Delaware State News
WILMINGTON — State House Democratic candidate Darryl M. Scott said it Thursday morning for the first time — a Markell-Denn administration.
Thursday marked the first time state Treasurer Jack A. Markell and Insurance Commissioner Matthew P. Denn appeared jointly and as a bona fide Democratic ticket for governor and lieutenant governor, respectively, unveiling a plan designed to save more than $100 million in government spending.
"Every single candidate this year is talking about change, and every candidate is talking about the need to make state government work better," said Mr. Denn, who along with Mr. Markell was joined Thursday by 13 Democratic legislators and General Assembly candidates.
"The difference is that Jack Markell and I have done it."
The plan, which builds off a cost-savings proposal Mr. Markell released earlier this summer, would implement a 10-year sunset review for all state agencies, create a five-year budget cycle, create a grants program in the governor’s office and invest in green technology.
During Thursday’s press conference, Mr. Denn said both Democrats have experience in saving the state money, noting that his office contributed $1 million this year to help with the state’s $217 million budget shortfall.
"In less than four years, the insurance department has gone from drawing down on the general fund to building up the general fund," he said.
Mr. Markell noted that the Democrats’ plan, which he said would save "well over $100 million," does not include proposals from the LEAD Committee, which has identified $150 million in savings in education expenditures.
With state revenue estimates falling by nearly $140 million last month, Mr. Markell said it is critical to spend the state’s money more wisely and more efficiently rather than simply looking to increase revenue to offset rising costs.
"We owe it to the taxpayer to find innovative ways to save money," Mr. Markell said.
"We cannot keep doing things the same old way if we want to address important issues like job creation, education and health care, and simply saying ‘no’ to everything is not going to take Delaware in a new direction toward a better future."
But Sen. Charles L. Copeland, the Republican candidate for lieutenant governor, said that while the Democrats’ plan is full of ideas that would work, they should have been implemented years ago, noting that Mr. Markell has been treasurer for 10 years and Mr. Denn spent three years as Gov. Ruth Ann Minner’s legal counsel before being elected insurance commissioner in 2004.
"If you look at (the plan), it just outlines how businesses operate today," said Sen. Copeland, who runs a graphic printing company. "There was nothing in there that surprised me that we shouldn’t already be doing.
"Until last week, Matt’s whole campaign has been about spending money on programs for kids. Now he’s done an about-face and is talking about what I’ve been talking about doing."
The Democrats’ opponents for the open seats, Sen. Copeland and Republican gubernatorial candidate William Swain Lee, have been running as a unified ticket since the state GOP endorsed them at its May convention.
In fact, Mr. Lee had originally pushed for Sen. Copeland to run for governor last year, and it was the senator who led the charge to draft the retired Superior Court judge to make a third bid for governor in the weeks leading up to the convention.
The two have appeared together several times in recent months and jointly released plans to improve the state’s economy and health care.
By contrast, Mr. Denn and most statewide elected Democrats steered clear of endorsing a candidate in the gubernatorial primary between Mr. Markell and Lt. Gov. John C. Carney Jr.
With Mr. Markell’s Sept. 9 upset, the insurance commissioner and others began rallying around the gubernatorial nominee.
Mr. Markell said Markell-Denn signs are being manufactured for the Nov. 4 election, and he is excited to have the two candidates working together.
"It’s great, especially having a running mate of Matt’s quality and character," Mr. Markell said. "He has been an excellent insurance commissioner and will be a great lieutenant governor."
He eschewed the notion of a split ticket — the offices of governor and lieutenant governor are elected separately, and split tickets have happened several times.
"My thoughts are really focused on elected a Markell-Denn ticket," Mr. Markell said.
