Center for Economic & Fiscal Policy

 

• 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 transparency, regulatory reform, and improved effectiveness to the tens of billions of dollars spent by the State every year.

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Does Amazon need $7.5 million from taxpayers? | 11/28/2018

The state of Delaware has secured an agreement by on-line behemoth Amazon to locate a regional fulfillment center near Middletown in exchange for $7.5 million of state grants and road construction. Is this a good deal? No or yes?   On one hand this can be seen as another example of corporate ...

A beautiful day in the neighborhood | 11/28/2018

The DuPont Co just received a state grant for $920,000 for a prototype organic LED plant at Stine-Haskell Research Center in Newark. The money couldn’t come at a better time.   DuPont just announced a 20% increase in sales in 2011 for a total of $38 billion. But all is not coming up ros...

Rent Control Proposed for Delaware | 11/28/2018

Senate Bill 205 proposes to confine rent increases to homeowners in manufactured home communities to no more than the increase in the Consumer Price Index for the preceding year. Based upon years of research and experience it is clear what this Bill will achieve. Current owners of manufactured ho...

Thank goodness for the beaches! | 11/28/2018

The latest interstate migration data from the IRS for Delaware (2009-10) confirms once again that households vote with their feet. Statewide, Delaware had a net gain of households from the surrounding higher property tax states, bringing a net gain in personal income as well. The leading contribu...

The Delaware JFC: Clueless? | 11/28/2018

The Joint Finance Committee (JFC) of the Delaware legislature has proposed a 1% hike in the salaries of all state employees…including public education, colleges and universities, and retiree pensions. The estimated $21 million addition to the FY 2013 expenditures (July 1, 2012 to June 30, 201...

Ranking the Blue Hens | 11/28/2018

The 2010 ranking of 610 four year degree granting institutions of higher education from Forbes and the Center for College Affordability and Productivity is out. How did the University of Delaware fare? The Forbes rankings of “America’s Best Colleges” are based upon output measur...

Business climate rankings: how does Delaware fare? | 11/28/2018

Producing business climate rankings of states has become a cottage industry. There are now at least 11 such rankings published by credible organizations. Delaware ranks between 2 and 42 across the various rankings. So, do these rankings provide any useful information to encourage economic growth in ...

Is the Strategic Fund strategic? | 11/28/2018

Over the past 10 fiscal years the Delaware Economic Development Office’s Delaware Strategic Fund has awarded over $201 million to firms and organizations in Delaware. Over $126 million of the awards have been outright grants, while $38 million has been in the form of loans, almost $34 million ...

The Governors plans for the taxpayers, surplus | 11/28/2018

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....

This aint your fathers chamber of commerce! | 11/28/2018

When we started the Delaware Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at the University of Delaware, Bill Wyer was the president of the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce (DSCC). Bill was a junk yard dog for business in Delaware. Under his leadership the DSCC fought against any tax increases and inv...