Gov. Carney meets locals in Delmar to discuss budget

Concerned locals packed the Fire Hall in Delmar along with Delaware Governor John Carney, Representative Tim Dukes and State Senator Bryant Richardson to discuss the proposed budget for 2018 and the effects on western Sussex County.

Some residents proposed adding a sales tax to capture revenue from tourism, others were concerned the government is not looking to the right areas in order to cut down on the nearly $400 million shortfall.

"They need to be the ones to look for where either they have to raise fees or taxes to make up the deficit in the budget rather than always looking for ways to push it down to the counties or to the individual school districts," said John Shewd, Mayor of the Town of Laurel.

Shewd says he gives credit to the governor for putting proposals on the table, but that it is time for the general assembly to counter Carney with proposals of their own.

"There are solutions.  They need to be looked at a little bit closer and quit looking at all of these pork funds that go to this special project and that special project," said Shane McCarty, member of the Laurel School Board.

McCarty says it is unfair to to put the pressure of raising taxes on unpaid employees.  The budget includes $22 million in education cuts, which the school districts can get back, but by increasing property taxes without holding a referendum.

"We're signing our own death warrant if we raise school board taxes or our school district taxes," said McCarty.

The cuts to education are especially important Mayor Shewd, who says with the amount of students from low-income families in the area who need more attention, the schools need more help, not cuts.

As for McCarty, a probation parole officer, he says if the proposed budget remains in tact, western Sussex County will suffer.

"From Greenwood down to Delmar, western Sussex County is store shuttering, people foreclosing on the houses, and kids not being able to get the education they deserve."