Delaware
Operating budget bill for FY25 introduced in Delaware – 47abc
DOVER, Del. – The budget-writing Joint Finance Committee has introduced a $6.1 billion operating budget bill for Fiscal Year 2025.
We’re told this plan upholds the Delaware General Assembly’s commitment to state workers and retirees while also making new investments in the state’s public schools and other critical programs supporting some of the most vulnerable residents in the First State.
The committee also filed a $168 million supplemental spending plan of one-time expenditures on Tuesday. Contingency funds will also be held in the reserve to help prevent future economic downturns from disrupting core services, including a $50 million allocation aimed at helping cover future raises for educators. This is part of the ongoing effort to bring base starting salaries for teachers to $60,000.
Senate Bill 325, the operating budget bill, would fund a third year of state employee pay raises, with all merit employees set to receive a 2% increase. Additionally, negotiated collective bargaining units and statutory step increases would also be fully funded.
The 2% raise proposed for teachers and specialists means educators will have seen an 11% increase in base salary over the last two years. The base pay for paraprofessionals, custodians, secretaries, bus drivers, and food service workers will have increased by 6-18% during the same period.
SB 325 also includes $7 million in state funding for higher Medicaid reimbursement rates paid to long term care facilities, which will unlock another $10.5 million in federal funds.
Senate Bill 326, the one-time supplemental budget, would fund cost of living increases of up to 2% for most pensioners in the state, depending on their retirement date.
The operating budget bill for July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025, would also make substantial investments in critical services used by vulnerable Delawareans, including seniors in skilled nursing facilities, people with intellectual and development disabilities, and families struggling to cover the costs of childcare.
More on these bills can be found here.
Watch snow build up in Lewes
Eighteen inches of snow fell in Lewes on Feb. 22 and 23, 2026.
The snow is melting fast in Sussex, but the damage is done, with fallen trees blocking many roadways.
Some areas of Delaware’s southern-most county saw up to 19 inches of snow Feb. 22 and 23. The weight of the snow, combined with high winds, proved more than many trees could handle.
The Delaware Department of Transportation is responsible for trees on roadways, and the agency knew of about 400 of them in Sussex Feb. 23, spokesman C.R. McLeod said. By the next day, the number was down to 300.
If trees fall across wires or into utility poles, DelDOT can’t remove them until the lines have been deenergized, McLeod said.
“This work will continue for at least the next several days,” he said.
McLeod also stressed that DelDOT is not responsible for fallen trees on private property.
If you’re concerned about a fallen tree on a roadway, you can check DelDOT’s real-time map to see if the agency is aware. If the tree is not marked, you can report it by calling the Transportation Management Center at #77 or emailing DOTpublic@deldot.gov.
Reach Shannon Marvel McNaught at smcnaught@gannett.com or on Facebook.
Delaware
State of Delaware Announces Office Operations for Tuesday, February 24, 2026 – State of Delaware News
Severe Weather Conditions & Emergencies Alert
On Tuesday, February 24, 2026, State of Delaware offices in Kent and Sussex Counties are expected to open at 10 a.m. Non-essential employees who live or work in Kent or Sussex Counties should not report until 10 a.m. Essential employees designated for severe weather are to report as scheduled. State of Delaware offices in New Castle County will operate on their regular schedule.
All driving restrictions have been lifted in New Castle County. Driving restrictions in Kent and Sussex Counties are under review and a determination on the restrictions will be made before 8 a.m. on Tuesday, February 24, 2026. Further communications will be issued Tuesday morning and may impact non-essential state employees who live or work in Kent or Sussex Counties.
Watch snow build up in Lewes
Eighteen inches of snow fell in Lewes on Feb. 22 and 23, 2026.
A blizzard dumped nearly 2 feet of snow on Delaware and has paralyzed its roads and commuter train tracks.
DART First State suspended its service on Feb. 23. SEPTA buses in Delaware and their regional rail trains are also suspended. The trains will return once safety inspections are complete.
The DART First State suspension coincides with a Level 3 driving ban in Kent and Sussex counties, which restricts travel unless you are a first responder, first informer, utility worker or are operating a snow removal vehicle. Central and Southern Delaware took the biggest hits from the storm, with places like Seaford and Lewes having almost 20 inches of snow.
A DART spokesperson said staff and public safety are their top priority, and they are hopeful to get services back up and running depending on various conditions throughout the state. No final decision has been made on service on Feb. 24.
“Our decision-making process is primarily based on providing the service in the most safe manner possible,” the spokesperson said.
There is a Level 1 driving restriction in less-affected New Castle County, which urges people to stay off the roads for non-essential travel.
Roads are still being actively cleared as the storm moves out of Delaware. A state of emergency is still in effect in Delaware.
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