Delaware

Who has Working Families endorsed for Delaware governor, General Assembly?

Published

2 years ago

April 30, 2024

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Who has Working Families endorsed for Delaware governor, General Assembly?

The Working Families Party has endorsed former Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Secretary Collin O’Mara for state governor.
The political party also announced endorsements of seven other state House of Representatives candidates.
The party will host a kickoff event announcing the endorsements on Saturday, May 4.

Former Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Secretary and Democratic candidate for governor Collin O’Mara has been endorsed by the state Working Families Party.

This is the first endorsement O’Mara has received in the race for Delaware’s governor, and the Working Families Party’s slate of endorsements is the first among political parties in the state.

Current candidate filings have O’Mara pitted against Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long and New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer in the Democratic Primary in September. Two Republicans are also vying for the seat – Jerrold Price, who filed his candidacy in December 2023, and Delaware GOP chair Julianne Murray, who announced last week she plans to run for governor.

Karl Stromberg, political director for the Delaware Working Families Party, said party “champions” in the legislature is why the state has seen “immense progress” on things like a $15 minimum wage, paid family and medical leave and moving to clean energy.

“However, due to resistance from our current governor and state House (of Representatives) leadership, progress on issues like free school meals for all, true police reform, and community workforce agreements has been stalled or non-existent,” Stromberg said in a news release announcing the endorsements. “We believe that these leaders the WFP was proud to endorse will move us forward on all of these critical issues that working class people in Delaware want progress on.”

Former DNREC Secretary Collin O’Mara is first Democrat to file for gubernatorial primary

The Working Families Party also announced a slate of endorsements for the General Assembly.

O’Mara excited to ‘join forces’ with Working Families Party

O’Mara, CEO of the nonprofit National Wildlife Federation, served as DNREC secretary from 2009 to 2014 under then-Gov. Jack Markell.

His gubernatorial campaign has pledged to utilize federal funding to create “family-sustaining jobs” and focus on improving Delaware’s economy, education, environment and equitable access to housing, healthcare and public safety. O’Mara said he’d also focus on job creation that helps the state achieve 100% clean energy and net-zero emissions.

“As Democrats, it’s on us to enact durable solutions that support Delaware’s working families — from strengthening our public schools, creating well-paying jobs, and eliminating child hunger to ensuring healthcare, housing, and childcare are more affordable, leading on climate change, and protecting fundamental rights,” O’Mara said in the release. “I am excited to be joining forces with the Working Families Party to fight for new bold policies that will expand opportunity for all Delawareans.”

Party endorses 7 candidates for the state House

The Working Families Party will host a kickoff event to celebrate the party’s first round of endorsements for the 2024 election on Saturday, May 4.

MORE: What Delaware General Assembly seats are up for election?

The endorsements include:

Branden Fletcher Dominguez, an affordable housing advocate, for state House District 3. He has yet to file his candidacy with the state Department of Elections, while Wilmington resident Josue O. Ortega has filed to run on the Democratic line.
Odessa resident Terrell A. Williams for state House District 9. Williams, a Democrat, is challenging Republican incumbent state Rep. Kevin Hensley for the seat.
Kamela Smith for state House District 15. Smith, a Democrat, is challenging incumbent House Speaker Valerie Longhurst.
Frank Burns for state House District 21. Burns, a Democrat, is looking to flip the seat currently held by House Minority Leader Mike Ramone. Michael Smith, a former legislative aide and substitute teacher, also seeks the Democratic nomination.
Monica Beard for state House District 22. Beard, a Democrat and policy coordinator for the Delaware Coalition Against Domestic Violence, is looking to flip the seat held by Republican state Rep. Mike Smith.
Eric Morrison for state House District 27. Morrison, who is the incumbent, is being challenged by Democrat Margie López Waite. Morrison has yet to file for candidacy.
Monica Shockley Porter for state House District 29. Shockley Porter, a Democrat, is challenging Democratic incumbent state Rep. Bill Bush for the seat.

Over the last two election cycles, the party has endorsed 12 state legislative candidates, winning seven of those races.

In 2020, the party endorsed Marie Pinkney for state Senate and she defeated Senate Pro Tempore David McBride. In 2022, the party endorsed DeShanna Neal for state House of Representatives, and Neal defeated House Majority Whip Larry Mitchell.

Got a tip? Contact Amanda Fries at afries@delawareonline.com. Follow her on X at @mandy_fries.

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Delaware

Judge rejects new attempt to stall upstate school tax bills pending Supreme Court debate

Published

3 hours ago

November 4, 2025

Press Room

Judge rejects new attempt to stall upstate school tax bills pending Supreme Court debate

A judge has rejected another motion to stall school tax bills in New Castle County tied to the recent property values reassessment.

The ruling issued Nov. 4 rejects the request by a coalition of local landlords and lodging businesses to further delay the issuance of new tax bills while they appeal a court ruling from the final week of October.

That ruling upheld school districts’ plans to charge different tax rates to residential versus non-residential properties for this taxing year. That coalition of business interests had sued the state, county and school districts, arguing so-called split rates are unconstitutional and that it would harm their businesses and by extension, their rent-paying tenants.

Last week, after expedited litigation ahead of the pending due date for taxes, Vice Chancellor Lori Will rejected the business coalitions’ legal claims. That set the county back on track to issue new, split-rate tax bills on behalf of school districts.

The ruling: Why a judge upheld lawmakers’ property tax reassessment relief law for homeowners

After the ruling, the coalition asked Will to again delay those bills while they appeal her ruling to the Delaware Supreme Court. Will’s latest ruling rejects that requested stay and leaves the county on track to issue new bills in the coming weeks.

Why the judge rejected the request

Will weighed four legal factors in assessing the plaintiffs’ request: the likelihood that their appeal would be successful, the potential of irreparable injury to the plaintiffs if they stay isn’t granted, whether other parties would be harmed absent a stay and whether the public interest would be harmed if they stay is granted.

The plaintiffs argued the new, split rates that shift greater tax burden on businesses would cause irreparable harm to their businesses, triggering accelerated loan repayments, diverting money from their operations and leading to the loss of business opportunities and potential foreclosures.

Will rejected this. She noted the Supreme Court is set to hear the appeal of the decision on a similarly expedited manner next week and that would be before the earliest possible issuance of new tax bills on Nov. 18.

She added that the potential harm cited is speculative.

Behind the upset: Why is Delaware’s angst over reassessment, tax changes so centered on New Castle County?

She did agree that the legal matters at hand are novel and present substantial legal questions, which she found favors a stay.

But regarding the harm to public interest and others if the stay was granted, Will noted a stay would just cause further confusion among taxpayers, and delayed bills are depriving the county and school districts of $549 million in revenue that translates into $8 million in investment income over a 60-day period.

“The public interest lies in resolving this uncertainty, not extending it,” Will wrote.

How Delaware got here and what’s next

This tax season is the first since a court-ordered reassessment of the property values that are married with local school, county and municipality taxing rates to calculate individuals’ bills.

In New Castle County, the reassessment of these property values − the first that’s been done for decades − shifted a greater portion of the overall tax burden onto residential properties, leading to higher-than-expected bills for those taxpayers.

Following outcry, state lawmakers convened a special session in August and passed a law to allow school districts to charge different, higher tax rates to non-residential properties to shift the overall tax burden back closer to the share of residential versus non-residential before the assessment. This would give homeowners a break on the tax bills that went out earlier this summer.

The issuance of those split-rate bills was delayed by the lodging-businesses’ lawsuit.

The rejection of the stay means that the county will move forward issuing split-rate tax bills, which Will’s order states will come no earlier than Nov. 18, and the Delaware Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on the plaintiffs’ appeal of her initial ruling on Nov. 10.

Recent: Senate lawmakers set to reconvene for special session on Nov. 6 after property tax ruling

Meanwhile, the Delaware General Assembly has called a special session for Nov. 6 in which they will consider extending the deadline for payment of taxes given this year’s chaotic tax season.”

Contact Xerxes Wilson at (302) 324-2787 or xwilson@delawareonline.com.

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Delaware

Arson displaces 4 in Delaware Street home in Indianapolis

Published

22 hours ago

November 3, 2025

Press Room

Arson displaces 4 in Delaware Street home in Indianapolis

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A fire intentionally set inside a home on Monday afternoon displaced four adults, according to a social media post from the Indianapolis Fire Department.

Crews were sent just before 2 p.m. Monday to the home at 2940 N. Delaware St. That’s in the Nickols North Park housing addition about two blocks north of East Fall Creek Parkway North Drive.

No injuries were reported.

Investigators did not publicly share a possible motive behind the arson.

Firefighters found heavy fire and thick black smoke coming from the second floor of the two-story home on the city’s near-north side. The fire in a second-floor room had extended into the attic.

The fire was marked under control within 15 minutes.

This story was formatted for WISHTV.com using AI-assisted tools. Our editorial team reviews and edits all content published to ensure it meets our journalistic standards for accuracy and fairness.

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Delaware

State Police Investigating a Shots Fired Incident in Dover – Delaware State Police – State of Delaware

Published

2 days ago

November 2, 2025

Press Room

State Police Investigating a Shots Fired Incident in Dover – Delaware State Police – State of Delaware

Date Posted: Sunday, November 2nd, 2025

Delaware State Police are investigating a shots fired complaint stemming from a road rage incident that occurred Saturday afternoon in Dover.

On November 1, 2025, at approximately 5:00 p.m., troopers responded to the area of North Dupont Highway, near Fork Branch Road, for a report of shots fired. The preliminary investigation revealed that as the victim was traveling southbound on North Dupont Highway, approaching Fork Branch Road, she drove around a slower moving pickup truck. While the victim was waiting at the red light on North Dupont Highway, at Fork Branch Road, the pickup truck stopped on the shoulder next to her. For reasons still under investigation, the driver of the pickup truck fired a single shot, striking the victim’s vehicle, then fled. The victim, a 56-year-old woman from Dover, Delaware, was not injured.

The fleeing vehicle was described as a dark colored pickup truck, pulling a trailer, which possibly displayed a Delaware registration plate on the trailer. The driver was described as a white male, with a slim build and facial hair, wearing a baseball hat.

The Delaware State Police Troop 3 Criminal Investigations Unit continues to investigate this incident. Detectives are asking anyone who witnessed the incident or has relevant information to contact Detective S. Heitzman at (302) 698-8555. Information may also be provided by sending a private Facebook message to the Delaware State Police or contacting Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-847-3333.

If you or someone you know is a victim or witness of a crime or have lost a loved one to a sudden death and need assistance, the Delaware State Police Victim Services Unit / Delaware Victim Center is available to offer you support and resources 24 hours a day through a toll-free hotline at 1-800-VICTIM-1 (1-800-842-8461). You may also email the Victim Services Unit at DSP_VictimServicesMail@delaware.gov.