Del. Gov. Matt Meyer rolls out 2026 budget reset plans

DELAWARE. – Governor Matt Meyer rolled out his robust plans to funnel funds into Delaware schools and enhance government efficiency, by proposing a $6.5 billion operating budget reset.

At Thursday’s meeting, he laid out different approaches to funding his plans, including taxing the First State’s wealthiest residents.

“I think we truly need to make sure the wealthy pay their fair share,” said Gov. Meyer. “Too many Delawareans come home with dirt under their fingernails, their shirt stained from a hard day at work, and the burden of paying for government falls on them.”

But taxing the rich, and a proposed $0.50 tax on cigarettes, won’t cover everything.

Gov. Meyer and his team said they anticipate having to tap into the state’s budget smoothing fund, a government piggy bank with over $400 million in it.

It’s a move that Republican State Representative, Kevin Hensley said will go against the purpose of the fund’s existence.

“If I remember correctly, that was for unforeseen circumstances. This is not an unforeseen circumstance; we’ve known these days we’re coming, and we’ve just been kind of floating along,” said Rep. Hensley.

But Gov. Meyer thinks otherwise. He said now is the time to prioritize Delaware’s people and programs.

“I can’t stand up here and say that every dollar of federal funding we’ll be able to replenish, but we need to be smart about what our values are, we need to be smart about how we spend state dollars, and we need to make sure that we’re protecting people and protecting programs that are truly helping Delawareans,” said Gov. Meyer.