Delaware State News | Letter to the Editor | by Rep. John Kowalko I am challenging all of my colleagues in Dover to join me in reforming Delaware’s lawmaking process. I am asking them to join me in supporting rule changes that disallow last-minute votes on bills that have not been adequately vetted. I am asking them to support rule changes that disallow the use of “suspension of rules” to bring bills to the floor that have not been vetted by a committee or the general public. I ask them […]
Kowalko: DE Turf bill exposes big flaws in how Delaware passes legislation
The News Journal | Opinion | by Rep. John Kowalko Congratulations to News Journal reporter Sarah Gamard on her insightful article, “Why the DE Turf vote has some lawmakers second guessing,” regarding the passage of Senate Substitute 2 for Senate Bill 178 on June 30, the final day of the legislative session. Her reporting has exposed some of the major flaws in the workings of Delaware’s General Assembly. One major concern is the fact that the legislation was presented as an economic development driver without any data to support the […]
Kowalko: U.S. failing to remember the lessons of past
Delaware State News | Opinion | by Rep. John Kowalko Because of the recent permission granted by Trump to the Turkish autocracy that will allow/encourage a campaign of genocide against the Kurdish people, who have exhibited a courageous and determined willingness to fight the evils of terrorism, I felt obligated to revisit a past moment in my personal experience with Turkey’s history. In 2007 I sponsored a resolution of remembrance of the atrocities committed against the Armenians by the Turkish/Ottoman Empire regime. Here is the statement I released at the […]
Kowalko: Kudos to Jennings
Delaware State News | Letter to the Editor | by Rep. John Kowalko Congratulations Attorney General Jennings on a job well done. It is a great pleasure to recognize efforts by the head of a government agency in fighting for a good and open government. Attorney General Jennings’ announcement of her office’s efforts to dissolve Delaware LLCs that have illegal and nefarious intentions was announced recently. Good job AG Jennings. A great start to a necessary reform of Delaware corporate laws. I applaud you and offer myself as an ally […]
Kowalko: State should have been tougher on asbestos contractor
The News Journal | Opinion | by Rep. John Kowalko More than four months after I joined residents, workers, and local union officials in calling for an investigation into the asbestos removal project at the former Boxwood GM site, DNREC has chosen to levy a negligible fine against EcoServices Inc. for its asbestos removal malpractices. As an asbestosis victim who suffers from the condition of asbestos exposure, I felt a significant personal stake in protecting the workers, their families, and the residents in the area from the consequences of improper […]
Commentary: Putting special interest over Delaware families
Delaware State News | Opinion | by Rep. John Kowalko The American Chemistry Council is the well-funded and highly influential (with members of both parties in Delaware) special interest that has flown in professionals (hacks) from as far away as California to keep my bills banning flame retardants from mattresses and children’s products bottled up in committee twice in the last few years. Joined by all of the Republicans on the two committees (that it was assigned to in recent sessions) a key Democratic member of both committees who serves […]
Commentary: Plastics bill would cause undue harm in Delaware
Delaware State News | Opinion | by Alan Muller Probably no member of the Delaware legislature is a more dedicated stooge of industrial polluters than Rep. Debra Heffernan. So, by the perverse logic of the General Assembly, it makes sense that House Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf would have made her chairwoman of the House Natural Resources Committee, the better to attack natural resources from the inside. Herffernan represents District 6, which has a lot of pollution problems and contaminated sites. She is also co-chair of the Capital Improvement (Bond Bill) Committee, […]
Speak Out: Betraying taxpayers
Delaware State News | Letters to the Editor Readers reacted to a recent commentary by Democratic Rep. John Kowalko headlined “Language in Delaware budget bill betrays taxpayers” where he states “In a blatant disregard for fiscal responsibility and Delaware law, for almost a decade, the Joint Finance Committee has inserted language into the annual budget bill to remove oversight and protections from the use of taxpayer money to fund charter schools.” I heard a presentation of the budget a week ago and this question was never addressed formally. It’s blindly […]
Kowalko: Language in Delaware budget bill betrays taxpayers
Delaware State News | Commentary | by Rep. John Kowalko In a blatant disregard for fiscal responsibility and Delaware law, for almost a decade, the Joint Finance Committee has inserted language into the annual budget bill to remove oversight and protections from the use of taxpayer money to fund charter schools. One charter school that is under investigation for financial mismanagement has received millions in unaccountable funding, including over $750,000 in the past year. I have consistently opposed this use of taxpayer money with no accountability or understanding for how […]
Kowalko: No compromise was ever made
Delaware State News | Letter to the Editor | by Rep. John Kowalko Recently, Rep. Kim Williams and I introduced a bill (HB47) that would repeal the training and youth wages. These exemptions were created last year as part of a scheme that would hold hostage the passage of the Capital Bond bill. That scheme was initiated because the Republicans claimed to be upset that the General Assembly was going to pass a minimum wage increase on the last day of the session even though the original minimum wage bill […]