Delaware’s $400 million budget shortfall isn’t the result of federal tax changes—it’s the outcome of years of unchecked state spending. As the Caesar Rodney Institute explains, Dover’s leaders have expanded budgets through off-book appropriations and relied on temporary federal aid to mask structural problems. With surpluses fading, Delaware faces a fiscal crisis of its own making, demanding real reform—not blame-shifting to Washington.

The Caesar Rodney Institute is proud to launch a new feature showcasing Delaware students’ research on real-world community issues. Our first project highlights Benjamin Parsons, a high school senior studying how trail maintenance affects wildlife on the Delmarva Peninsula. His findings use the gray squirrel as a stand-in for the Delmarva fox squirrel and offer practical ways to balance recreation with habitat protection.

As the federal shutdown continues, most Delawareans won’t see changes in their health insurance premiums. The current debate in Washington only affects temporary ACA marketplace subsidies that help a small share of insured residents. Medicare, Medicaid, and employer-based coverage remain stable. Even if enhanced subsidies expire, higher rates would impact only some ACA enrollees. For most Americans, coverage and costs will stay the same. Learn more at CaesarRodney.org.

Delaware’s students are in crisis. New national and state test results show steep declines in reading and math proficiency — only 41% of students meet reading standards and 34% meet math. Teachers are overburdened with nonacademic duties, while programs meant to close achievement gaps show little progress. Delaware must urgently refocus on classroom instruction, evidence-based reading, and teacher support to restore literacy, accountability, and student success.

Yes, Build Small Modular Reactors in Delaware By  David T. Stevenson , Director Center for Energy & Environmental Policy September 30, 2025. (updated 9/30/2025)     To determine whether it is wise to build nuclear small modular reactors (SMRs) in Delaware, the state's Nuclear Energy Task Force must answer a list of questions. Many of those answers are already clear: we can and should build SMRs in Delaware. Technical and Logistical Feasibility   In 2023, Dr. Kathryn Huff, the

Delaware’s New Hybrid Vehicle Fee Doesn’t Add Up Hybrid owners already pay fuel taxes and higher purchase costs - yet now face a $60 annual fee that delivers little revenue and questionable results.   By  David T. Stevenson , Director Center for Energy & Environmental Policy September 15, 2025 (updated Sept. 24, 2025) Delaware's new $60 annual vehicle registration fee on gasoline hybrids should be cut in half. The math shows a fair charge would be closer to $30 a year.   This

PJM Challenges the Narrative: What’s Really Driving Higher Electric Bills Rethinking Delaware's energy mandates and their impact   By  David T. Stevenson , Director Center for Energy & Environmental Policy September 9, 2025 PJM Interconnection, the organization that manages the electric grid for 13 states including Delaware, has confirmed what the Caesar Rodney Institute (CRI) has long argued: state mandates are raising bills and straining reliability. Delaware policymakers n

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Delaware's Top Revenue Sources: A Decade of Change    Tracking Delaware's Tax Shifts and What's Ahead By Charlie Copeland Center for Economic & Fiscal Policy September 6, 2024     "Sometimes called Delaware's 'hidden sales tax,' the tax is levied on the seller of goods and services in the state, rather than the consumer."-- Jonathan Starkey, former News Journal reporter and current Chief of Staff to Governor Carney writing about Delaware's Gross Receipts Tax.       In 2014, t