Who is Kathy McGuiness? Yes, she is running for State Auditor. But who is she really? Is she true Blue or is she Red for convenience sake? Who are her best friends and why would that make it VERY dangerous for her to win this election? She wants to be a state auditor. Someone whose job is making sure other state agencies don’t break the rules. But her alliances and allegiances beg the question and puts her on a very slippery slope. And I’m not just talking about the slopes in Park City, Utah.
The Delaware Joint Finance Committee had one hell of a mark-up session today with the State Budget for Fiscal Year 2018. The following are programs that will be eliminated or have their budgets reduced. I hope they have a lot of pens down there, because this process is not done yet. Education wasn’t even supposed to happen today except for higher education. Most of the education power-brokers weren’t even there when this mighty swath of cuts came up!
Delaware Department of Education Eliminations
Infrastructure Capacity
Professional Development for Student Standards & Assessment
Dues for Southern Regional Education Board
State Board of Education
Michael C. Ferguson awards
20% Reduction in Scholarships and Grants
Teacher Leader Pilot program
Summer School: Gifted & Talented funding
Delaware Teacher Center
Career Transition
Delaware Geographic Alliance
Center for Economic Education
Gay Straight Alliance
Teacher stipends for service in high-risk schools through the Delaware Talent Cooperative
Adolescent Day Program
College Access: Dual Enrollment Subgrants, PSAT, Competition subgrants, Delaware College Scholars, College Application Month, Scholarship Compendium, Stand By Me with DHSS,
Other Dept. of Education Reductions or Shifts
Professional Accountability and Instructional Advancement fund: eliminates $157 per employee allocation
Driver’s Education: implements fee for non-public school students to pay for program costs
Public School Transportation: Increase local share from 15% to 20%
Reduce $2 million in early childhood incentives
Reduce the following by 5%: Odyssey of the Mind, Teacher of the Year, Educator Certificate & Development, Professional Standards Board, State Testing Comp., Parents as Teachers, Student Organizations, Technology Operations
Other big cuts or reductions in the State Budget
Eliminations: FY18 Appropriation for Victim Offender Mediation, FY18 Appropriation for Child Placement Review Board, Civil Indigent Services, Kids Count, International Trade, Italian/American Commission, Delaware Center for Global Trade, Delaware Art, Library DELNET computer system and computer equipment (shifts costs to counties), Medical Marijuana Appropriation, Hispanic Affairs Appropriation, Office of Volunteer Services, FY2018 Appropriations for Dept. of Corrections for Hope Commission, Mentor Programs, Pre-Trial Services provided by Rick Vanstory, Tire Scrap Management Fund, Agriculture Advertising Line, Agriculture Development Program Line, Alternative Agricultural Products Line, Nutrient Management Planning, Poultry Litter State Funding
Reductions: Dept. of Justice Transcription Services, Contractual Services, and Conflict Attorney Rates, Two full-time employee positions and reductes contractual services for Commission for Women, Drug Court Program (Dept. of Services for Children, Youth & Their Families), Child welfare/contractual services for foster care contracts and Ready by 21 program, Vocational Rehabilitation Contractual Services through Dept. of Labor, Reductions for Fire Prevent Commission including ballistic vests and statewide fire safety education
DHSS Reductions of 20%: Health Disparities, Preschool Diagnosis and Treatment, Immunizations, Hepatitis B, Needle Exchange Program, Infant Mortality Task Force, Cancer Council, Gift of Life, Delaware Organ and Tissue Program 2, Developmental Screening, Uninsured Action Plan, DIMES, Sickle Cell, Nurse Family Partnership, Prescription Drug Prevention.
For a full list of all the cuts and the amounts, please see the document below:
The Season Of Myths 