DOVER — Following this week’s budget markup hearings of the Joint Finance Committee, House Speaker Melissa Minor-Brown, Senate President Pro Tempore Dave Sokola, House Majority Leader Kerri Evelyn Harris, Senate Majority Leader Bryan Townsend, House Majority Whip Ed Osienski, and Senate Majority Whip Elizabeth “Tizzy” Lockman issued a joint statement on the FY 26 budget:
“On behalf of the Senate and House Majority Caucuses, we thank our Joint Finance Committee Co-Chairs Senator Trey Paradee and Representative Kim Williams for their steady leadership through this year’s budget writing process. Alongside their colleagues on the Committee, they worked with diligence and integrity to deliver a budget that reflects the needs and priorities of the people of Delaware. This budget doesn’t solve every challenge, but it reflects careful, responsible choices to support Delawareans—especially in a year marked by economic uncertainty and irresponsibility from the federal government.
“Amid challenging economic forecasts, we’ve crafted a responsible budget that balances fiscal responsibility with a commitment to our shared values: providing competitive salary increases to the hardworking state employees and public educators who keep Delaware running, expanding vital programs like paid family and medical leave, and ensuring universal access to free school breakfast for all students.
“The FY 26 budget also demonstrates our commitment to transparency and good governance through the creation of an Office of the Inspector General, a state-level Department of Veterans Affairs, and a Grant-in-Aid Subcommittee dedicated to thoughtfully evaluating our State’s investments in non-profits.
“Importantly, these feats were accomplished without drawing from Delaware’s Rainy Day or Budget Stabilization Funds, and without having to raise personal income taxes or create new tax brackets before the end of the fiscal year. That said, we know the road ahead may not be easy.
“Irresponsible federal funding cuts — especially to programs like Medicaid — will hurt Delawareans. These looming threats underscore the need for Delaware to evolve to meet both current challenges and future demands.
“To that end, Senate and House leadership will be working throughout the summer to modernize our income tax code as part of a broader effort to balance Delaware’s long-term fiscal stability while sustaining our investments in critical public services.
“We expect greater clarity on the federal budget’s impact this fall, at which point we’ll assess whether additional revenue is needed to protect and honor our commitments to Delawareans. A fair economy doesn’t happen by accident — it takes leadership, partnership and a willingness to adapt. We are committed to doing the hard work to build a budget and economy that works for everyone.”
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