Delaware State of the State Report 2012: By the numbers
11/28/2018
Following are the changes in various state of Delaware performance measures since Governor Markell took office. Where possible the data is from January of 2009 through November of 2011. Otherwise the data compares the year 2008 to 2010.
THE ECONOMY
Employment -3.6% (- 15,100 jobs)
Unemployment Rate 0.6 percentage points
Total persons unemployed 1,607 people
Initial weekly unemployment claims
Persons in labor force -13,090
New hires -2,826
Individual poverty rate 1.0 percentage points (10,176 people)
Real per capita income -2.3%
Inflation rate 3.0 percentage points
Real output per capita 1.6%
Housing starts -7.9%
Net migration into Delaware -33.3%
EDUCATION
10th graders meeting or exceeding reading standard -8.8%
10th graders meeting or exceeding math standard -1.9%
11th graders meeting or exceeding science standard -6.3%
Average SAT score -2.2%
STATE GOVERNMENT
Real per capita general and special fund revenue -6.6%
Real per capita general and special fund disbursements -8.1%
Real debt per capita 6.9%
Debt as a % of Delaware personal income 0.5 percentage points
% of pension liability funded -9.0 percentage points
Total unfunded retiree health benefit liability now $5.7 billion
Cigarette and tobacco products tax
Corporate franchise tax
Estate tax
Gross receipts tax
Limited partnership tax
Personal income tax
Public utility tax
State share of video lottery
MISCELLANEOUS
CNBC ranking on cost of doing business
CNBC ranking on access to capital
CNBC ranking on quality of life
Violent crime rate -11.7%
Commercial electric rate -5.9%
Given the numbers it seems unlikely that Governor Markell will emphasize measures of economic and public education performance in his upcoming state of the state address. He is more likely to focus on increase inputs (e.g., more Federal money for public education), cuts in state spending, anecdotes (e.g., friendship with the state chamber), and promises of great things to come (e.g., Fisker Automotive).
Dr. John E. Stapleford, Director
Center for Economic Policy and Analysis
The Caesar Rodney Institute is Delaware's Only General Public Policy Organization Committed to Protecting Individual Liberties and Preserving Fiscally Responsible and Efficient Government for the Common Good.