RELEASE: CRI - Center for Economic Policy and Analysis RE: Money Walks – A Tale of Two Counties DATE:  5/7/19   The IRS compiles aggregate data on personal income tax returns and, among other things, shows the movement of household adjusted gross income (AGI) among counties. The latest data, 2015-16, paints a divergent tale for Delaware’s most northern and southern counties.   Between 2015-16 net out-migration from New Castle County reduced the County’s total personal income

Your action needed to control electricity prices5/3/2019 David T. Stevenson, CRI Director A bill is expected to be proposed this year to greatly increase a government mandate for more wind and solar power. A hearing has just been scheduled to be held in the Senate Hearing Room in Legislative Hall in Dover Friday, May 10th, from 10 am to 1 pm, to listen to public comment. The comments will be used to support a bill to be released in May. You can bet supporters of this expansio

House Bill 129-- More authority to raise taxes on property owners without a referendum Date:  5/2/2019   When 3 referendums are defeated in the last several months and many more in prior years, I do not believe the first action taken by our legislators is to take the voting rights away from the residents, rather legislators should find out WHY the residents are voting NO.  If this bill passes without first finding out why residents are voting NO and addressing those issues, I

"A shotgun approach to curbing violent crimes" By Matt L. Lenzini, CRI Adivsory Council 4/12/2019   Numerous bills were introduced in the Delaware State legislature recently that would limit the sale of certain types of firearms, limit the capacity of magazines and limit how a firearm can be kept and stored.   The bills have the presumed intent of reducing the number of violent crimes and deaths that occur due to firearms.  Laudable intentions but are any of the measures trul

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 29 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE STATE EMPLOYEES' PENSION PLAN AND COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT.   Having survived a nearly $400 million deficit two years ago and with State employee and retiree healthcare benefits rising 6% to 8% per annum, Senate Bill 62 now proposes that State pensioners receive an annual cost of living adjustment in accord to the National Consumer Price Index.   Looking at the latest data on the Delaware State Employees Pension P

Nuclear Power Far from a Dead Horse By David T. Stevenson, CRI Policy Director 4/8/2019   Dr. Sowers April 8, comparison of nuclear power to a dead horse is dead wrong.  Despite the recent closure of a few nuclear power plants the remaining plants still supply 20 percent of the country’s electric power without emitting air pollution or carbon dioxide.  These plants could continue operating for decades, and new small modular designs show promise in adding to this clean, reliab

THE UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE IN TRANSITION A common theme among the current candidates for the position of mayor of the City of Newark is the call for improved dialogue with the University of Delaware. The impression is that the University is growing rapidly and having a bigger footprint in the life of the City. Do the facts bear this out? Over the past ten years (2009-19) total enrollment at the University has increased 17.6%, led by an 18.6% jump in undergraduate enrollment.

Change the System not the Standards! By Ron Russo, CRI Executive Director 3/28/2019   In a recent guest column, Atnre Alleyne (Executive Director of DelawareCAN) identified the obstacles faced by many students trying to gain admission to some of the state’s best schools.  Nonpublic schools had high tuitions, high performing charter schools had admission preferences, and successful traditional public schools were located in areas with expensive housing.  Even if the obstacles

Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi spoke plainly and honestly when she said "You have to pass the bill to find out what's in it ". As we find out " what's in it" the level of frustration, disappointment, and anger has grown, especially since her statement openly acknowledges that ObamaCare was formulated and passed in the most opaque fashion ever done for a piece of major legislation. The element most obviously left out of the back-room deals was the physicians. So, my question is "W

3/11/2019 DATA DELAWARE:   Delaware's statewide property tax update Senate Bill 50, the Del Tech carve-out, is dead. State Senator Colin Bonini provided the leadership in defeating it! Today, the State Senator from the 16th District, makes his first of a two part visit addressing the looming court case that might bring property reassessment and a statewide property tax to Delaware. In this interview, Colin begins to explain how he might be able to front-run that decision and