By Leah Burcat

Delaware State News

CHESWOLD — There are other options available to the government rather than cutting state employees’ pay by 8 percent, Rep. John A. Kowalko, D-Newark, said on Tuesday.

And because of the pay cuts effects on consumer spending, it would be irresponsible not to look into them, he said.

"Aside from the fact that it is not a sustainable revenue resource, it should be considered that the proposed 8-percent across-the-board salary cuts for all state employees negatively distorts the opportunity to grow consumer spending and in fact, so restricts it as to cause harm to the overall economic picture," Rep. Kowalko wrote in the explanation to his proposal.

"In the interest of staying consistent with the Governor’s Office March 2009 report which states, ‘no group will bear a disproportionate burden from this challenge alone,’ I composed a menu of options that can be combined in a myriad of ways to eliminate the need for state employee salary cuts."

Rep. Kowalko unveiled his alternatives to the public at a meeting of the State Workers United for a Better Delaware group, the coalition of state employee unions, at the Delaware State Troopers Association in Cheswold.

Included in those options was a plan to reorganize the personal income tax brackets, increasing fees on corporations, reinstating an inherited-wealth tax, increasing the gasoline tax and imposing three furlough days on state employees.

He already presented his proposal to the Joint Finance Committee, the Markell administration and his colleagues in the legislature, Rep. Kowalko said.

"A lot of people have different views," Gov. Jack A. Markell said. "In the long run, we’re not going to be able to tax our way out of this problem."

But state employees at the meeting seemed encouraged by the representative’s proposals.

"One of the things we’re very concerned about is not just coming out against the governor’s proposal, but also offering alternatives," said Lt. Thomas Brackin, vice president of the Delaware State Troopers Association. "We share in this problem and we were looking at other options. It is very interesting that some our ideas mirrored some of his [Rep. Kowalko’s] ideas."

Although Rep. Kowalko’s plan included the use of furloughs, state workers said they believed it was a fair compromise.

"Furloughs are something we can talk about. Our biggest concern is salary cuts," said Vincent Fiscella, president of the state workers coalition.

State workers at town hall meetings with Gov. Markell over the past month and a half have expressed similar sentiments.

"A pay cut tells us you that you think we’re overpaid. A furlough tells us you just can’t afford to pay us," one woman told the governor at a Dover town hall meeting on April 6.

The budget solution must be fair, equitable and sustainable Rep. Kowalko told members of the State Workers United for a Better Delaware group on Tuesday.

An 8-percent across-the-board pay cut for state employees is none of those, he said.

State workers make up about 6.8 percent of Delaware’s employable workforce, Rep. Kowalko said.

State employees planning rallies, visits to lawmakers

Delaware State News

DOVER — State workers, still infuriated by the governor’s proposal to cut their pay across the board by 8 percent, plan to make their voices heard over the next few weeks, through rallies, vigils, protests and lots of visits to legislators.

"Our basic message is that 8, 10, 12 percent [in pay cuts] for a family is devastating," said Pamela Nichols, spokeswoman for the Delaware State Education Association. "We think that’s unfair and that there are more responsible ways to set up our revenue system."

Various groups representing state employees announced early last month that they had joined together under the name "State Workers United for a Better Delaware" in opposition to Gov. Jack A. Markell’s pay-cut proposal.

"Asking us to assume health care costs that amount to a 2-percent salary decrease, plus furlough days, and for many, the suspension of professional-development stipends, is already a sacrifice. An 8-percent salary cut on top of that is devastating to many families already living paycheck to paycheck," said Vincent Fiscella, coalition president.

"You can work full-time for the state of Delaware and earn as little as $17,550. For a family of four, that’s already at the poverty level; an 8-percent cut would be $1,404 less. These huge cuts will cause devastation to our state’s already-stretched social services."

The "State Workers United for a Better Delaware" group has been meeting once a week to come up with ways to express their views to state lawmakers and to find alternatives to the proposal.

"As a coalition we are looking at several alternative ways to raise revenue that are actually fair and shared amongst all people in Delaware and not just state employees," said Lt. Thomas Brackin, vice president of the Delaware State Troopers Association.

Such alternatives include adding higher brackets to the personal income tax.

"If you’re making $60,000 or $200,000, you’re being taxed at the same percentage," said Ms. Nichols.

"Those in the upper brackets should pay an additional share," said Lt. Brackin.

In addition, the coalition wants state lawmakers to look into reinstating a tax on inherited wealth and on increasing the corporate franchise tax.

"The owners of the corporations are not Delawareans and they are making millions and millions of dollars," said Lt. Brackin.

And the coalition wants to make sure the governor and legislators hear their ideas. Over the next few weeks they will be making sure their voices are heard.

Each Wednesday, the coalition has been sending members in to Legislative Hall to lobby their legislators.

This week, DSEA members will be wearing red to symbolize bleeding.

On Tuesday, the group will be meeting with Rep. John A. Kowalko, D-Newark, to discuss alternatives to an across-the-board pay cut.

On Wednesday the coalition is planning on holding a rally on Legislative Mall with all state employees. They are hoping to get 3,000 people to attend.

The week of May 18, members are organizing a Bell-to-Bell week, in which state employees are being asked to come in at exactly the time for which they begin getting paid and leaving right at the end of the day.

Organizers believe that this will show that the state workers are already under-compensated for the work they do.

On May 21, the group will be holding a Unity Rally and Candlelight Vigil on Legislative Mall.

They are also asking coalition members to include "community bucks" with all of their payments in local stores. The "community bucks" include a message that says their spending ability may soon be decreased and urges the store owner to contact his or her legislator.

Through these events, they hope to show state lawmakers that the governor’s proposal is not OK, Lt. Brackin said.

"We’re not in favor of any pay decrease when there are any other options available," said Lt. Brackin. "Exhaust them."

He said he hopes their actions will bring attention to how devastating such a pay cut would be and encourage legislators to find other options.

"What are you going to do about next year’s budget?" he asked. "This is a one-year solution to a multi-year problem."