By Joe Rogalsky,
Delaware State News
DOVER — Gov. Ruth Ann Minner declared Delaware “strong and poised for the challenges that lie ahead” Thursday in her sixth State of the State address.
The 34-minute speech contained a long list of accomplishment but lacked specific proposals to solve the challenges on the horizon.
“We are following through with my vision to nurture the seeds we have sown for Delaware’s future, ensuring that we can help them grow and bear fruit,” Gov. Minner said.
“We have succeeded in doing just that, in education, health, the environment and economic development.
“But there is still much to do, not only for those of us here today, but for our children and grandchildren as well.” New endeavors mentioned in the speech include reducing the state’s bank franchise tax to induce Bank of America to keep operations in Delaware, more funding for programs to fight cancer and reduce infant mortality and a study group to combat increasing energy prices.
In education, which accounts for one-third of the state’s operating budget and is Gov. Minner’s top priority, she proposed adding 10 math specialists for middle schools on top of the 22 the state hired this year.
Gov. Minner also pledged to continue her goal of having full-day kindergarten programs in all school districts by 2008.
“Together, we can ensure that Delaware continues to be a state where people are proud to live, work and raise their children,” she said.
The speech contained few specifics on the governor’s plans to solve DelDOT’s funding crunch, reforming workers’ compensation or questions over control of the state’s veterans home.
Veterans groups want the state’s veterans commission to administer the Milford facility when it opens in December, but the Department of Health and Social Services runs every other state-owned hospital.
In a follow-up interview, the governor said she could announce a decision on the home’s oversight “in the next couple of days.”
House Speaker Rep. Terry R. Spence, R-New Castle, introduced legislation Wednesday to give control of the home to the veterans commission.
House Majority Leader Rep. Wayne A. Smith, R-Wilmington, said Republicans agreed with the governor on several parts of her “workmanlike agenda,” such as the math teachers and the health initiatives.
“She wasn’t swinging for the fences, she was hitting a lot of singles today,” he said.
“Probably, that is what happens when an elected official is term-limited and will never run for re-election again.”
Several House Republicans belittled a proposal in Gov. Minner’s speech to add eight troopers to the Delaware State Police, bringing the total to a record 655.
Increasing the force by eight will cost about $700,000 in the budget year beginning July 1.
House Majority Whip Rep. Clifford G. “Biff” Lee, R-Laurel, said many more troopers are needed than eight. He said the additional troopers amount to about one extra person per shift in each county.
Republican legislators have pushed to dramatically increase the size of the force in past years and promised Thursday to renew those efforts.
“If she is talking about fighting crime, eight new troopers will not fight much crime,” said Rep. Lee, a retired trooper.
On another public safety issue — the state’s prison system — Gov. Minner praised Commissioner of Corrections Stanley W. Taylor and his agency for increasing the number of correctional officers and improving inmate medical care.
“Our work is paying off,” the governor said of recent pay raises and recruitment incentives for officers.
“We are seeing improvements in both the vacancy rate and turnover rate for corrections officers.
“We have more work to do to fill these important positions, but we are building on a solid record of success.”
Wilbur Justice, president of the Correctional Officers Association of Delaware, said he would look forward to seeing what Gov. Minner proposes to help officers in the coming budget.
“The raises for some correctional officers are not as great as her figures make it appear and the vacancy rate for correctional officers has not improved as much as the commissioner’s methods of calculation show,” Mr. Justice said.
“There remains a great need for improvement in the Department of Correction. She promised to continue to work for improvements and we will hold her to that promise.”
Details of some of the governor’s proposals mentioned in her Thursday speech will come Jan. 26 when she unveils her spending proposals for fiscal 2007, which begins July 1
She will publicize her legislative agenda in March.
“My budget plan for the upcoming fiscal year will be responsive and responsible,” Gov. Minner said.
“It will have a budget growth rate of less than 6 percent.
“We will have a prudent spending plan to ensure that we can cover some of our growing demands, like Medicaid and school enrollment, while still providing basic core services to Delawareans.”
Gov. Minner opened her speech by honoring Delaware members of the military, specifically pointing to Capt. Brian Foulk and Sgt. Pat Olechny of the Delaware National Guard, who received Bronze Stars for recent service in Iraq.
The Department of Defense recently honored Delaware for being one of the top employers in the country for supporting employees who serve in the Guard and military reserves.
“While we were certainly honored to receive the award, we truly believe that supporting our troops and their families is the least we can do for their dedicated service to us,” the governor said.
Staff writer Joe Rogalsky can be reached at 741-8226 or jrogalsky@newszap.com
