2008 DSCC Legislative Agenda
 

Delaware’s continued economic strength and competitiveness rely on a foundation of business-friendly policies that address issues from education to energy to health care. Above them all is fiscal responsibility. Delaware is protected by a balanced budget mandate, yet we must hold our government officials accountable as they choose how to spend taxpayers’ money. These are the issues that will occupy the attention of the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce’s government affairs department in the second session of the 144th General Assembly.

Fiscal Responsibility

State revenues are trending downward. The rosy economic climate of the last few years has allowed the General Assembly to increase general fund spending while approving some of the largest capital budgets in state history. However, with a looming recession, challenges to the Delaware video lottery monopoly, potential job losses due to business restructuring, and the turbulent housing market, it becomes evident that the large spending increases of recent years must be reversed. 

New taxes are not the solution. Instead, we must spend prudently and eliminate ineffective, outdated waste.     

Health Care

Rising health insurance costs remain a key area of concern for business owners and their employees as they struggle to meet bottom-line obligations. Many employers simply cannot afford to offer health insurance to their employees. More than 10 percent of Delawareans, many of them employed, are uninsured. This problem affects all businesses through higher insurance rates and taxes.

The Chamber will work with its affiliate, the Delaware Public Policy Institute, to tackle the growing uninsured problem as they focus their efforts on small business owners, employees and children. The State Chamber believes that allowing small businesses to pool together to buy more affordable health insurance is one means of offering relief to Delaware’s small businesses.

A healthy economy depends on healthy citizens. Affordable health insurance rates are a must.  

Environmental Regulation

As Delaware’s manufacturers continue to compete domestically and internationally for manufacturing facilities and jobs, environmental regulation remains an important consideration for the state’s economic development efforts. The State Chamber will build on the success it realized working with Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) to streamline the air emission permitting process and tackle the process for issuing water permits.

The State Chamber, along with the regulated community, will continue to work with DNREC to pass legislation that solves the problem of abandoned environmentally distressed sites without burdening those companies with a good environmental track record.

The Title V air emission permit program was renewed this legislative session per federal fiat. As a member of the Title V Oversight Committee, the State Chamber looked at the current program and determined what changes needed to be made in order to meet federal and state regulations and funding requirements. The chief objective of the regulated community is a program that ensures that all air emission regulations are met, while the permitting and oversight process is conducted in an efficient and cost-effective manner. No new fee increases were instituted.    

With the growing concern regarding the ability and wisdom of continuing to use landfills, we must find innovative ways to store waste material. Trash-to-steam incineration has proven to be an environmentally safe means of waste disposal that is also an efficient means of supplying energy. In order to implement this type of waste disposal system in Delaware, the General Assembly must remove or amend the statute that places unreasonable restrictions on the placement of a trash-to-steam facility in our state. The State Chamber believes it is time to address this restrictive law.

Energy

Rising energy costs have directly increased the cost of doing business for companies of all sizes resulting in employment cuts and price increases for products and services. The State Chamber supports efforts to find viable alternative sources of energy as a means of controlling rising energy costs. It is imperative that our state meet this challenge by developing and finding clean, renewable sources of energy at a competitive price that will allow Delaware to meet its needs, while expanding its economy. This endeavor must combine progressive environmental measures with economic development. 

Education

Delaware’s future economic success rests on its current education system. Not only must Delaware’s public school graduates be prepared to successfully participate in making Delaware a leader in the global marketplace, but companies are more likely to locate and remain in states with strong public education systems. The Chamber supports Vision 2015 in its goal of making Delaware’s schools the best in the world by 2015. We call on the General Assembly and the business community to adequately fund this project. The Chamber will also work to strengthen and leverage partnerships between business and higher education that support the growth of the economy.

Workers Compensation

The final elements of Senate Bill 1, which reformed Delaware’s workers compensation system, are scheduled for implementation at the end of May. The Medical Advisory Panel is charged with establishing a medical fee schedule and practice guidelines, developing the forms that businesses, insurance providers and the medical professionals will use for communication, as well as establishing a provider certification and a utilization review process.

A nationally recognized workers compensation consulting firm is developing the final product for approval by the Workers Compensation Advisory Council. At the same time, a committee appointed by the Insurance Commissioner will determine what data will be used to measure the impact of the new statute over the next several years. This information will be used to make future improvements to Delaware’s workers compensation system.

While this process is in motion, workers compensation reform remains a key focus for the State Chamber. Through its members who serve on the Council, the State Chamber will make certain the process proceeds in a timely manner and that the finished product is one that will continue to drive down workers compensation costs.

The Chamber has identified the above topics as its top priorities for the second session of the 144th General Assembly. The Chamber will closely monitor other areas of interest pertaining to banking, taxes, retail business and employee relations.

For answers to questions or additional information, please contact A. Richard Heffron, Senior VP for Government Affairs, at (302) 576-6563, or by e-mail at rheffron@dscc.com.

Delaware State Chamber of Commerce
1201 N. Orange Street, PO Box 671
Wilmington, DE 19899-0671
(302) 655-7221