Delaware
Del. Gov. Meyer says state of the state strong despite revenue uncertainties
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Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer laid out his legislative priorities and his vision for the state’s future in a joint address to the General Assembly in Dover on Thursday.
He declared the state of the state was “strong,” despite Delaware predicting slower future economic growth in future years that could force it to deplete money it has socked away.
Meyer gave his budget “reset” last month. He’s proposing a budget of nearly $6.6 billion for fiscal year 2026, up 7.4% from $6.1 billion for fiscal year 2025. The plan does not touch either the state’s Budget Stabilization Fund or the Rainy Day Fund, relying instead on new revenue from the change in tax brackets and an increase in fees.
The governor acknowledged the difficulty of crafting the state budget amid major policy shifts at the federal level, including funding freezes and cuts plus varying levels of tariffs.
“In building this year’s budget, our team is managing swings in revenue and expenses in the tens of millions of dollars — sometimes from one hour or day to the next, sometimes from one headline out of Washington to the next,” he said.
Under Delaware’s current income tax system, Delawareans making over $60,000 a year pay the state’s top tax rate of 6.6%. Meyer said he wants the new brackets to start at $125,000 of annual income, then go to $250,000 before topping out at $500,000. If the tax brackets plan gets approved by lawmakers, earnings between $60,000 and $125,000 would be taxed at a 6.6% rate. The tax rate would rise to 6.75% for income earned between $125,000 and $250,000, go to 6.85% for income earned between $250,000 and $500,000 and jump to 6.95% for wages over $500,000. The governor argued the plan would reduce taxes for most Delawareans.
Meyer’s budget depends on the additional $16.5 million in personal income revenue in 2026 and $35.2 million in 2027. His proposed cigarette tax of an extra $0.50 per pack would generate $8 million next year and $11.5 million in 2027. New revenue from other tobacco products would amount to $12.5 million over the next two years.
Delaware
Save the embarrassment. These expungement clinics may help with clearing a Delaware record
Speed enforcement camera now active near Lewes
It’s located at Pondview Drive on southbound Coastal Highway.
A criminal history, even one stemming from a juvenile arrest or a minor driving violation, can be a lifelong barrier to opportunity for many Delawareans. Whether or not a conviction occurred, a record can follow a person for years, showing up in background checks run by employers, landlords and loan officers.
An expungement offers a way to break that cycle. The legal process removes police and court records from public databases, allowing former defendants to move forward without being required to disclose past arrests or charges.
To help people navigate that process, several Delaware lawmakers and state agencies are hosting free expungement clinics this fall, offering one-on-one legal counseling to help eligible residents clear their records and reclaim new opportunities.
3 events planned across Delaware
Before the year ends, Delaware residents will have three opportunities to attend an expungement clinic where free, individual legal counseling will be available.
The events are organized in collaboration with the Office of Defense Services, the Delaware Criminal Justice Information System, or DELJIS, and the Delaware Department of Labor’s Advancement through Pardons and Expungement APEX Program. The Office of the Marijuana Commissioner has joined as a new sponsor this year and is contributing up to $5,000 to help cover expungement-related fees.
The sessions are open to individuals with Delaware criminal records. Services are offered on a first-come, first-served basis, and advance registration is required.
Where and how to attend
The Middletown Expungement Clinic will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. Oct. 29 at the Whitehall Recreational Center in Sen. Nicole Poore’s district. Registration is available at bit.ly/48gnKto.
The Smyrna Expungement Clinic will take place from 2 to 5 p.m. Nov. 6 at the Duck Creek Regional Library in Sen. Kyra Hoffner’s district. Registration is available at bit.ly/3KaHOn3.
In Sussex County, the Office of Defense Services will host the Life Church Expungement Clinic from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 18 at The Life Church in Laurel. Registration is available at forms.gle/bACj1h1xouk452oz8. For more information, contact Maria Clark at the Office of Defense Services at 302-688-4560.
Organizers say the goal of these clinics is to help Delaware residents overcome the lasting effects of old criminal records and move toward greater economic and personal stability. They said, by removing barriers to employment and housing, expungements can help people reenter the workforce, support their families and participate fully in their communities.
To share your community news and activities with our audience, join Delaware Voices Uplifted on Facebook. Nonprofits, community groups and service providers are welcome to submit their information to be added to our Community Resources Map. Contact staff reporter Anitra Johnson at ajohnson@delawareonline.com.
Delaware
Would adding nuclear power solve Delaware’s energy needs?
Nuclear energy is seeing something of a renaissance, helped in part by executive orders from President Donald Trump boosting the industry. The four orders include rapid development and deployment of advanced nuclear technologies, reconsidering radiation exposure standards, eliminating or expediting environmental reviews of applications and funding for workforce-related opportunities. Big tech companies are also betting big on nuclear energy to fuel power-hungry data centers.
Investment firm Starwood Digital Ventures is currently pitching a massive data center for Delaware City. Critics are concerned it will drain large amounts of energy and water.
Kathryn Lienhard, an offshore wind energy research associate with Delaware Sea Grant, said nuclear power generates electricity through chain reactions that produce heat. That heat is used to make steam that spins a turbine to create the electricity. Reactors use uranium, which is radioactive, for nuclear fuel, and exposure can cause lung cancer and other diseases. Spent reactor fuel is a highly radioactive byproduct that is normally stored on site, but Lienhard said the U.S. has yet to develop a long-term storage solution for the waste.
Public anxiety about the harmful health effects of nuclear power plants grew after the worst commercial reactor accident in U.S. history at the Three Mile Island plant in 1979. The partial core meltdown at the plant near Middletown, Pennsylvania, forced the evacuation of thousands of nearby residents. Numerous studies since then found no direct negative health effects on the nearby population. Microsoft is reopening the plant to power its data centers.
Union boilermaker Martin Willis, another task force member, said members should look at deploying a small nuclear reactor at the Dover Air Force Base. He also said the public is still resistant to adopting nuclear energy.
“I hate to say it, but even with America being in an electric generation crisis because of the demands of AI data centers, Bitcoin mining, cannabis farming and a robust economy, our nation will not embrace civilian nuclear power until parts of America suffer widespread blackouts and rolling brownouts,” he said.
The task force’s next meeting is Dec. 1. The group’s chair, state Sen. Stephanie Hansen, said the group will deliver a final report, but that date is yet to be determined.
Delaware
Progressive leader and Newark’s longtime representative John Kowalko dies at 80
Bill that establishes Office of Inspector General in Delaware signed into law
Gov. Matt Meyer signed Senate Bill 4 into Thursday. It establishes Office of Inspector General within state government. 8/14/25
Former state Rep. John Kowalko, an unapologetic voice for Delaware’s progressive movement and a longtime advocate for government transparency, died Oct. 25 at the age 80.
Kowalko, sometimes called the “Bernie Sanders of Delaware,” represented Newark’s 25th District — home to the University of Delaware — from 2006 until his retirement in 2022. Known for his blunt style and fierce defense of the poor and working class, Kowalko was the most outspoken progressive in the 41-member House, long before the rise of the newer progressive wave that followed the 2020 elections.
During his tenure, he was a tireless champion of public education and open government. As a member of the Delaware Coalition for Open Government, Kowalko pressed officials for transparency and accountability, notably seeking answers about embezzlement issues within the state’s unemployment insurance trust fund.
Even after retiring, Kowalko continued his activism. He co-founded Retirees Investing in Social Equity (RISE) Delaware, which helped block the introduction of Medicare Advantage into the state employees’ retirement health plan. Earlier this year, he celebrated a personal milestone when the long-sought Inspector General bill, an initiative he had championed for two decades, was signed into law by Gov. Matt Meyer.
In a joint statement, Senate President Pro Tempore Dave Sokola, Senate Majority Leader Bryan Townsend, and Senate Majority Whip Elizabeth “Tizzy” Lockman praised Kowalko’s decades of service and dedication to Delaware’s working families. They said Kowalko consistently fought for progressive priorities with conviction and compassion, earning deep respect among colleagues and constituents alike.
The Senate leaders added that Kowalko’s unwavering commitment to open government helped shape a culture of greater transparency in Dover.
To share your community news and activities with our audience, join Delaware Voices Uplifted on Facebook. Nonprofits, community groups and service providers are welcome to submit their information to be added to our Community Resources Map. Contact staff reporter Anitra Johnson at ajohnson@delawareonline.com.
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