The News Journal | by Karl Baker Tax cuts passed by Congress in December have effectively caused Delmarva Power to reduce its power rate increase request in Delaware by $26 million, the company announced on Friday. After Congress slashed corporate tax rates from 35 percent to 21 percent, state regulators in January directed public utility companies, such as Delmarva Power, to calculate their total amount of savings “to ensure that consumers will receive the benefits.” The move came at the behest of Delaware Public Advocate Drew Slater and state legislators […]
Delmarva Power slashes rate hike request after tax breaks pass
Delaware Public Media | by Sarah Mueller Delmarva Power said it’s dropping its rate hike request by $26 million because of federal corporate tax breaks. The move comes after the state’s Public Advocate Drew Slater successfully petitioned to have utility companies pass the savings on to consumers. Delmarva is now asking for a $17 million rate increase, down from last fall’s ask of about $43 million. It’s currently the only rate increase request before state regulators. Delmarva officials said the drop in its rate hike request means customers can expect […]
Delaware lawmaker proposes new upper income tax brackets
WDEL | by Mark Fowser Creation of two new upper income tax brackets is being proposed as a way to create long term revenue stability for the State of Delaware, instead of depending upon one-time revenues. A state House committee Wednesday voted to release legislation that would tax individual filers who make $125,000 at 7.1 percent. Delawareans who earn $250,000 would face an income tax rate of 7.85 percent. The current rate is 6.6 percent for someone who earns $60,000 or more of taxable income. State Representative John Kowalko, D-25th, […]
Warning: There is no budget surplus in Delaware
Delaware State News | Opinion | by Rep. John Kowalko With the governor’s proposed budget scheduled to be unveiled today and in light of recent Delaware Economic and Financial Advisory Council (DEFAC) reports purportedly showing an uptick in revenues, it is incumbent upon me, as an elected official, to alert the taxpaying public to the reality and complexity of Delaware’s economic situation. While increased revenue projections might appear to be welcome news, a number of factors should be considered in the final analysis. The specifics of the revenue gains and […]
Report: Charter schools struggle to find and pay for facilities
The News Journal | by Jessica Bies Charter schools in Delaware struggle to find suitable buildings and to finance facility and construction costs, a new report says. Many are shoehorned into old office buildings, churches or strip malls where rent is high — an average of $1,545 per student — and amenities are lacking. Some do not have full kitchen facilities, lunchrooms, auditoriums, specialized instructional space, playgrounds, gyms or even areas where buses can pull up and safely drop off kids. One, which was located in a Red Clay School […]
Corporate tax cuts are undermining Delaware’s budget
The News Journal | Delaware Voice | by Rep. John Kowalko With the Governor’s proposed budget scheduled to be unveiled in less than a week, and in light of recent Delaware Economic and Financial Advisory Council (DEFAC) reports purportedly showing an uptick in revenues, it is incumbent upon me, as an elected official, to alert the taxpaying public to the reality and complexity of Delaware’s economic situation. While increased revenue projections might appear to be welcome news, a number of factors should be considered in the final analysis. The specifics […]
Delaware utility rates are set to drop as a result of federal corporate tax cuts
Delaware Public Media | by Nick Ciolino The Delaware Public Commission voted to approve a petition to reduce Delaware utility rates in response to recently passed federal tax cuts. Last month the federal government passed legislation dropping the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21%. Delaware’s Public Advocate petitioned to have utility companies in the state drop their rates proportionate to the savings from the cuts. The Delaware Public Commission voted unanimously—four to zero—in favor of the petition Wednesday. Public Advocate Drew Slater says there was some argument to put […]
Federal tax cut could mean lower power bills in Delaware
WHYY | by Mark Eichmann Delawareans should see lower utility bills after a state ruling that any benefit utility companies get from the federal tax cut must be passed on to customers. The move is in response to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 that Congress approved in December. Following a petition from the state’s Public Advocate Drew Slater, the Delaware Public Service Commission has ordered the companies to pass on any savings to consumers. “Today was a win for ratepayers,” Slater said. “With this order, we look […]
Delawareans denounce Trump proposal to end Clean Power Plan
WHYY | by Mark Eichmann In October, the Trump administration announced that it would end the Clean Power Plan, an Obama-era policy aimed at reducing carbon dioxide emissions from power plants by more than 30 percent by 2030. The CPP left it up to individual states to figure out how to reduce emissions in order to meet that goal. After the October announcement that the Trump EPA would end the CPP, only one public hearing was held in the heart of coal country in West Virginia. Delaware leaders weren’t happy […]
Federal proposal to repeal Clean Power Program gets mostly thumbs down at Delaware hearing
WDEL | by Mark Fowser Delaware’s Department of Natural Resources scheduled what was billed as a listening session Monday in Wilmington. The EPA held only one hearing on the proposal in the east region. It was held in Charleston, West Virginia. The EPA announced the repeal in October 2017, and set a deadline of January 16th to receive public comment. “The citizens and economy of Delaware are negatively affected by these changes, and if the Clean Power Plan is repealed we will suffer even more,” Governor John Carney, D- Del., […]