Delaware Watch

Don't We at Least Owe Caesar Rodney the Burial He Wanted?

2008-07-06T03:31:00.001-04:00

Although he was sick with "asthma, gout and facial cancer," Caesar Rodney rode his horse all night in a storm from Dover to Philadelphia to break a tie vote in the 2nd Continental Congress to declare independence from England.

We owe him our very nation. Yet I was surprised to learn that although he wanted to be buried with a monument over his grave, he lacked the funds to do it. No one knows where he is buried, although it's believed he is buried in an unmarked grave on his Byfield farm.

With the modern technology that exists today, why would finding his grave and giving him the burial he wanted prove an insuperable difficulty?

I believe the State of Delaware ought to take up that task and give him the burial he wanted. I consider it a debt that is important for us to pay.
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source

Freedom on a Firm Foundation: Matt Denn on Financing Delaware's Schools

2008-07-06T02:16:00.001-04:00

If you stood on a floor that was weak and thought it might give way, would you dance on it without trepidation? Would you hesitate, perhaps not dance it at all, or dance with abandon possibly risking your well being and the well being of others? To be, creativity and freedom require a firm foundation. Otherwise they degenerate into timid rigidness or impulsivity. Insurance Commissioner and candidate for Lt. Governor Matt Denn believes a delineated and strong financial floor are needed in order for Delaware's schools to provide quality instruction:

Lieutenant governor candidate Matt Denn discussed his plans Wednesday to overhaul education spending policies as a plank of his platform on children's issues.

Denn, a Democrat, wants the state to create a funding floor for education spending as an element of a four-part reform in public education spending. Policies also would be created to increase audits of district contracts, create financial oversight committees made up of citizens, and work to implement recommendations from the LEAD Committee, including implementing interim steps toward school consolidation.

Why does Delaware need this funding floor?

"Experience has shown us that the people running our schools do not always make wise decisions about spending for our kids," Denn said.

The Christiana and Red Clay School districts come to mind as does a sobering statistic Denn cited:

Denn said 58 percent of state funds are spent on instructional costs, compared with the national average of 61 percent.

It's a simple truth but one whose profundity is missed as it slips away from us. The point of public education for our children is to maximize instructing them. How does Denn intend to maximize that financially?

Under his proposal, school districts would be required to spend a certain percentage of appropriated state money on "people who provide direct services to kids and the materials those people need to do their job." Denn said the exact percentages and what expenses fall into that category would be the result of about three months of discussions with teachers, administrators and community members.

Given that the students in our public school today will face global competition in the jobs market, the state government has a legitimate interest in ensuring that school districts prioritize and maximize classroom instruction. Denn is correct in his implication that prioritizing and maximizing classroom instruction are a legitimate baseline of public policy. Nevertheless Denn recognizes that school districts, individual schools and, indeed, individual students have particular needs that must be addressed in order to make the maximization of instruction possible. It's here that Denn rightly calls for flexibility and the permission for school officials to act adaptively and creatively:

After creating the floor, Denn said he would like the state to remove some of the requirements currently attached to education funds given to districts. In doing so, schools would have to spend a larger percentage of money on the expenses that meet his definition, but they would deal with fewer ties to specific projects.

Denn's plan reminds me of much of what I admire about him and his approach to solving problems. His plan is smart. It leaves no area unaddressed. It is principled but pragmatic. That Denn's emphasis is on a workable plan is shown by how it is expressed in functional terms: x percentage of dollars must be spent on "people who provide direct services to kids and the materials those people need to do their job." I like elected officials whose high principles get expressed in workable terms. To me they epitomize real leadership. Understandably, Matt Denn's opponent, Sen. Charlie Copeland, doesn't agree with Matt Denn's plan:

Republican candidate Sen. Charles Copeland, West Farms, said he supports increasing the percentage of funds used for classroom expenses, but doesn't think creating a mandate is the way to reduce overhead spending.

To begin with, Commissioner Denn clearly indicated that the amount of funds designated for instruction is a matter subject to the input of the various stakeholders. Beyond that, I can't imagine why Copeland wouldn't believe in at least a minimum mandate. If some school districts designated only 35% of their funds for instruction, wouldn't he think in terms of some kind of mandate then? But Charlie Copeland seems to think that reducing costs and increasing public scrunity alone will magically cause more funds to be targeted for instruction:

"For the last six years I've been fighting to get more of the percent of the dollars into the classroom," Copeland said. "The private schools, the charter schools and the parochial schools get more of their dollar to the classroom." Copeland said the state needs to increase public disclosure of school spending, so residents can hold districts accountable or send their children to other schools if they're dissatisfied with the way money is spent. Copeland pointed to legislation he wrote, which died, that would have required districts to publish their spending records online. "The citizens will make the districts lower their costs," he said.

No one should be mistaken. In the context of "reducing overhead" when Charlie Copeland talks about "private schools, the charter schools and the parochial schools get[ting] more of their dollar to the classroom," he is talking about the comparative low wages and the minimal and zero benefits paid to many of the teachers in these institutions. These schools might get more dollars into the classroom, but they also get more teachers moving in and out through a revolving door. Circumstances can vary but as a rule people move on when they can earn higher wages and get better benefits elsewhere. (An interesting study would compare the average age of these instructors with the average age of mainstream public school teachers.) Besides, reducing the pay of teachers won't by itself guarantee that more money would flow toward the classroom. It could still go toward ancillary administrative staff and expense accounts. I support and continue to support Sen. Copleand's suggestion of the public disclosure of school financial records. But apparently I support it for different reasons than him. I support it because I believe the public has a right to know how their money is spent by public institutions. But I never conceived that individual citizens pouring over disparate financial records would either replace or augment professionals auditing the books of school districts. To be sure, citizens can make surprising and helpful discoveries and Denn recognizes it when he recommends they play an important (and more organized) role as members of citizen financial oversight committees. But they cannot possibly eclipse the need increasing the audits of district contracts, as Denn has suggested. Copeland's mistake is to think that the quantity of available dollars per se make will guarantee a greater investment in instruction and that will magically produce better instruction. Neither of those consequences follow from his fuzzy proposals. Whereas Matt Denn wants to ensure that quality instruction is financially prioritized and maximized. But not establishing a firm floor like Denn, Copeland's plan lacks a responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars. Look for Copeland to invent new proposals, ones that essentially resemble Denn's. He'll have to because at this point, he has lost the argument to Matt Denn. _______________________ source

Floating Cities Proposed as Remedy for Rising Sea Levels

2008-07-05T03:04:00.003-04:00

Wouldn't it be much easier to reduce the amount of carbon we pour into the atmosphere than to set humanity adrift on massive floating pontoons? Geez.

clipped from www.commondreams.org

At first glance, they look like a couple of giant inflatable garden chairs that have washed out to sea.

But they are, apparently, the ultimate solution to rapidly rising sea levels.

This computer-generated image shows two floating cities, each with enough room for 50,000 inhabitants.

Based on the design of a lilypad, they could be used as a permanent refuge for those whose homes have been covered in water. Major cities including London, New York and Tokyo are seen as being at huge risk from oceans which could rise by as much as 3ft by the end of this century.

The ‘Lilypad City’ would float around the world as an independent and fully self-sustainable home. With a lake at its centre to collect and purify rainwater, it would be accessed by three separate marinas and feature artificial mountains to offer the inhabitants a change of scenery from the seascape.

More Repercussions from Eminent Domain Vote: Sen. Henry Gets an Opponent

2008-07-04T14:49:00.001-04:00

Click on image to enlarge.

Jesse Helms is Dead at At Age 86

2008-07-04T14:42:00.003-04:00

He is low on my list of likable ex-Senators. A cultural conservative to the max. But I do give him credit for putting the kabash on the proposed Reagan-Ford co-presidency proposal. I once met a female former ex-lobbyist who told me "Back in the day Jesse Helms was the biggest ass pincher in Washington." She alleged to be one of his pinchees. I wish I had something good to say about the man, but I don't. I'm sorry for his passing. I suppose the fact that he died on July 4 will play as a "sign" from the Almighty among the cultural conservatives. More about Senator "No" and the person President Reagan called "a thorn in my side" can be found here.

clipped from en.wikinews.org

Former United States senator from North Carolina Jesse Helms has died today at the age of 86 after a long batter with vascular dementia.

Helms was born Jesse Alexander Helms, Jr. on October 18, 1921 in Monroe, North Carolina. He was a five term senator for N.C. and was also a former Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman. He also became the first U.S. lawmaker to speak in front of the United Nations Security Council.

"Jesse Helms was one of the most consequential figures of the 20th century. Along with Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan, he helped establish the conservative movement and became a powerful voice for free markets and free people," said Ed Feulner, president of the Heritage Foundation.

Don't Tread on Me

2008-07-04T10:05:00.006-04:00

They flew this flag during the Revolutionary War.

I recollected that her eye excelled in brightness, that of any other animal, and that she has no eye-lids—She may therefore be esteemed an emblem of vigilance.—She never begins an attack, nor, when once engaged, ever surrenders: She is therefore an emblem of magnanimity and true courage.—As if anxious to prevent all pretentions of quarrelling with her, the weapons with which nature has furnished her, she conceals in the roof of her mouth, so that, to those who are unacquainted with her, she appears to be a most defenceless animal; and even when those weapons are shewn and extended for her defence, they appear weak and contemptible; but their wounds however small, are decisive and fatal:—Conscious of this, she never wounds till she has generously given notice, even to her enemy, and cautioned him against the danger of treading on her.—Was I wrong, Sir, in thinking this a strong picture of the temper and conduct of America? (Ben Franklin)

It's the flag I fly on July 4th to remember those revolutionary soldiers and partisans who, against all odds, brought a conception of government that would in time inspire the world. It is in this beginning, in the sacrifice of these brave souls, in the strategic and cagey brilliance of its citizen generals (e.g., my favorite Francis Marion), in the theoretical and rhetorical genius of many of its founders and philosophers, and in the unsung thousands of sacrifices of ordinary citizens to secure and establish the new nation that my patriotism lies on this July 4th. While we rightly celebrate liberty on this day, do not forget that the first self-evident truth declared by our founding document reads "that all men are created equal." Celebrate and strive for equality as well.

Repercussions for Eminent Domain Vote

2008-07-03T20:31:00.005-04:00

Ask Ed Osborne what he wants and he will tell you. He wants the life he has now. His auto repair shop is situated in the Riverfront area and it is targeted for massive development. His property is, in principle, subject to an eminent domain seizure by the City of Wilmington and not for public use but for private development.

Ed Osborne thought he had achieved what many find allusive in the American dream: his own place of business and doing what he loves best, repairing cars. All that he feels is threatened now by the State Senate's failure to override Gov. Minner's veto of the eminent domain bill.

Ed's plight has struck a deep, responsive chord throughout the state. And citizens are volunteering to make those who failed Ed pay for their votes. I didn't fully understand it until recently. People are roused because they feel the votes and the actions of the City of Wilmington are a frontal assault on one of the archetypal founding values of our nation: the right to pursue and achieve the American Dream. The vote is perceived as an attack on our identity as a nation. It's the national equivalent of blasphemy.

Ed Osborne didn't put up this sign on Foulk Rd just north of the intersection with Grub Road. Someone else did. Someone who wants his state senator to know that he won't forget it and he won't take it.

He is not the only one. More repercussions are in the works. More about them as they appear.

Education Through Insubordination

2008-07-03T09:44:00.001-04:00

Nearly every parent faces it. Usually it first occurs when children are quite young. My wife and I are facing it now with our four-year-old son.

Swear words.

Those words that sound especially awful and strange when spontaneously shouted from a child at full resonance without any external cause prompting them within, as in my case, a supermarket aisle while four old ladies were picking pasta and other items off the shelf.

"He picks it up at school," I was tempted to say. A subtler lie, also resisted, occurred to me as well. Rebuke my son and act shocked as if he hadn't evidenced knowledge of the phrase before.

Pretending that kids don't know "bad language" moves into the ridiculous when the children are in high school. For enlightened souls their knowledge becomes a teachable moment:

Connie Heermann, a teacher for 27 years, sought permission to introduce the book to her students last autumn after attending a training workshop held by the Freedom Writers Foundation. "If you read the whole book you will see how these inner-city students grow and change and become articulate, compassionate, educated young people who want to do something good in their lives despite the environment in which they were raised," she told the Guardian. "I thought my students would very much relate to those kids."

Her head agreed and Heermann got written permission from nearly 150 parents, but the Perry Meridian high school board urged her to wait for its decision.

But

Teachers' union officials say that a single board member objected to swearing in the book. The school board member allegedly persuaded the other six officials to ban Heermann from teaching the book. It remains available in school libraries.

Heermann and the union say there was no explicit ban on the book when she handed it out to pupils on November 15. But later that day she received an email from the board advising her not to teach the book. "That was the pivotal moment of my life, when I saw how my students were taken with the book, how they loved it, and then I am told not to let them read it? I said no," she said.

After being threatened with dismissal, Heermann was eventually suspended. The union is deciding whether to take the case to court.

Heerman as been suspended for insubordination. I say that she was suspended for effective, realistic education. It's the prudish, illiberal school board that needs to be suspended and permanently. Their "values" don't include realism and what works.
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Obama Recieves More Donations from Military Personnel than McCain

2008-07-02T00:26:00.001-04:00

Sounds like some people want to come home and don't have McCain's appetite for a longer war and possible attack on Iran.

clipped from www.huffingtonpost.com

That Obama attracts support from some in the military is evident in dollars and cents: Among people who have donated at least $200 to a presidential campaign this election cycle, Obama has collected more than $327,000 from those identifying themselves as military personnel, while McCain has collected $224,000, according to an analysis of Federal Election Commission data by The Associated Press.

The Future: The Hybrid with a Better Twist

2008-07-01T23:59:00.002-04:00

It's this kind of technology America needs to turn to on a massive productive scale and perhaps even partly subsidize the production to help keep the costs down for consumers.

That would put people to work in good paying jobs, greatly reduce our dependence on foreign oil, and we can tell McCain & Bush that we don't need more offshore oil just offshore wind power so we can charge our cars up at night.

clipped from www.theatlantic.com

If it meets specifications, it will charge up overnight from any standard electrical socket. It will go 40 miles on a charge. Then a small gasoline engine will ignite. The engine’s sole job will be to drive a generator, whose sole job will be to maintain the battery’s charge—not to drive the wheels, which will never see anything but electricity. In generator mode, the car will drive hundreds of miles on a tank of gas, at about 50 miles per gallon. But about three-fourths of Americans commute less than 40 miles a day, so on most days most Volt drivers would use no gas at all.

Because it will have both an electric and a gasoline motor on board, the Volt will be a hybrid. But it will be like no hybrid on the road today. Existing hybrids are gasoline-powered cars, with an electric assist to improve the gas mileage. The Volt will be an electric-powered car, with a gasoline assist to increase the battery’s range.

"I Didn't Love America Until I was Deprived of Her Company"

2008-07-01T14:13:00.004-04:00

Injustice Served

2008-07-01T02:45:00.008-04:00

It was standing room only in the Senate balcony when I arrived at the Delaware General Assembly. Many people came to hear a possible vote to override Gov. Minner's veto of SB 245. I didn't arrive in time to get a seat. Fortunately, someone allowed blogger Mike Matthews and I to sit in his office in Legislative Hall and hear the proceedings piped through a feed into his office.

It was soon clear that the veto would be subject to an override vote and I got excited, prematurely as it turned out, at the prospect of the veto being overridden. But my excitement was logically based. After all, the entire Senate, except Sen. Tony DeLuca, had voted for SB 245. Nothing in the bill had changed since the Senators had voted for it. The only difference was external to the bill itself and, in my view, mostly insignificant: viz., a lame duck and woefully unengaged Governor had vetoed it for no discernible justifiable reason whatsoever.

Two people spoke. I didn't catch the first speaker's name, but I also heard him on the WDEL Rick Jensen show today making the same argument he made in the Senate chamber. I was surprised he restated the argument in the Senate without a detectable hint of embarrassment in his voice. The man had been the mayor of some town in Delaware for a number of years. Based on his experience, he argued, no local government in Delaware had ever abused eminent domain in his memory. Therefore, there was no need for the legislation. For some peculiar reason, he omitted the time the city of Wilmington tried unsuccessfully to use eminent domain against Libby's restaurant to procure the property for a new News Journal site. Apparently trying to abuse eminent domain doesn't count, only success does.

In any case, the argument was absurd on its face. Yet it didn't cause the uproarious laughter in the Senate chamber I half expected and the man's argument fully deserved. He was essentially arguing that citizens shouldn't be protected from the possible abuse of a state power until after the abuse has occurred. Presumably, it would be perfectly okay for the state to have the potential power to execute someone for jaywalking and a limitation on this state power should only occur after the state has executed someone for it. I suspect it is precisely because of the low caliber of this man's argument that I didn't recognize his name and found it forgettable twice.

The Chief of Staff for the City of Wilmington Bill Montgomery spoke. He said that SB 245 wasn't really about the use of eminent domain in the City of Wilmington, leaving at least this witness bewildered as to why, in that case, he was present in the Senate chamber speaking and why he, Mayor James Baker, and city casino nut Joe DiPinto had arrived earlier and made the rounds of the legislators' offices lobbying to sustain Gov. Minner's veto.

For some reason I couldn't make out, Montgomery alluded to the Mayor's voracious appetite for reading history books. I had heard this claim about the Mayor before. Given the circumstances of the event, I was convinced that Mayor Baker's record of reading American history books was spotty at best. How was it possible that he could support sustaining the Governor's veto and be cognizant of the deeply entrenched American tradition branded into its very founding of the danger of an overweening government having little legislative restraint over the prospect of ruining people's lives and livelihoods? Somehow Mayor Baker must have missed reading Jefferson and Franklin and Madison and Paine and Adams and.....

Montgomery reminded everyone that Wilmington rarely exercised eminent domain and when it did so, it never abused its power. Ergo, the bill wasn't needed. Of course, that left discerning listeners perplexed as to why the City of Wilmington would object to a bill to protect people against an abuse the city never commits. The bill, therefore, constituted no abridgment of the city's usual practice. But there was Bill Montgomery objecting. Why? Perhaps the answer is Bill Montgomery was inveighing against a limitation on the city's power it has never abused SO FAR. After all, tomorrow is, as they say, another day. New days and new circumstances and new pressures on governments are precisely why vetoes of bills like SB 245 need to be overridden.

But Gov. Minner's veto wasn't overridden. It was sustained.

Those voting to override the veto were Bonini, Bunting, Copeland, Ennis, McBride, Peterson, Simpson, Sokola, Sorenson, Still, and Venables. 11 in all.

Those voting to sustain the veto were Amick, Blevins, Cloutier, Connor, Cook, DeLuca, Henry, Marshall and McDowell. 9 in all .

As if to add surrealism to a disastrous event, "Slick and Slippery" Thurman Adams voted "not voting."

13 votes were needed to override the veto.

Bulldozer, in Wilmington thy name is injustice.

Ed Osborne bolted out the door.

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News Journal story

Good News for Delaware's Manufactured Housing Community

2008-06-30T23:53:00.000-04:00

Delaware's manufactured housing residents got good news from the the Delaware Senate tonight. HB 504, the right of first offer compromise bill, substituted for the right of first refusal bill, passed the Senate tonight by an overwhelming margin. The bill gives the residents in manufactured housing communities the right to bid for the purchase of the land on which their homes rest from the their lot-owning landlords should the land be placed for sale.

Many members of the Delaware Manufactured Home Owners Association (DMHOA) attended tonight, sporting bright red T-shirts, wisely making themselves impossible to miss to members of the General Assembly. Ed Speraw, President of DMHOA, and Fred Niel, advocate and oft spokesperson for DMHOA, were present. Marion Peleski and I have both had the privelege to interview both of them on Progressive Voices on a number of occassions.

This was a hard fought victory for the home owners who faced a sometimes hostile and condescendign reception from some of the Republican majority members on the Manufactured Housing subscommittee. But they didn't relent and showed a determination to (as they say) "speak truth to power." I find their example inspiring.

The bill had previously passed the House and the Governor is expected to sign it.

That's Why They Call It Imperialism

2008-06-30T14:01:00.002-04:00

Remember those no-bid Iraqi oil contracts that went to American and British big oil companies? Guess who drew them up for Iraqi officials to sign on the dotted line. You guessed it: US.

No word yet if we gave them the pens and ink as well.

clipped from www.commondreams.org

A group of American advisers led by a small State Department team played an integral part in drawing up contracts between the Iraqi government and five major Western oil companies to develop some of the largest fields in Iraq, American officials say.

The disclosure, coming on the eve of the contracts’ announcement, is the first confirmation of direct involvement by the Bush administration in deals to open Iraq’s oil to commercial development and is likely to stoke criticism.

In their role as advisers to the Iraqi Oil Ministry, American government lawyers and private-sector consultants provided template contracts and detailed suggestions on drafting the contracts, advisers and a senior State Department official said.

The contracts are expected to be awarded Monday to Exxon Mobil, Shell, BP, Total and Chevron, as well as to several smaller oil companies.

9 in 10 see rising gas prices causing family hardship

2008-06-30T10:52:00.001-04:00

Gas prices more important to most Americans than health care and Iraq? That's a measure of how immediately people are hurting financially. Many Americans are teetering on the edge of financial collapse.

clipped from news.yahoo.com

Like a plague that does not discriminate by economic class, race or age, soaring gas prices are inflicting pain throughout the U.S. Nine in 10 expecting the ballooning costs to squeeze them financially over the next half year, an Associated Press-Yahoo! News poll said Monday.

Two-thirds consider gas prices an extremely important issue, edging the economy and outpacing health care and Iraq as the country's most distressing problem.

Two-thirds earning under $25,000 a year are cooling and heating their homes less, as are nearly six in 10 people earning more than $100,000.

A nearly uniform seven in 10 say they are reducing driving.

As a political issue in the presidential campaign, gas prices provide a slight edge to Democrat Barack Obama. More prefer him over Republican John McCain to handle it, 28 percent to 20 percent, while additional 18 percent trust both equally.

A Misconception about Minner's Veto of the Eminent Domain Bill

2008-06-30T09:53:00.005-04:00

A rumor is floating about that Gov. Minner's veto of the eminent domain bill cannot be constitutionally overridden today because one legislative day must pass between the day of the veto and the day of the attempt to override it.

Although the constitution does arguably indicate that, the rumor assumes that the last day of the legislative session was this past Thursday and the veto occurred in General Assembly time on Monday. Attempting to override a Monday veto would, therefore, be unconstitutional.

But Delaware Watch has learned that the legislative day not end last Thursday and won't end until after it is declared ended today in the General Assembly at the beginning of the session. After that declaration has been made another declaration will be made that the Monday legislative day has begun. That means Minner's veto can be subject to an override tonight.

But whether the General Assembly will vote to override is another matter.

Eminent Domain Veto Featured on the WDEL Rick Jensen Show

2008-06-30T06:17:00.005-04:00

Today at 1:00 PM, Rick Jensen will discuss Governor Minner's veto of the "Eminent Domain Abuse Protection Act."

The premise of the show is "Now that state government bodies can take any property they wish, whose property would you bulldoze if you could exercise eminent domain?"

WDEL is found on 1150 AM and can be live-streamed from their website. Calls from the public are welcome at 302.478.8275.

I Agree with Jack Markell about the Urgency of Universal Health Care for Delawareans

2008-06-30T06:05:00.002-04:00

The lack of health care in the USA and Delaware is a crisis and apparently only one of the Democratic candidates for Governor is prepared to respond responsibly to that reality:

Voters looking for a clear distinction between the Democratic Party's gubernatorial candidates will find one in their health care plans, state Treasurer Jack Markell said Friday during a brief press conference held in the waiting room of the Glasgow Medical Aid Unit at Christiana.

Markell added no new proposals to those he already has made. His purpose Friday was to persuade voters that Delaware residents should have universal access to quality health care sooner, not later.

He would start such a program immediately if he wins the state's highest elected office, he said.

Lt. Governor John Carney prefers a slower approach:

Lt. Gov. John Carney Jr., who will face Markell in the Democratic primary Sept. 9, says universal health care is needed here, too. But he proposes to phase the coverage in before mandates begin, containing costs and giving employers and health-care providers time to prepare for the influx of new clients.

"We all saw what happened in Massachusetts when they tried to implement universal care overnight without a smart plan to get there," Carney said in a written statement.

"We should learn from their mistakes, not repeat them."Premiums rose precipitously when Massachusetts instituted universal health care.

While it's true that the Romney plan in Massachusetts has been a disaster of increased costs, it never included a viable plan to contain costs, just a lot of fluff of about increased competition and market forces driving down the costs of health care. Anyone who has read Markell's Blueprint for a Better Delaware knows that cost containment is significant feature of the plan. Just enacting State Insurance Commissioner Matt Denn's proposal to give his office the authority to regulate costs for health insurance would do a lot to reduce another Romney health care disaster.

Also, the amount of time for the legislative hearings as well as the legislative process would provide ample time for Delawasre employers and citizens to prepare. Markell also realizes that the costs of the uninsured and under-insured affect everyone:

But Markell believes Delaware can control costs and do a better job ofexpanding coverage."Those who want to take incremental steps and who say that we can't afford to expand coverage to every Delawarean are simply wrong," Markell said.

When health care emergencies arise without the insurance to cover them, the pinch goes far beyond the person sitting in the emergency room.Christiana Care Health System provided about $32 million in uncompensated care at its Wilmington and Christiana hospitals in fiscal 2007, spokesman Spiros Mantzavinos said....

Markell said Delaware residents spend $5.8 billion every year on health care.

In 2005, health care for uninsured residents cost more than $91 million, a figure projected to reach $127.6 million.

While I disagree with both candidates regarding their preference of a universal private health care plan over a single-payer universal health care plan, I believe Markell understands how waiting only extends and deepens the crisis and makes it more intractable. Besides, in politics waiting often becomes a prescription for doing little or nothing of what one originally proposed. While we are all thrilled at the approval of the Blue Water wind project, we should recall that it is only one-half the size its originally approved plan.
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No Wonder John McCain Wants to Give Himself a Huge Tax Cut

2008-06-29T20:58:00.004-04:00

No wonder McCain wants to give himself and wife a huge tax cut. They need the money to pay their past due taxes on their beach condo in CA.

For four years they didn't pay their taxes. And we are supposed to trust this guy with nation's economy? If he didn't have the means that would be one thing. But owning seven homes and his wife is rich--come on! This guy is a phony.

clipped from www.huffingtonpost.com

Newsweek is set to publish a highly embarrassing report on Sen. John McCain, revealing that the McCains have failed to pay taxes on their beach-front condo in La Jolla, California, for the last four years and are currently in defaultUnder California law, once a residential property is in default for five years, it can be sold at a tax sale to recover the unpaid taxes for the taxpayers. The McCains own at least seven homes through a variety of trusts and corporations controlled by Cindy McCain.

UPDATE: Newsweek's story is now online. The report notes that the McCains paid the bulk of their back taxes yesterday, but continue to owe additional taxes:Shortly after NEWSWEEK inquired about the matter, the McCain aide e-mailed a receipt dated Friday, June 27, confirming payment by the trust to San Diego County in the amount of $6,744.42. County officials say the trust still owes an additional $1,742 for this year, an amount that is overdue and will go into default July 1

Vandalism and Racist Slurs Against Obama

2008-06-29T17:47:00.001-04:00

The business cards praising Hillary Clinton is probably not from any of her supporters but from those who want to smear her as well by implicating her supporters in this crime.

Disgusting.

clipped from www.huffingtonpost.com

The Orlando Police Department found dozens of city owned vehicles vandalized Saturday.

The vandal or vandals appear to have political intentions; most of the vehicles were spray painted with anti Obama sayings, with 'Obama' misspelled several times. Some of their vehicles had their gas caps removed.

Phrases including "Obmama smokes crack" and others phrases with racial slurs were written in blue spray paint on the white city cars and trucks.

Along with the paint, hundreds of business cards were left on windshields.

The cards contain criticism of Obama on one side, and support for Hillary Clinton and her family on the other side.

The vandalism happened the same night the Obama campaign kicked off its Florida organization with parties across the state.

After 20 Plus Years, It's About Time We Looked at Property Values

2008-06-29T13:28:00.008-04:00

I suppose it's the sort of thing you don't want to enact during an election year, but Rep. William Oberle is correct. Statewide real estate assessments are so late 20th century:

New Castle County has not reassessed property since 1983. That means a house that sells for $400,000, for example, is taxed at a value of about $75,000. Kent County hasn't had a reassessment since 1986, and Sussex County values are frozen in 1974....

"This is an issue that got shoved on the back burner and needs to be front burner," said state Rep. William Oberle, sponsor of House Joint Resolution 22, which asks the state budget director, the controller general and the secretaries of Finance and Education to develop recommendations for reassessment.

The resolution passed in the House on Tuesday, the Senate on Thursday and was headed to the governor's desk.

Oberle expects the recommendations to be submitted to legislators in the next session that starts in January.

I have been saying this for months about New Castle County’s government both on Delaware Watch and on call-in radio programs like WDEL. New Castle County's chief revenue problem is that it is attempting to pay for 2008 costs on an early 1980’s revenue stream. This dissonance is trippingly obvious. The Alice in Wonderland belief that we could maintaining this revenue scheme in perpetuity had to end in a near crisis and probably didn't do so before now through a combination of national economic good times and skillful County Executives. Now the good times are over. Nevertheless, just as a matter of public policy alone, by maintaining the 1983 property assessment standard, the finances of the NCC government have primarily been held hostage to the whims of the national economy. Depending locally chiefly on the luck of the national economy is both stupid and wrong and an irresponsible way to operate the public's government.

If addressing our fantasy revenue scheme is best accomplished politically in an off election year, then I say whatever. Let's just bite this bullet and get it done.

The Possible Replacements for the Current System

Here's how Delaware does property taxes and reassessments of property values:

Delaware's counties haven't reassessed in so long because there is little incentive to do so. Reassessments are expensive and time-consuming, and state law prevents counties from reaping a windfall.

If counties reassess, they must roll back the tax rate so the total amount of revenue raised is the same as the previous year's revenue.

Counties are allowed to capture 15 percent more money than the previous year. But that money must be used to cover the cost of the reassessment.

The law is designed to protect citizens from unfair tax hikes, officials said. But it has an unwanted side effect of putting a greater tax burden on the poor.

Those residents who live in less valuable homes pay a similar amount in taxes as do wealthy homeowners.

"When you have assessments that are 22 to 34 years old, there is invariably inequality," New Castle County Executive Chris Coons said. "Moving forward with a measured system of reassessment is the best way to deal both with longstanding issue of tax fairness and to sustain public education and local government services for our communities."

Each of Delaware's counties has its own laws governing reassessments.

A delusional assumption underlies Delaware's system: viz. that while the total amount of the revenue stream must remain the same, whether reassessments occur or not, the costs of doing government do not increase. That is utter, pure fantasy.

Fortunately, other states address these problems from the aspect of reality:

[IN] states such as California, [...] every sale of a house or building triggers an assessment update. To keep values accurate, most states have periodic or rolling reassessments.

In Maryland, for example, there is a three-year rolling assessment, which means one-third of all properties are reassessed every year.

That seems simple enough. The sale of house causes a reassessment automatically. (I love solutions where necessities occur as a matter of course.) Every three years all houses are reassessed. Note these are statewide policies, unlike Delaware which has county specific laws for assessing property values. I believe tax rates should be determined by county law, but property assessment should be governed by state law. Here's why.

Suppose Delaware adopted both California's and Maryland's methods, what should we expect? Well, assuming that county governments didn't go on long-term spending binges, we should expect that our tax rates would rarely, except under the most exigent circumstances, go up. Why? Because assuming property values rise and development occurs, revenue streams should increase. There is no need to raise taxes because increased taxes will result from the tri-annual property assessments and the sale of homes as well as the aggregate increase of the tax base through development. Since the state government has a legitimate interest in seeing that its citizenry is not overly-taxed by any governmental body within its jurisdiction and county governments have a legitimate interest in responding to citizens’ needs for services and their own budgetary bottom line, the best way the state can safeguard the citizen's interest is by having legislative control and oversight of the principal means by which county tax revenue rises or falls (i.e., reassessment) and the county can respond to situational needs through increasing the tax rate or, what is more likely, during times of varying abundance, tax cuts.

The Inequality of Superficial Equality

We are told that that current law is "designed to protect citizens from unfair tax hikes." Superficially that sounds good,

But it has an unwanted side effect of putting a greater tax burden on the poor. Those residents who live in less valuable homes pay a similar amount in taxes as do wealthy homeowners.

"When you have assessments that are 22 to 34 years old, there is invariably inequality," New Castle County Executive Chris Coons said. "Moving forward with a measured system of reassessment is the best way to deal both with longstanding issue of tax fairness and to sustain public education and local government services for our communities."

With the national economy hurting and energy and food costs rising steeply, property assessments will have an unequal impact on the income classes within the state. Someone who resides in home reassessed at $750,000 is likely to find a reassessment more manageable than someone residing in a home reassessed at $150,000 even though the former will pay much more in the aggregate in a reassessed tax rate than the later.

Fairness is only superficially determined by the principle "everyone should be taxed the same" because in the real world for economically struggling classes the principle doesn't make the "fairness" (by this measure of the term) affordable. Treating everyone the same presupposes everyone is running their particular races on the same playing field, which is silly because it is contrary to fact. Fairness is best assessed at the level of impact and reality and not at the level of quixotic principle and idealism.

One solution is to institute the rolling tri-annual property reassessments with the more expensive properties going first, thereby giving people who reside in properties of lesser economic value time to prepare for the reassessments in the out years. Another possibility (which could be used in addition to the previous one) is to assess more economically valuable properties at a higher rate.

In any case, I applaud government officials for finally showing the willingness to take on this need and, hopefully, get realistic about how we provide revenue to our counties and school districts
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Governor Minner Vetoes Eminent Domain Bill

2008-06-28T18:40:00.006-04:00

6:28 PM today was the deadline and Governor Ruth Ann Minner waitied until the last day to veto the eminent domain bill inspite of only one dissenting vote against it in the Delaware Legislature. No substatial reason was cited for the veto.

Even though the measure passed both houses by overwhelming margins, it has been reported to Delaware Watch that Senate President Pro Tem Thurman "Slick & Slippery" Adams has the policy that no veto by a Democratic Governor will be overturned while he dominates the state Senate.

Nevertheless, Ed Osborne is asking people to show up en masse to the General Assembly on Monday, it's last day of business for the year, to advocate for overturning the veto. A bus might become available for those who need a ride. Stay tuned here for further details.

Readers are encouraged to contact their legislators and Senators Thurman Adams and Tony DeLuca to encourage them to overturn the Governor's veto.

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UPDATE (Note Changes below in blue)

Buses will depart on Monday night from the Christiana Mall Park & ride at 4:30 PM and will return at 8:30 PM. People are asked to call Ed Osborne at 302.658.0377 or 302.723.1488 if the are able to make a firm commitment to attend. A head count is needed by no later than 7:00 pm Sunday, June 29.

Please bring a photo identification so that you can enter Legislative Hall to lobby the legislators.

Another Bus Location Added:

3: 45 pm The bus will depart the crossroads shopping center, Route 9, New Castle Ave. (park near the laundromat.