Democrat John Carney touted job growth and increased school funding as among the highlights of his two terms as Delaware’s governor in his final State of the State address Tuesday.
Mr. Carney, who took office in 2017 and is barred from re-election to a third term by term limits, has praised the past three years for record infrastructure projects and the sustainability of budget growth. He also mentioned that he is focusing on securing.
“We have kept our finances in order,” he said in a speech to the General Assembly in Dover. “We converted a $400 million budget deficit into $400 million in reserves in 2017, which is huge.”
Court strikes down early voting law in Biden’s home state: ‘A bit of irony’
Carney’s list of accomplishments also includes affordable housing programs, green energy initiatives and gun control.
“In this final year, I am focused on leaving our state in better shape than I ever thought it would be,” said Carney, who is seeking the mayoralty of Wilmington.
“I can confidently say that our state is strong, and we are getting stronger every day,” he added.
Delaware Governor John Carney is seen at the Major Joseph R. Biden III National Guard and Reserve Center on January 19, 2021 in New Castle, Delaware. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)
Among the unfinished business that Mr. Carney hopes to tackle in his final months in office is a bill that would permanently limit operating budget growth, which has increased by nearly 10% annually in recent years.
In 2018, Democratic lawmakers refused to consider a constitutional amendment proposed by Mr. Carney that would have limited annual spending growth based on a series of economic indicators.
“If we don’t get our budget right, Delaware won’t be able to compete in the future,” he said Tuesday. “At this point, it’s possible that a future General Assembly or governor could lead us down a path of out-of-control spending.”
Mr. Carney touted the huge increase in child care subsidies during his term and the $1.5 billion spent on new school construction over the past seven years. He also vowed to continue spending on economic development efforts overseen by the public-private partnership he founded.
“We will not lose competition with other states for quality jobs,” he said.
Meanwhile, Carney warned of health care cost inflation, with the state spending about $2 billion a year on Medicaid and health insurance for state employees and retirees.
“If we don’t get serious about it, health care costs will crowd out all other investments,” he said.
Carney also emphasized increasing spending on public education during his tenure, including creating a fund focused on low-income students, students with disabilities, and English language learners. On Tuesday, he called for expanding student mental health programs to high schools and hiring more literacy coaches.
Although Delaware ranks near the top of the states in per-pupil spending, only 40% of third- through eighth-graders achieved proficiency in reading and writing last year. In mathematics, only 32% of his students from third to eighth grade were proficient. Among high school students, 44% earned a proficient score on her SAT reading test, but only 23% earned a proficient score in math.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“Here’s an inconvenient truth,” Carney acknowledged. “Statewide, less than 40% of children read proficiently in third grade, and many schools fall short of that average. Imagine if you passed.”
Carney said more restrictions are needed on gun ownership, even though Democratic lawmakers on his watch have banned several types of semi-automatic weapons and high-capacity magazines. He called for legislation to be passed that would require people to be fingerprinted and take a training course before being allowed to buy a handgun. At the same time, he acknowledged that “the vast majority of gun violence” in Wilmington and Dover is committed by “a very small number of people.”
Another threat, Carney said, is climate change. Carney said a bill passed last year requires the state to cut greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030 compared to a 2005 baseline and reach net zero emissions by 2050. I admired that. Carney also noted that the administration is seeking to achieve 82% of total emissions. He also wants Delaware to play a more active role in the offshore wind industry.
