State budget grim, but leaders hope to avoid tax increases
As John Carney prepares to become Delaware's 74th governor, the state faces one of its largest budget gaps since being savaged by the Great Recession of 2008.
Lawmakers hope to close the estimated $350 million gap without seriously painful spending cuts or major tax increases. But after years of patching budget holes in the final days of the legislative session, state leaders acknowledge that more drastic steps could be necessary in 2017.
"The hope is that we can raise revenue without raising taxes," said Sen. David McBride, D-Hawk's Nest, who is poised to become Senate President Pro Tempore. "I do not think there is an appetite for that in either party."
The debate over which programs to prioritize and which to trim will likely dominate the session that runs from Jan. 17 through June 30.
Read more: http://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/politics/2017/01/06/state-budget-grim/96204480/