In 2014, for the first time, Delaware met all Air Quality Standards for every measured pollutant. That is an “A” in my book! Yet the American Lung Association (ALA) just released a report giving Delaware an “F” grade for air quality. How could that be?   Start by following the money. The ALA received $20 million in grants from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over the last decade, and generally advocates for tougher regulations. The EPA has a self interest in ma

9/11/2012   With the elevation of Paul Ryan to the national stage, the debate about national healthcare policy is front and center. At the core of the debate is affordability. The 2010 healthcare reform legislation known as the "Affordable Care Act", or "Obamacare" by its detractors, is at the center of the debate. The fundamental political promise is that all residents of the United States can have all the healthcare that they want, whenever they want, from whatever source t

State governments vary in the degree to which they favor organized labor over taxpayers. The latest research from the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) documents that Delaware government has adopted policies_OLD that give priority to unions over the interests of Delaware’s citizens.   Based upon 23 factors, the CEI ranks Delaware as the 10 th most union friendly state. Maryland is tied with Delaware, while Pennsylvania ranks 4 th , New Jersey 3 rd , and New York 1 st .

A recent report by the Institute for Truth in Accounting confirms what Caesar Rodney Institute has been saying about the seriousness of Delaware’s state government debt. The state has accumulated bills of $8.6 billion.   How did this run up in debt happen? The Institute singles out the use of antiquated budgeting and accounting rules that are used to determine employee compensation costs. Good accounting includes the cost of retirement benefits as they are earned. Delaware, i

From Adam Smith forward, the one major insight on which all economists can agree is “competition is good!” More effectively than government regulations or price ceilings or user permits, competition results in, as if by an “invisible hand”, lower prices and lower costs (more efficient production).   Is there sufficient competition in Delaware’s healthcare industry? Or are consumers being over charged and undersupplied?   Following is a simple analysis of Delaware’s major heal

With the economic recovery underway in Delaware projected state government revenues are running ahead of projected expenditures for this fiscal year (FY 2011) and next (FY 2012). At this time, according to DEFAC, the expected surplus will be $156 million for FY-11 and another $218 million for FY-12. Naturally everyone in Dover has ideas for spending these surpluses, including the Governor.   The major sources of increased revenue are tied to the economic recovery. Almost 75%

Delaware’s insurance commissioner has requested a waiver of the Federal rule requiring health insurers to spend 80 percent of each premium dollar on medical care. This is the wrong waiver. If Delaware would simply open itself to health insurance competition the terms of the balance between company costs and medical payouts would be dictated by consumers.   A more important waiver for Delaware to be seeking at this time is from the Federal Medicaid rules. Rhode Island has led

CEPA estimates the population of undocumented immigrants in Delaware to be 20,250 as of 2008. This includes 14,880 undocumented immigrants in New Castle County, 2,225 in Kent County and 3,150 in Sussex. These estimates are derived from the latest Bureau of Census data on the foreign born population for Delaware and the counties. Based upon research by the Urban Institute, 26% of the foreign born population is considered to be undocumented immigrants. That number is then adjus

The national base realignment and closure program (BRAC) is transforming the Aberdeen Proving Ground into a major center for high tech research and development. Employment at Aberdeen will hit about 22,000 by late 2011. The bulk of these employees will be civilians in occupations such as computer science, IT, engineering, physics, chemistry, and mathematics. Will Delaware benefit from the Aberdeen explosion? The BRAC effect Will the tremendous expansion at the Aberdeen Provin

The mantra of President Obama is to raise taxes on the rich rather than cut the size of government. In Delaware, the governor, supported by the legislature, has already done this. Effective January 1, 2010 the top marginal tax rate applied to personal income of $60,000 or more was raised from almost 6% to almost 7%, and there have been no significant cuts in state government. What are the assumptions behind this thinking? If no significant cuts in the size of government are m