Rep. Mike Ramone, left (State of Delaware) won the election over Dr. Frank Burns (Facebook/Frank Burns)

Rep. Mike Ramone prevails in election recount

Charlie MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

A recount in a northern Delaware state representative race confirmed the earlier reported results. Rep. Mike Ramone, R-Pike Creek, defeated Democrat Frank Burns by 41 votes in the recount — up from 35 votes in the earlier count. “One of the most important parts of our elections is the integrity of the system,” Ramone said. “I am proud to be …

Mike Ramone recount

History favors Ramone, numbers favor Burns in Pike Creek race

Charlie MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

A suburban New Castle County race for state House is turning into one of most hotly-contested battles of this year’s general election. Incumbent Republican Rep. Mike Ramone, who has been in office since 2009, faces Democrat Dr. Frank Burns for the South Pike Creek seat — one of the last held by Republicans in the state’s northernmost county. Before entering …

Realty transfer tax

Delaware’s realty transfer tax to remain highest in nation

Charlie MegginsonHeadlines, Government

Delaware will remain the state with the highest realty transfer tax in the nation after a bill to decrease the tax died in the General Assembly.  Introduced by Rep. Bill Bush, D-Dover, House Bill 358 would have cut the tax from 4% of a property’s sale price to 3% — the level it was at prior to 2017 when the …

Realty transfer tax

Bill to lower realty transfer tax sails through House committee

Charlie MegginsonBusiness, Headlines

A bill to decrease Delaware’s realty transfer tax from 4% to 3% was released from the House Administration Committee Wednesday. Introduced by Rep. Bill Bush, D-Dover, House Bill 358 would make law of something Rep. Mike Ramone, R-Pike Creek South, has been preaching for years: reducing the cost of Delaware’s real estate transfer tax after it was increased during financially …

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House votes against overriding Carney’s marijuana veto

Charlie MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

An attempt to override Gov. John Carney’s veto of a bill to legalize marijuana possession failed in the Delaware House of Representatives Tuesday. With the vote, this year’s endeavor to end marijuana prohibition in Delaware is all but certainly dead.  Numerous lawmakers who previously voted to pass House Bill 371 voted against the veto override Tuesday out of an apparent …

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Two lawmakers storm out of rushed committee hearing

Charlie MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

Two Republican lawmakers stormed out of a House committee hearing Wednesday after being asked to limit their questions and public comments were restricted to one minute each.  The committee met to discuss five bills with just an hour allotted for the meeting before lawmakers were due on the House floor for a short session.  Two of those bills – Senate …

State Rep. calls $300 relief check a bribe

Charlie MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

The bipartisan proposal to give every adult Delawarean $300 in direct relief was formalized Friday after lawmakers filed the bill, which they dubbed the 2022 Delaware Relief Rebate Program.  House Bill 360 will result in the issuance of a one-time payment to every Delaware resident taxpayer who filed personal income tax returns for tax year 2020, and adult residents who …

Republican lawmakers to Carney: ‘End the mandates, restore normality’

Charlie MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

Twelve Republican state representatives on Tuesday sent an open letter to Gov. John Carney asking that he reconsider mask mandates in state buildings and schools and stop advocating for COVID-19 booster shots. They encouraged the Democratic governor to promptly end all pandemic-related restrictions, return state workers to their normal places of employment, and “restore normality” for all Delawareans. The legislators …

Republican bill would increase senior property tax credit to $750 max

Charlie MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

A Republican-backed bill to nearly double the tax break for senior citizen homeowners is pending action in the Delaware House of Representatives.  House Bill 287, sponsored by Rep. Kevin Hensley, R-Odessa, would increase the Senior School Property Tax Credit to a maximum of $750 annually. Currently, homeowners ages 65 and older are eligible for a 50 percent tax credit against …

As revenues rise, Republicans say taxpayers should get some money back

Charlie MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

Republicans in the General Assembly have introduced six bills to decrease Delawareans’ tax burden. (Getty Images) Republicans in the House of Representatives have introduced six new bills to return surplus state revenue to Delawareans. With a windfall of cash from federal stimulus bills and the bipartisan infrastructure bill, Republican lawmakers say there’s no better time to give Delawareans some needed …