The News Journal | Opinion | by Rep. John Kowalko In a decision that I can only interpret as a betrayal of the core principles and ideals of any self-respecting Democrat, 10 members of Delaware’s Democratic Party House caucus joined the entire Republican House caucus and voted to pass HB 16. The piece of legislation, introduced by Representative Mike Ramone and co-sponsored exclusively by Republicans, would effectively repeal Delaware’s Estate Tax with a significant and permanent loss of revenue. In 2016 the estate tax brought in $9.3 million of needed revenue […]
Right-to-Work is wrong for Delaware
The News Journal | Opinion | by Democratic Members of the House Labor Committee If it’s the start of a legislative session, then it means that Republicans are dusting off a tried-and-proven-untrue solution to bolster our economy. Much like the movie “Groundhog Day,” we seem destined to repeatedly push back against a popular Republican policy idea that has the most ironic nickname: Right-to-Work. Make no mistake, Right-to-Work legislation is anything but. These laws directly affect our neighbors who work as teachers, police, government employees, and construction workers by weakening and removing the ability […]
Delaware legislators appeal to Trump on immigration issue
Delaware State News | Letter to the Editor | by Democratic Members of the Delaware General Assembly Dear President Trump: The United States is a nation of immigrants, a melting pot of rich history that makes the country distinctly American. The Statue of Liberty stands stalwart and strong on Ellis Island, characterized in a renowned sonnet as the “Mother of Exiles.” Today, nearly half of the American people are descendants of the very immigrants that entered the United States through Ellis Island. They all came here looking for their piece […]
Where is Delaware’s economy headed?
The News Journal | Opinion | by Rep. John Kowalko “AstraZeneca cutting jobs” was the front page headline in a recent edition of The News Journal. That chilling announcement should be cause for alarm among all taxpayers and working families in Delaware. The reality check that should be paramount in the minds of all legislators is where is Delaware’s economy headed and what has this administration done to exacerbate the decline. AstraZeneca is just the most recent failure of a costly economic adventure paid for with taxpayer resources. In 1999, […]
Kowalko: Economic policy or unconditional surrender in Delaware?
Delaware State News | Opinion | by Rep. John Kowalko “AstraZeneca Cutting Jobs” is the front-page headline in the Dec. 9 issue of The News Journal. That chilling announcement should be cause for alarm among all taxpayers and working families in Delaware. The reality check that should be paramount in the minds of all legislators is the direction that Delaware’s economy is headed and what this Administration has done to exacerbate the decline. AstraZeneca is just the most recent failure of a costly economic adventure payed for with taxpayer resources. […]
Letter: Robscott should back Kowalko
The News Journal | Letter to the Editor | by Elizabeth Lee Roberts The upcoming election is an important one for Delaware and our Robscott Manor community. I ask that you support the re-election of Delaware State Representative John Kowalko. I’ve known John for a dozen years now and have the utmost respect and appreciation for his hard work and dedication to our neighborhood. He has always been there for us and we need him to be able to continue to represent us. In my 47 years in this home, I have […]
Letter: Kowalko listens, takes action
The News Journal | Letter to the Editor | by Karen, Jack & Ben Bashkow We ask for your support of John Kowalko for state representative. John has served many years to help make Delaware a better place. I initially met John when he was running for his first term. John was canvassing our neighborhood on Hunter Forge Road. He began to talk to me about issues he found had the interest of many of his constituents. I immediately introduced him to our pressing issue of funds for adults and children […]
Kowalko: Delaware’s image – What lies beneath the shadows
The News Journal | Delaware Voice | by Rep. John Kowalko Delaware is a pro-business state. It is relatively simple to form a company. We have no corporate income tax, and we even have special courts to handle corporate disputes. These courts have provided for an unmatched experience and understanding of the issues involved in commercial enterprises. These factors provide our state with a competitive advantage that has made us the choice for legal residence of nearly two-thirds of Fortune 500 companies. However, recently our state’s reputation has suffered because of […]
Kowalko: TPP – An abdication of workers’ rights
Delaware State News | Letter to the Editor | by Rep. John Kowalko All Americans should absolutely and resoundingly oppose the American worker-rights concession known as the Trans-Pacific Trade Agreement. It has numerous, irreconcilable flaws and will cause much horrible damage to working families and American businesses. I will only list a few of the nearly dozen reasons that all should oppose this dereliction of duty. First, the current Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) text allows multinational companies to challenge U.S. laws, regulations and safeguards through a provision called “investor-to-state dispute settlement” […]
Kowalko: Delaware LLC law – facilitator or conspirator?
Delaware State News | Letter to the Editor | by Rep. John Kowalko I filed HB 442 on June 23. It’s a bill to reform Delaware’s LLC licensing process to protect the integrity of the system and prevent illegal and illicit activities from being perpetrated. Recent worldwide media accounts have tarnished Delaware’s reputation as a leader in corporate investment, with oftentimes valid questions raised as to the willingness of Delaware and its citizens to provide an unquestioning attitude towards companies that incorporate here or form LLCs. The questionable behavior of […]