Delaware General Assembly passes largest capital budget ever

Gov. John Carney signed a $1.3 billion capital budget June 30 setting aside millions for road improvements and state construction.

Senate Bill 200 provides a one-time spending opportunity based on Delaware’s higher-than-expected revenues at the end of fiscal year 2021.

The bill invests $450 million more than Gov. John Carney had proposed in his January budget.

“This year’s capital budget is truly a down payment on Delaware’s future. Whether it’s roads and bridges, new schools, economic development programs or water-quality projects, we’re talking about a transformational level of public investment that we haven’t seen in quite some time, if ever,” said House Speaker Rep. Pete Schwartzkopf, D-Rehoboth. 

Among the winners in the Fiscal Year 2022 Capital Budget allocations are Cape Henlopen School District for school construction, a new Sussex County Family Court building, and $16 million in beach replenishment.

The bill also earmarks $55 million for clean drinking water and $20 million for statewide drainage improvements.

Schwartzkopf had $375,000 added to move five 5G poles on Dewey Beach that have been the center of a controversy among residents resulting in a recent lawsuit filed by Dewey resident Alex Pires and others. 

 A breakdown of the bond bill includes:  

• $386 million on road projects throughout Delaware, including additional funding to address roadways in the poorest condition   

• $229 million for school construction projects in the Appoquinimink, Brandywine, Caesar Rodney, Cape Henlopen, Capital, Christina, Indian River and Smyrna School districts 

• $198 million in economic development projects, including $70 million for capital projects for Delaware community nonprofit and municipal organizations, $68 million for enhancements in the City of Wilmington, and $60 million for continued investments in the Strategic Fund, the Site Readiness Fund and the Transportation and Infrastructure Investment Fund 

• $131 million for the new Kent and Sussex Family Court facilities – more than half of the total anticipated cost for those buildings  

• $100 million in deferred maintenance and capital improvements at state facilities throughout Delaware  

• $60 million to Delaware higher education institutions to help address a backlog of deferred maintenance projects and incentivize economic development initiatives  

• $22 million for state parks improvements throughout Delaware

Grants-in-aid package passes

On June 30, the General Assembly passed the annual grants-in-aid package that provides cash to nonprofits and other groups and causes across the state. 

Sen. Ernie Lopez, R-Lewes, a member of the Joint Finance Committee that crafted the budget and grants-in-aid bills, said he was pleased with this year’s increases.

“It’s good to be on the committee to help local folks,” he said. “We doubled the amount for the Overfalls Foundation and got more money for the Children’s Beach House.”

Other funding includes:

•  $19.3 million for organizations that provide services to Delawareans in the areas of health, substance-abuse treatment, the arts, tourism and community services 
• $13.9 million to support county paramedic services, plus $3 million in one-time funding to improve or enhance paramedic substations    

• $9 million for Delaware senior centers  
• 3 percent funding increases for volunteer fire companies, including $7 million to support the operation of volunteer fire company trucks, ambulances and rescue boats  
• $2.7 million for the Clean Slate Act Contingency 
• $500,000 for a new primary care provider loan reimbursement program 
• $300,000 for a new mental health services loan repayment program for college students  
• $90,000 for the Korey Thompson emergency student housing fund.