tax

Bill to change state tax brackets halted in committee

Betsy PriceGovernment, Headlines

A bill that would alter Delaware’s tax code in a way the sponsor says would ultimately lower tax payments for everyone was put to death Tuesday by the House Revenue and Finance Committee. Another was delayed for consideration until the next meeting. Votes for House Bill 233, sponsored by Majority Leader Mike Ramone, R-Newark/Pike Creek, split along party lines in …

Kowalko Schwartzkopf

2022 Rewind: Kowalko says House Speaker killed IG bill

Charles MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

This story was originally published in July 2022. An outgoing Democratic member of the Delaware House of Representatives says House Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf blocked his bill to create an office of the inspector general.  Rep. John Kowalko, D-Newark, said the move was typical of Schwartzkopf’s leadership style. That leadership style can be characterized by “coercion, intimidation, incentivizing and reward,” Kowalko …

Ruth Briggs King

A woman’s place? For Ruth Briggs King, it’s the legislature

Charles MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

It’s not uncommon for state Rep. Ruth Briggs King to be the only woman in a room full of men.  The Georgetown lawmaker is the only female legislator in Delaware’s General Assembly who belongs to the Republican Party. She doesn’t let that get in the way of representing her constituents.  In fact, she sees it as an opportunity. “There have …

Wine direct shipment

Delaware lawmaker to revive wine-by-mail bill

Charles MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

A Republican lawmaker hopes 2023 will be the year Delaware legalizes the direct shipment of wine. Rep. Mike Smith, R-Pike Creek, authored a bill in the last General Assembly to allow Delawareans to have wine shipped directly to their homes.  The House Economic Development Committee released the bill but it was not allowed to the House floor for a vote.  …

Melissa Minor Brown

Melissa Minor-Brown: ‘I stand on the shoulders of giants’

Charles MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

When state Rep. Melissa Minor-Brown won election to the General Assembly in 2018, she knew right away that she wanted to be in leadership.  The Democrat from New Castle got her wish this November when the House Democratic Caucus elected her majority whip, making her the first person of color in Delaware history elected to a leadership position in the …

Mike Ramone recount

History favors Ramone, numbers favor Burns in Pike Creek race

Charles MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

A suburban New Castle County race for state House is turning into one of most hotly-contested battles of this year’s general election. Incumbent Republican Rep. Mike Ramone, who has been in office since 2009, faces Democrat Dr. Frank Burns for the South Pike Creek seat — one of the last held by Republicans in the state’s northernmost county. Before entering …

Election Center 8

Who’s running? Nov. 8 Delaware general election

Charles MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

Jump to: Statewide candidates State Senate candidates State House candidates County candidates The general election will be held Tuesday, Nov. 8. The 151st General Assembly comes to an end the same day, meaning all 21 state Senate seats and 41 state House seats are up for grabs. The deadline to file for election has passed. Three of the state’s executive …

Delaware Debates

Candidates spar over national issues in U.S. House debate

Charles MegginsonHeadlines, Government

Delaware voters had their first and possibly only chance Thursday to watch the state’s candidates for its lone-U.S. House seat face off head to head. Democratic incumbent Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester and Republican Lee Murphy answered questions on a variety of topics, ranging from abortion to beach replenishment. There were no surprises during the roughly one-hour debate, moderated by Ralph …

Hensley Williams 2

Will this Republican in solid blue district win again?

Charles MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

Delaware’s 9th Representative District is one of New Castle County’s last remaining Republican holdouts, and Democrat Terrell Williams, an attorney, hopes to flip the seat blue in Delaware’s Nov. 8 general election. Rep. Kevin Hensley, a Republican, has represented the district where Democrats outnumber Republicans by nearly two-to-one since 2015.  The district runs along the Delaware Bayshore from the Chesapeake …

Election Center 8

Who’s running in Delaware’s Nov. 8 general election?

Charles MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

Tuesday’s primary election saw the lowest voter turnout in at least a decade with just 16.2% of the state’s registered voters participating. That’s despite numerous new initiatives designed to increase ballot access, including mail-in voting, early voting and same-day voter registration. It was a big night for women — especially women of color. Of Tuesday’s 15 statewide and legislative races, …