that he is going off script. “She can really hammer home a line.”
High school graduation rates for low-income students and English Language Learners are the highest in 10 years, he said, and for children aging out of foster care, he proposes waiving tuition and fees for them to attend University of Delaware, Delaware State University of Delaware Technical Community College.
“We're building state-of-the-art schools across the state. We're rebuilding our water infrastructure to make sure every Delawarean has access to clean water. We're preserving open space and investing in our downtowns. And we're supporting small business and working families in our state,” he said.
