Center for Economic & Fiscal Policy


Center for Economic & Fiscal Policy

 
The Center's mission is critically important to Delaware because state policies continue to be an unfortunate catalyst for the clear decline of Delaware’s economy for far too long. For instance…
 
  • Over the past 20 years, Delaware’s per capita income has gone from the highest in the nation to below the national average.
 
  • According to the Delaware Department of Labor, employment is projected to grow at only 0.5% over the next decade, thereby trailing most of the nation.
 
  • Since 2009, Delaware has had five recessions compared to one in the rest of the country.
 
  • Including the variable Gross Receipts Tax, small business owners in Delaware often pay the highest personal income tax rates in America. 
 
In partnership with other like-minded Delaware organizations, the primary goals of this Center are to develop bi-partisan strategies and alternative policy options that will bring transparencyregulatory reform, and improved effectiveness to the tens of billions of dollars spent by the State every year.
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An analysis of the governors proposed cut in funding for the University of Delaware for FY2011.
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An analysis on the upward trend of personal income and estate taxation.
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Snapshot of Delawares economy as of March 2010
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An analysis of the method for funding beach replenishment and a viable alternative.
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Research by economist W. Kurt Hauser demonstrates that since World War II U.S. government tax revenues have averaged just under 19% of GDP. This proportion has held steady despite 30 major changes in the tax code across all sources of revenue (e.g., personal income, corporate, investment tax credits...

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The leading edge of the baby boomers hits age 65 this year and will contribute to a surge in Delawares senior population over the coming decade. The Delaware Population Consortium projects a 10% increase in the states population from 2010 to 2020 while the senior population jumps 41%. This surge in ...

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The state will award $2.4 million and local officials will provide a ten year property tax break for Johnson Controls to build a second manufacturing and distribution facility in Middletown, Delaware. Is this simply corporate welfare? Well, yes and no.   On one hand, giving handouts to Johnso...

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In March of this year, Caesar Rodney Institute’s Center for Economic Policy and Analysis released a technical study of the methodology behind Delaware’s prevailing wage system. With regard to the prevailing wage (PW) the study documented that: a) the methodology used by the Department of...

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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...

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Are union rates over represented in determining Delaware’s prevailing wage rates? Is there alternative Federal data that would more accurately represent construction-market wage rates in Delaware? Would this save the Delaware Department of Labor (DDoL) the expense of compiling and generating a...

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