Thursday, Jan. 17, 2008
Governor Minner Lays Out Accomplishments of Minner/Carney Administration and Path Forward in her 2008 State of the State Address
STAR Scholarship, Health Disparities Registry, Decrease in State’s Energy Use and Increase in Recycling Among Issues Highlighted Thursday
Dover – Governor Ruth Ann Minner delivered her State of the State address on Thursday, highlighting the state’s accomplishments over the past seven years while looking forward to plans for the year ahead.
Included among the initiatives Gov. Minner wants to accomplish over the coming year are the addition of a Student Academic Reward (STAR) scholarship program for students who have excelled in the Student Excellence Equals Degree (SEED) scholarship program, the continuation of funding to add more full-day kindergarten classrooms, the establishment of a health disparities registry, an effort to cut state government’s energy use by 10 percent with a 25 percent increase in state government recyclables and an initiative to have the Delaware State Police fingerprint every fourth-grader in the state.
“We face a tight budget year, so we will continue to provide the best possible services for the people of Delaware while keeping costs at a minimum,” Gov. Minner said. “In this economy, we do not want to start many new programs. Instead, we are building on the initiatives begun during the Minner/Carney Administration that have already made a difference in the lives of so many Delawareans and that will impact our state long after I leave office.”
Education
Gov. Minner noted the state’s many successes in education since she took office in 2001, such as adding reading specialists in every elementary school, math specialists in every middle school and the SEED scholarship program, which enables students who stay out of trouble and do well in school to go to college and earn an associate degree at no cost to them.
This year, Gov. Minner has asked the General Assembly to enact legislation creating the Student Academic Reward (STAR) scholarship, which would enable students who have excelled in the SEED program to continue their college education for another two years so they can earn their bachelor’s degree.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for our students and would result in a better educated workforce for our business community,” Gov. Minner told members of the Delaware legislature. “Let’s finish the job we started and make that dream [of a four-year degree] a reality for such hard-working students.”
She is also recommending continued support for the efforts of the Vision 2015 group, an organization of business leaders, educators and state officials who are committed to a plan to make Delaware schools the best in the world. Gov. Minner is recommending an appropriation of $500,000 to continue to invest in early childhood education and $250,000 to make the virtual school a reality.
She also has recommended continued funding for efforts to add more full-day kindergarten classrooms in schools across Delaware, bringing state funding for full-day kindergarten to 11 districts and nine charter schools.
Health
Delaware’s cancer mortality rate is dropping at a rate twice the national average, and the state’s colorectal and breast cancer screenings are at an all-time high, with colorectal screenings ranking third in the nation thanks to Delaware’s Screening for Life program. Cancer fighting efforts will continue to receive funding in the upcoming fiscal year, and Gov. Minner is also asking for continued funding for programs designed to reduce Delaware’s infant mortality rate.
“Between July 2006 and September 2007, the percentage of low birth weight babies born to women in our program was 6.5 percent, lower than the national average of 7.8 percent,” Gov. Minner said. “While we still have work to do, our efforts in this area have brought real change and lower infant death rates in the First State.”
Gov. Minner also recommended the establishment of a health disparities registry through health service providers and health insurance companies to identify problem areas so the state can target its efforts in addressing disparities in health care among minority and ethnic populations.
She is recommending no increase in employee health care premiums for an unprecedented third year and wants to add a number of benefits to the state’s DelaWELL program, such as offering up to a 100 percent refund for the cost of Weight Watchers for employees who meet their weight-loss goals. In addition, Gov. Minner has challenged Lt. Governor John C. Carney, Jr., to get his Lt. Governor’s Challenge fitness program into every elementary school in the state by next year (it is now in 43 percent of elementary schools).
Environment
Gov. Minner cited a number of accomplishments that have resulted in improvements to or preservation of the state’s environment, including the protection of nearly 11,000 acres of open space and 87,000 acres of farmland and forestland.
She said that because the state is a large energy consumer, state government must do more to be a leader in conservation, efficiency and green innovation. That is why she has set a goal to reduce overall energy use in state facilities by 10 percent and increase recyclables from state facilities by 25 percent. That would be accomplished by replacing older, inefficient fluorescent lighting fixtures with newer, more energy efficient fixtures; requiring automatic sleep mode for all computers; installing motion sensitive light switches in offices; implementing a program to provide comprehensive recycling in all state facilities; constructing “green roofs” on new construction, such as the Kent County Courthouse; installing photovoltaic and solar hot water panels on large office buildings to reduce the consumption of energy; maximizing our use of energy performance contracts and conducting and acting on energy audits in state buildings.
Gov. Minner also urged the General Assembly to pass legislation that would allow Delaware’s full participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative to help address climate change and implement a voluntary residential recycling program.
Economic Security
Delaware has created or retained more than 65,000 jobs during the Minner/Carney administration and ranks No. 1 in industry research and development investment, according to a 2007 report by the Kauffman Foundation. And the New Economy Initiative has invested more than $227 million in state and matching private and federal funds to bolster Delaware’s economy.
Gov. Minner said she plans to propose a modification to the state’s corporate income tax code in an effort to ensure that Delaware continues to remain competitive and a location of choice for businesses with high-wage jobs.
The state also will work to revitalize downtown communities with a focused effort on growing small businesses, the backbone of Delaware’s economy, Gov. Minner said.
“We will partner with private financial institutions to provide technical and financial services to these new small businesses,” Gov. Minner said. “This supports my Livable Delaware agenda by encouraging small businesses to locate in areas they were designed for, while also reinforcing a strong sense of community as we keep our downtowns vital.”
Safety/Homeland Security
Delaware continues to focus on the safety and security of its residents through a number of initiatives, such as an increase in the number of state troopers, enhancements to the 800 megahertz system that helps emergency responders communicate during an emergency and the Delaware Information Analysis Center, which gathers information from the public and private sectors, analyzes it and disseminates it to public and private agencies that have a need to know about it.
Gov. Minner announced a new initiative that involves collaboration between the Departments of Education and Safety and Homeland Security. Starting in the spring, the Delaware State Police will offer fingerprinting and other safety-related tools to every fourth-grader in every elementary school in the state.
“Over time, every school-age child will participate in this program, which will provide our families critical information and serve as invaluable tools for law enforcement during an emergency,” Gov. Minner said.
In closing, Gov. Minner said she is proud of the state’s accomplishments and the fact that they will continue for many, many years through the Delawareans who have benefited from state programs and services.
“Our work will live on through the thousands of children who will get a jumpstart in life through full-day kindergarten,” Gov. Minner said. “Our work will live on through those SEED scholars who get their college diploma and fulfill their dream of a better life. Our work will live on through those who successfully battled cancer because of an early screening or health insurance program we created. Our work will live on through the thousands of people in our state who will live longer, better lives because they are no longer exposed to second-hand smoke.
“Our work will live on through those Delawareans who are working and providing for their families through a job we protected or created. Our work will live on through these programs and others because we worked together, made difficult decisions, and put the well-being of Delawareans before any personal or political agendas.”
