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 […]
Bill Addressing Foreign LLCs Comes From Outside Channel
Delaware Business Court Insider | by Tom McParland A Delaware lawmaker has rekindled a legislative effort to tighten statutes governing the formation and oversight of foreign limited liability companies, a move that has again put him and other reform advocates at odds with attorneys and state officials. On Jan. 26, state Rep. John A. Kowalko Jr., D-Newark South, filed a bill that would require registered agents, acting on behalf of individuals or entities, to screen the applicants for their compliance with a range of federal laws. Under the legislation, known […]
Proposed state budget could mean cuts for Newark
Newark Post | by Karie Simmons The budget proposed by outgoing Gov. Jack Markell includes a slew of tax hikes and several agency and program cuts, but what could hurt Newark the most is the recommendation to reduce municipalities’ share of the real estate transfer tax. Released last month, the $4.1 billion FY 2018 budget aims to address a $350 million deficit. Incoming Gov. John Carney will have a chance to suggest changes in the spring before the document is discussed by the General Assembly and put into effect July 1. […]
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. […]
Electoral College’s future shaky after Trump win
Delaware Public Media | by James Dawson For many, President-elect Donald Drumpf’s Electoral College victory conjures up visions of hanging chads and hurt feelings from the 2000 presidential election. In that race, Al Gore won the popular vote by about half a million people, but George W. Bush narrowly squeaked into the White House by one electoral vote This year – 2.6 million more people voted for Hillary Clinton than Drumpf, yet he will lead the country for the next four years. The Electoral College system has confounded people for […]
Town hall meeting for gun legislation held in Newark
The News Journal | by Alonzo Small The Delaware Coalition Against Gun Violence hosted a town hall meeting Tuesday in Newark to review the state’s gun violence legislation that has passed in the last couple of years. Sen. Bryan Townsend, Rep. Paul Baumbach, Rep. John Kowalko and Rep. Ed Osienski appeared before an “encouraging” group of locals at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Newark to discuss the 2017 legislative season and the “common sense” gun violence legislation that has passed since the tragedy of Sandy Hook, which was the catalyst […]
Kowalko and Osienski retain state house seats
The News Journal | by Grace McKenna Three Newark-area state representatives — Republican Michael Ramone and Democrats Ed Osienski and John Kowalko — retained their seats with ease on Tuesday. In District 21, Ramone won a fifth term with 82 percent of the vote, compared to Green Party candidate David McCorquodale’s 18 percent. “The biggest thing I try to do is to be accessible,” Ramone said Tuesday night. “People come to my bi-weekly coffee hours, to my house or my business for questions. They come when they need me.” He attributed […]
The truth behind Bloom’s sweet deal
The News Journal | by Jeff Mordock & Molly Murray Over the last four years, Delawareans have paid nearly $130 million in energy surcharges – a benefit used to attract fuel cell company Bloom Energy to the state five years ago in exchange for a promise of 900 new jobs. Counting the surcharge alone, to date, the cost for each one of those pledged 900 jobs for Delmarva Power ratepayers amounts to nearly $145,000 per post. But in reality, Bloom didn’t create 900 jobs. The real number is 277 positions, […]