DOVER, Del. (AP) - House lawmakers in Delaware unanimously approved a $4.45 billion operating budget Thursday for the fiscal year that starts July 1. The bill now goes to the state Senate.
The proposed budget is about 4.2% higher than this year’s budget, an increase greater than what Democratic Gov. John Carney proposed.
The spending plan includes pay raises of $1,000 for most state employees and 2% for teachers, an increase of about $34 million to the pay raises that government workers received this year.
House lawmakers also approved a separate supplemental appropriations bill earmarking $62 million in one-time spending for various programs and projects. That total includes $37.5 million in additional funding for low-income students and students from non-English speaking homes.
Rep. Quinn Johnson, co-chair of the budget-writing Joint Finance Committee, said the budget bill addresses school enrollment growth, public safety and other core services while leaving a cushion of unspent funds to draw upon in the future when the economy inevitably slows.
“The discipline that we showed today in savings will help greatly when we’re going to be dealing with some decreased revenue in the future,” said Johnson, D-Middletown. “As our population grows, … so will the demands on our services. We must and we are positioning ourselves to be able to weather that economic downturn.”
Additions made by lawmakers to Carney’s proposed spending plan include millions more for education, disabilities services, Medicaid dental care for adults and college scholarships for Delaware residents.
One of the biggest changes made by the budget committee was adding $15 million to the $60 million proposed by Carney over three years for an “Opportunity Fund” to help low-income students and English language learners in public schools. Half of the money is built into the operating budget, with the other half coming from one-time appropriations.
Despite the additional funding, lawmakers have also heeded calls for fiscal restraint from Carney, who has proposed adding about $45 million to an existing $47 million cushion of unspent funds that could help stabilize the state budget if revenue projections fall. That’s on top of the state’s constitutionally mandated “rainy day” fund, which totals about $250 million and is intended to be used only to address unanticipated budget deficits. It has never been tapped.
Meanwhile, a legislative committee is still reviewing Carney’s proposed capital budget of $678.6 million for transportation and construction projects.
Carney also has proposed a grants package of $48 million for nonprofit organizations, community groups and volunteer fire companies.
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