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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Kicking Delaware businesses when they are down | 11/28/2018

The state of Delaware gross receipt tax is levied against total business income, regardless of whether a firm makes a profit or not. Following the onset of the recent recession, one of the state’s answers to falling revenues was to twice raise the gross receipt tax. First, an increase of 25% i...

No Longer Blowing Smoke | 11/28/2018

In August of 2009 Delaware raised its cigarette tax from $1.15 to $1.60 per pack of 20 smokes. The consequences were predictable.   State revenue from the cigarette tax fell between 2009 and 2012. In part this was due to the higher price discouraging smoking. In addition, however, Delawares ...

The States Benefit Bonanza: How Deep is the Hole? | 11/28/2018

The Delaware Public Employees’ Retirement System is what you have dreamed about but are unlikely to ever enjoy. DPERS is a “defined benefit plan” which means that participants’ retirement benefits are paid out “regardless of market events.” State government r...

Repatriation: Set the Cash Balances Free! | 11/28/2018

Again and again and again politicians have to learn that raising taxes above a reasonable level results in less tax revenue by encouraging tax avoidance. The current tax rate of 35% on the repatriated income of the foreign operations of U.S. firms, the highest rate in the developed world, is a class...

A State budget deficit already?! | 11/28/2018

The Delaware Economic and Financial Advisory Committee (DEFAC) met on September 19th and the news isn’t encouraging.   Less than three months into the new fiscal year, the state is running an operating balance deficit of $355 million and an unencumbered cash balance of $32 million. In ...

Its Time to End the Riverdance | 11/28/2018

 Wilmington’s Riverfront Development Corporation (RDC) received $3.5 million through the state’s capital budget in July, bringing the taxpayers’ total investment in the riverfront since 1995 to over $280 million. Now, starting with a $2 million request, the RDC is proposing th...

A Tale of Two Societies | 11/28/2018

Any discussion of job creation in Delaware must start with the recognition of the existence of the two distinct societies in Delaware: persons with limited education (a high school degree or less) and persons with ample education (a college degree or more).   The limited education folks are b...

Income and Taxes: An Interesting Look | 11/28/2018

The latest IRS data on personal income taxes collected from Delaware residents is for 2009. Examining the data is instructive.   About 14% of the returns were from Delaware households whose adjusted gross income was $100,000 or more. These high income households accounted for 46% of the incom...

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    ...

And Baby Makes Two | 11/28/2018

The latest data from the Center for Disease Control on out-of-wedlock births does not bode well for Delaware. During 2009 nearly 48% of all the births in the First State were to unwed mothers. This ranges from 34% of all births to whites, 65% for Hispanics, and 72% for blacks.   In 2009 the n...