Gov. Carney stops in Georgetown to discuss budget

Three weeks after his budget reset meeting in Delmar, Delaware Governor John Carney met with residents and lawmakers at Sussex Central High School, focusing on how the proposed budget will effect eastern Sussex County.  

Janice Lazzari, a teacher and principal for 32 years, says cuts to education concern her.

"I hate to see any cuts in education.  And I know the student population is growing at a tremendous rate, it's projected to be even higher in the next years and I think we need to educate our young kids in appropriate facilities with appropriate amounts of teachers."

Lazzari added she believes the region is sorely lacking infrastructure.

Representative Ruth Briggs-King says she has heard many concerns from constituents.  Briggs-King says Schools and parents alike are in limbo due to pending cuts in education.

Tax payers are also nervous, with the possibility of new taxes being raised or implemented.

"Tax payers are concerned about what kind of increases might I see and what can I expect because I'm barely making it on my own budget is tight and so I don't know how I can help the state make their budget," said Briggs-King.

Lazarri and her husband are senior citizens who live in Selbyville.  They came to the meeting to learn more about potential taxes on senior citizens, a large part of the eastern part of the county.

Briggs-King says this is a top concern of hers as well in her district.

"I'm also concerned that there's a lot of retirees in my districts and certainly in this area and trying not to impact them with a lot of increases that they may not be prepared for."

This was the last scheduled budget reset meeting in Sussex County.  Delaware now has one month to finalize its plans for fiscal year 2018, facing a $385 million shortfall.