FEDERAL
LEGISLATIVE
PROGRAM
The
United States is at war. The War on Terror is a war unlike any
that our nation has ever fought. It is a conflict with many fronts,
both foreign and domestic. The two most obvious are Iraq and Afghanistan.
We at the New Castle County Chamber of Commerce support our troops
and wish to convey our hopes and prayers for the safe return of
the men and women, under our flag and those of our allies, who serve
the Free World in harm’s way. Additionally, we urge our national
leaders not to allow partisan political considerations to interfere
with the successful prosecution of the war.
Americans have faced adversity and danger before and have always
prevailed. The truths that the signers of our Declaration of Independence
found to be self-evident are timeless and immutable. Those truths
have prevailed throughout our history, at Yorktown , at Gettysburg
, at Belleau Wood and Normandy . They will prevail again at home
in America , in Afghanistan , Iraq and anywhere else Americans are
called to defend them.
National
Security
The
relative peace and prosperity enjoyed by our society in recent decades
can no longer be taken for granted. Safeguarding national security
involves more than a well-prepared and equipped military, it requires
advanced intelligence gathering capabilities, coordination of efforts
among essential agencies at all levels of government across all
jurisdictions, well-equipped and trained public safety and public
health professionals, the integrity of our borders and a stable
economy.
The
New Castle County
Chamber of Commerce :
•
believes that the cabinet official responsible for homeland security
should be given the authority and resources necessary to carry out
this office’s vital mission.
•
urges the federal government to give sufficient weight to civil
liberties considerations when seeking to provide security. As
Benjamin Franklin said: “Those who would give up essential liberty
to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor
safety.”
•
recommends that the federal government to seek innovative ways
to improve immigration security and accountability. The Chamber
strongly encourages Congress and the executive branch to be mindful
of the importance of legal immigration and diversity to our nation’s
prosperity and to the richness of our culture.
•
believes that the National Guard and Reserves are vital components
of our military; and that employers who support employee service
in the Guard and Reserves are to be commended.
•
believes that improvements to airport security and to the security
of our overall transportation system are vitally important, and
that such improvements should not be hampered by partisan political
considerations.
•
supports the men and women in the military and in law enforcement
and intelligence agencies who vigilantly protect our nation.
Intellectual
Property
The
integrity of intellectual property is to key to encouraging technological
innovation. Most of the life-saving drugs, vaccines and medical
devices presently in widespread use to combat a host of human illnesses
would not have been possible without patent protection to guard
the heavy capital investment required to bring them to market.
The New Castle County Chamber of Commerce urges the Congress and
the administration to take steps, both legislative and regulatory,
to safeguard patents and other forms of intellectual property.
Bankruptcy
The
New Castle County Chamber of Commerce recognizes the pressing need
for reform of our nation’s bankruptcy laws. Personal bankruptcy
filings increased more than 72% between during the later half of
the 1990’s. Consumers and businesses alike must be accountable
for the financial decisions they make. The Chamber supports legislative
reforms that will reward personal responsibility while preserving
essential safeguards for those who legitimately need the protection
that bankruptcy affords.
The New Castle County Chamber of Commerce:
•
strongly recommends that the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer
Protection Act be reintroduced in the 108 th Congress and asks legislators
in both houses not to allow extraneous provisions to halt the progress
of necessary reforms.
•
urges members of our delegation to work to bring additional judges
to Federal Bankruptcy Court in Delaware in order to preserve Delaware’s
status as a center for commercial bankruptcy filings.
Taxes
and Spending
The
New Castle County Chamber of Commerce fundamentally believes in
a free-market economy and favors the lowest achievable rates of
taxation consistent with the funding of essential public services
at adequate levels.
The
New Castle County Chamber of Commerce:
•
supports the complete repeal of the Federal estate tax.
•
supports the elimination of taxation on corporate dividends.
•
recognizes that medical expenses in excess of 7.5% of the taxpayer’s
adjusted gross income are deductible but urges that this threshold
be reduced to 2%.
•
recognizes that the present deduction for all business meals and
entertainment expenses is limited to 50% of the cost. The Chamber
supports raising this deduction to 100% of the cost.
•
strongly supports enacting a permanent federal research and development
tax credit.
Education
The
New Castle County Chamber of Commerce has a two-pronged philosophy.
First and foremost, the New Castle County Chamber of Commerce
believes that education funding and policy decisions should ultimately
occur at the local level. Second, if the Federal government decides
to take a more active role in public education, the New Castle County
Chamber of Commerce urges future public education policy to focus
on ways to prepare students to become gainfully employed in a 21
st Century economy, such as increased coordination between the Department
of Labor and the Department of Education, their training programs
and funding. Additionally, the County Chamber believes that the
Federal government should serve as a clearinghouse for best practices
when it comes to education policy.
Health
Care
Businesses
are very sensitive to the costs associated with providing health
insurance to their employees. In order to keep premiums and costs
lower, the New Castle County Chamber of Commerce favors minimal
government interference in the delivery of health care benefits
and a competitive and open marketplace for businesses to obtain
coverage. To the extent that government regulation is necessary,
it is best done at the State rather than the federal level.
The
New Castle County Chamber of Commerce:
•
opposes federal legislation allowing national association health
plans to enter State markets. Credible data suggest such a scheme
would actually serve to distort insurance markets in the various
States and increase health insurance costs for a significant segment
of the small business market over time.
•
would oppose language in any Patient’s Bill of Rights that either
implies or explicitly assigns liability to employers based on their
selection of health insurance coverage for their employees.
•
urges passage of legislation that would allow individuals and small
business owners to deduct health insurance premiums fully from their
federal taxes.
•
believes that Medical Savings Accounts should be encouraged and
expanded in order to give families the opportunity for more affordable
and individualized medical care.
Technology
The
New Castle County Chamber of Commerce supports the free market use
of contemporary technologies – including e-commerce, the internet,
telecommunication and wireless services – as tools of commerce and
urges the Federal Government not to implement any financial or regulatory
barriers on these tools.
The
New Castle County Chamber believes that the internet should remain
tax free. Should the federal government take action to tax internet
transactions, the New Castle County Chamber of Commerce strongly
believes that the federal government allow Delaware to remain a
sales tax-free State.
Tort
Reform
The
New Castle County Chamber supports comprehensive tort reform legislation,
including product liability and medical malpractice reforms. Reform
should develop uniform standards of liability, reform rules pertaining
to punitive and non-economic damages and contingency fees, abolition
of the joint and several liability and discourage frivolous lawsuits.
Consistent with our position on tort reform, the Chamber supports
recent legislative efforts to reform class action litigation in
our nation’s courts. However, the Chamber believes that original
jurisdiction in class action suits aimed at Delaware Corporations
belongs in Delaware’s courts.
Regulatory
Reform
The
New Castle County Chamber of Commerce believes that new regulations
must be based on the best available science and that Congress and
federal regulators should be held accountable for the costs, scope,
burden and effectiveness of the regulations federal agencies issue.
These costs must be made transparent by requiring Congress to
clearly disclose the costs of new mandates at the time they are
adopted. Additionally, the New Castle County Chamber of Commerce
favors thoroughly reviewing existing and prospective regulations
to measure their continued effectiveness and need.
In
recent years, the Environmental Protection Agency has attempted
to deny or revoke operating permits based solely on allegations
of adverse effects on specific populations. Thus, the EPA is directly
preventing business development in the poorest areas of the country
or greatly hindering such development by the threat of filing an
environmental justice claim. The New Castle County Chamber of
Commerce believes that permitting questions should be determined
through scientific assessment and operating records.
Federal
Government Procurement
The
New Castle County Chamber of Commerce believes that the federal
government must continue to streamline the acquisition process,
ensure a fair and open procurement system, and rely more on the
private sector for the goods and services it needs.
State
Government
Legislative
Program
Government,
Revenue and Taxation
The
New Castle County Chamber of Commerce recognizes that, during the
earlier part of this decade, budgetary shortfalls and declining
revenues presented the administration and the General Assembly with
difficult decisions. However, the economic recovery has brought
steadily rising revenues and placed Delaware on sound financial
footing. The Chamber strongly recommends tax relief - particularly
in the area of the gross receipts tax - and limited budget growth,
a combination that will result in a broader tax base and more resources
for private investment and economic growth.
The
New Castle County Chamber of Commerce:
•
supports the limited growth of Delaware State government and its
budget.
•
believes that full disclosure and thoughtful discussion by the entire
State community of legislation under consideration is critical to
developing effective legislation. Therefore, the County Chamber
supports legislative rules that provide for a full opportunity for
public input.
•
believes that State government should seek to provide the most efficient
delivery of services to Delaware’s citizens. Accordingly, the
New Castle County Chamber of Commerce encourages the State to consider
privatization as an option for the delivery of services, where appropriate.
•
urges State government to develop a vision and move forward with
implementation for Delaware’s e-government initiatives. The Chamber
urges the development of this long-term vision with constructive
input from the community. The State should take into consideration
the experience of private industry in other State government initiatives.
•
supports merit system reforms that will provide for a greater degree
of accountability on the part of State employees and an increased
ability to manage performance at all levels of State agencies.
Economic
Development & Business Growth
A
favorable business climate is crucial to maintaining Delaware’s
long-term economic health and critical to preparing for the future.
The New Castle County Chamber of Commerce fundamentally believes
that there are several key components that allow Delaware to maintain
its favorable business climate: 1) a free market economy that
does not impose restrictions on a businesses’ right to charge for
its services; 2 ) a
sound legal environment, 3) the lowest achievable rates of
taxation consistent with the appropriate funding of essential public
services; and 4) policies designed to promote and assist existing
Delaware businesses and a diversified economy.
The
New Castle County Chamber of Commerce:
•
strongly encourages State government to develop and fund a comprehensive
economic development strategy that aggressively seeks quality employers
for our State and actively works to retain the employers located
in Delaware.
•
urges a compromise between State government and businesses that
will allow for business and consumer choice in the matter of whether
to maintain or patronize businesses that allow smoking. Ideally,
such a compromise would allow for equal treatment for all types
of hospitality establishments and should, consistent with the goals
of the "Clean Indoor Air Act", protect those consumers
who do not wish to be exposed to secondhand smoke.
•
generally favors initiatives promoting New Castle County and Delaware
as destinations for American and international tourists. To that
end, the Chamber recommends that a larger portion of the revenue
derived from the lodging tax go to fund the promotion of tourism.
•
believes that economic development begins with policies designed
to promote and assist existing Delaware businesses and supports
economic development activities through which the State acts as
an economic development catalyst for businesses of all sizes.
Gaming
The
impending legalization of slot machines in surrounding States, combined
with other recent public policy developments, threaten to substantially
reduce the fiscal benefit to State government and the broader benefit
to the Delaware economy derived from our slots venues. The Chamber
recommends that the administration and members of the General Assembly
explore ways to enhance and protect an important sector of our tourism
and entertainment industry which constitutes the third largest source
of general fund revenue.
Technology
The
Chamber continues it support for enhancing Delaware’s capabilities
to be home to information technology companies. Public/private
initiatives such as the Delaware IT Initiative need to be continued
and supported appropriately, both legally and financially, to keep
Delaware competitive in its ability to attract and retain IT businesses.
Today, companies are integrating
the latest technology – including e-commerce, the Internet, telecommunications
and wireless services – into to their daily business operations
and into their future plans. Technology is allowing businesses
to operate more efficiently. Thus, it is important that the State
not attempt to implement any financial or regulatory barriers on
these tools of commerce.
The
New Castle County Chamber of Commerce:
•
believes that the biotechnology industry has considerable potential
and will likely grow substantially in coming decades. Much of
that future progress will be as much a function of government policy
as of scientific capability and, therefore, we support industry
involvement in policy making and ongoing education of the general
public; including legislators and physicians, who may be unclear
about costs and potential benefits of biotechnology. Likewise, State
tax policies that provide incentives for investment in emerging
biotechnology companies will allow Delaware the opportunity to be
competitive in attracting these companies.
•
encourages the use of technology to
improve the administration of the educational system. In addition,
the Chamber supports the integrated use of technology into the daily
curricula of Delaware’s public schools.
Regulatory
Reform
The
New Castle County Chamber of Commerce believes that excessive government
regulation threatens productivity and jeopardizes Delaware’s economic
competitive edge. To that end, the County Chamber urges the State
to remove obsolete, duplicative regulations, to eliminate unnecessary
regulatory oversight whenever possible, and to lessen the burden
of compliance through paperwork reduction.
Land
Use, Transportation & Infrastructure
The
New Castle County Chamber strongly believes that land use decisions
should occur at the local level with the appropriate coordination
with State government. In the instances where the State does find
itself involved in land-use, the New Castle County Chamber urges
policies that strike a balance between ensuring the economic health
of the State and the quality of life of Delaware citizens. State
agencies and departments should operate with policies and procedures
that recognize the importance of this balance. Also, the County
Chamber believes that individual private property rights must be
preserved. To that end, the County Chamber opposes legislation
or regulations that erode private property rights or constitute
a taking.
The
New Castle County Chamber of Commerce:
•
recognizes that a portion of the county’s workforce relies upon
mass transit to get to and from jobsites. The Chamber believes
that the State should, in response to employers’ needs for workers
to fill their growing evening and weekend operational needs, focus
on expanding late night and Sunday services on appropriate routes.
•
encourages the State to provide sufficient transportation infrastructure,
especially roads, to ensure the economic development necessary to
ensure a healthy State economy without adversely impacting existing
communities.
•
believes that land-use applications should conform to the laws,
regulations, and requirements existing at the time of its submission
and opposes any State efforts to remove that protection or would
create uncertainty in the land development process.
•
believes that any legislation introduced to address the annexation
issue be applicable Statewide. Additionally, the Chamber believes
that any annexation legislation establishes a level playing field
between the counties and municipalities.
•
recommends that funds residing in the Transportation Trust Fund
continue to be applied solely for transportation purposes.
Education
and Job Training
The
County Chamber strongly believes that the State of Delaware must
continue the forward education reform momentum that has been building
since the mid-1990s by implementing accountability throughout the
public education system. As implementation progresses, there may
be calls and pressures to ease accountability standards. The Chamber
firmly believes that there can be no retreat from establishing performance
standards for Delaware’s public education system and the Chamber
would strongly oppose any efforts to backslide on the issue of system-wide
accountability.
The
New Castle County Chamber of Commerce:
•
Recognizes that the quality of public education in Delaware, both
real and perceived, has profound economic development implications
for the State of Delaware.
•
encourages appropriate school-to-work initiatives and appropriate
methods to develop a workforce that will allow Delaware to remain
economically competitive.
•
encourages the private sector to partner with public education to
achieve common goals.
•
strongly advocates appropriate technology, science and mathematics
curricula in Delaware’s public schools in order to prepare students
for information technology and biotechnology jobs and using technology
in the workplace.
•
supports the study and consideration of alternative educational
delivery systems and of equitable funding that will create equal
educational opportunity for all Delaware students.
Health
Care Issues
Businesses
are very sensitive to the costs associated with providing health
insurance to their employees. In order to keep premiums and costs
lower, the New Castle County Chamber of Commerce favors minimal
government interference in the delivery of health care benefits
and a competitive and open marketplace for business to obtain coverage.
The
New Castle County Chamber of Commerce:
•
philosophically opposes government mandating benefits. However,
the Chamber will examine and evaluate each piece of future legislation
proposing new government mandated health care benefits to consider
its position based on the following criteria: 1) target population,
2) whether the mandate is designed for early detection of a potentially
catastrophic illness or disease, and 3) makes economic sense, results
in premium reductions, or impact future medical costs.
•
would, in light of the fact that surrounding states have considerably
increased their cigarette taxes, support consideration of a moderate
increase in the Delaware’s cigarette tax that would not adversely
impact state revenues or retail sales.
•
urges that funds managed by the Delaware Health Fund Advisory Committee
continue to be used for health related issues only.
•
generally favors, for the purposes of improved management of public
health, enhanced and accurate epidemiological data collection and
management that respects individual privacy rights.
•
strongly encourages the State to allocate resources to the Division
of Public Health to bolster preparedness to deal with the threat
of terrorist attacks involving chemical or biological weapons.
•
believes that there is a critical shortage of nursing professionals
in Delaware and encourages State government to explore ways to attract
retain nurses trained in Delaware schools and to attract nurses
from elsewhere. Additionally, the Chamber urges policymakers to
take the current nursing shortage into account when crafting legislation
and regulations.
Insurance
and Tort Law
The
New Castle County Chamber of Commerce supports efforts to reform
the current liability system and put an end to frivolous lawsuits.
The New Castle County Chamber supports voluntary market solutions
to any insurance market availability problems.
The
New Castle County Chamber of Commerce:
•
believes that the difficulty that physicians in Delaware are experiencing
in obtaining affordable medical negligence insurance could lead
to a crisis similar to that occurring in other jurisdictions.
Therefore, the Chamber urges the adoption of meaningful reforms
that to introduce a greater degree of stability in Delaware’s market
for this critically important line of insurance.
•
believes that states are better equipped to regulate small group
health insurance than the federal government.
•
supports the abolition of the joint and several liability doctrine
and its collateral source rule.
•
supports reforms in the automobile insurance arena which may reduce
insurance premiums.
•
opposes legislation which would alter the statute of limitations
in product liability cases to allow for open-ended liability for
manufacturers.
•
opposes any legislation that would change the unanimous jury requirement
in civil cases under Delaware law.
Environment
The
New Castle County Chamber of Commerce seeks the protection of the
Delaware’s treasured natural resources and supports initiatives
to improve the quality of our environment that are based on sound
research and science. Jobs and responsible economic development
should not be threatened by irrational or onerous environmental
laws or regulations. In addition, appropriate cost/benefit analyses
need to accompany the promulgation of new environmental laws or
regulations.
Utilities
The
New Castle County Chamber of Commerce is committed to an open, deregulated
and competitive marketplace for all natural gas and electric utilities
in Delaware. Additionally, a reliable and adequate source of water
is critical to the County’s long-term economic success at retaining
existing employers and encouraging new economic development. An
effective drought operating plan that ensures the proper use of
existing water storage capacity is essential to meeting this goal.
The
New Castle County Chamber of Commerce:
•
supports administrative review of natural gas and electric competition
in order to benefit customers and suppliers and contribute to the
economic development of Delaware.
•
believes that, currently, there is adequate existing regulatory
oversight of the water industry; each utility should bear the cost
of meeting its water supply commitments; water utilities should
encourage conservation; land owners and developers should have the
right to select water providers in nonfranchised areas; and that
health and aesthetic secondary quality standards should be properly
enforced.
Labor
and Human Resources
The
New Castle County Chamber of Commerce supports fair wages determined
by free-market conditions, reasonable employee health care, safe
working conditions, and a free-market approach to Delaware’s workplace.
The County Chamber believes that both employers and consumers
benefit from the freedom to operate successfully in a rapidly changing
and decentralized global economy.
The
New Castle County Chamber of Commerce:
•
recognizes the importance of privacy. The Chamber also supports
the right of employers to monitor the usage of company telephone,
e-mail and Internet usage.
•
is greatly concerned about the continuing upward trend in workers’
compensation and recognizes that medical cost is one of the chief
contributing factors for the large increase in both voluntary market
and residual market rates. Employer-directed care merits strong
consideration as a cost-containment measure. Delaware is one of
two States that does not permit some form of managed care in workers’
compensation cases. Such an arrangement would permit a market
environment wherein employers and/or insurers could negotiate fair
service delivery fees with providers.
•
strongly encourages the Insurance Commissioner and the Delaware
Compensation Rating Bureau to increase the number of workers’ compensation
classifications. Additionally, the Chamber urges the establishment
of an ombudsman to advocate for the business community before the
Delaware Compensation Rating Bureau and the Office of the Insurance
Commissioner.
•
The New Castle County Chamber of Commerce recommends the reform
of Delaware’s Unemployment Insurance Appeals process.
Financial
Services
The
banking and financial services sector is vital to Delaware’s economy.
Over the past two decades, the Financial Center Development Act
brought a degree of prosperity to our County and our State that
has exceeded the most optimistic projections of its sponsors.
In recognition of this fact, the
New Castle County Chamber of Commerce supports Delaware's favorable
legal and regulatory framework in which financial institutions can
operate profitably. The County Chamber supports legislative and
regulatory efforts to preserve Delaware's premier status and competitiveness
in the financial services industry. The Chamber supports market-driven,
deregulated, technological innovations (i.e. Internet) in the financial
services industry.
New
Castle County
Legislative
Program
Land
Use
The
New Castle County Chamber of Commerce firmly believes that land
use decisions and planning should ultimately occur at the local
level. However, during the years following the adoption of the
Unified Development Code at the end of 1997, a sense developed within
the business community that, rather than streamlining the development
process, it has made it increasingly burdensome and costly. The
Chamber strongly urges County government to apply and interpret
the Unified Development Code evenly, consistently and without the
appearance of prejudice. Additionally, the Chamber encourages
New Castle County government to operate the Department of Land Use
with qualified employees, trained and educated in their fields of
expertise.
The New Castle County Chamber
of Commerce:
•
believes that the 3.319 process constitutes
an unreasonable burden for economic development projects which meet
the requirements of the Unified Development Code and that it should
be stricken from the code.
•
urges the Department of Land Use to
remain open to further streamlining of its approval processes and
to continue to make responsive and appropriate technical corrections
to the Unified Development Code.
•
believes that there needs to be a thorough
analysis of the impact of the UDC on the economy of New Castle County.
Additionally, future amendments to the UDC must be thoroughly
analyzed to determine their potential impact on the economic health
of New Castle County.
•
encourages the passage and implementation
of ordinances and regulations designed to foster sustainable development.
•
opposes legislation and regulation
that has as its goal or effect to stifle the growth of existing
businesses and/or use of existing brownfields sites
•
conversely, encourages ordinances that foster recycling of brownfields
and/or encouragement of development or redevelopment in areas of
existing infrastructure.
•
believes that
individual private property rights must be preserved and would oppose
any ordinance that erodes private property rights or constitutes
a taking.
•
encourages the
Land Use Department’s consistent adherence to land development plan
approval timelines, and recognizes the implementation of a computer
tracking system for plans and permits which can be accessed by the
public at little or no cost, and supports upgrades that would give
real time access to information and improve the flow of information
between the applicant and the Department. Open and timely
access to actual timeline data and reports is consistent with the
public’s right to know.
•
encourages County government to review their current standards and
to approach all land development applications in a spirit of collaboration
and to treat all applications equitably.
Infrastructure
The
New Castle County Chamber encourages the installation and maintenance
of adequate and appropriate infrastructure, without the financial
burden being solely on the new user in order to facilitate balanced
development in New Castle County. The County Chamber urges improved
coordination and communication between county, State and local governments
regarding infrastructure issues, particularly transportation.
The
New Castle County Chamber of Commerce:
•
supports the use
of an intersection program that proactively identifies problem intersections
in New Castle County and forwards them, in a timely manner, to the
Department of Transportation for proper inclusion in the State’s
Capital Improvement Project budget.
•
continues to call
for a detailed accounting and publication of all impact fees and
the New Castle County sewer fund to date, so as to ensure proper
and accurate collection and expenditure.
•
supports the provision
of adequate sewer line capacity to ensure approval for appropriate
in-fill development in the developed areas north of the Chesapeake
and Delaware Canal.
•
urges County Council and the administration
to expeditiously provide sewer infrastructure in southern New Castle
County adequate to foster job growth, responsible development and
the protection of our environmental resources. Sewer infrastructure
is a vital component of sustainable and environmentally responsible
economic development. Additionally, the Chamber urges the administration
to clearly communicate timelines for the installation of that infrastructure.
Southern New Castle County will continue to experience rapid
growth over the course of the next decade. The nature of that
development and the degree to which employers choose to locate in
this area are largely contingent upon whether and to what degree
sewer infrastructure is provided.
Economic
Development
Responsible
economic development is key to the quality of life in New Castle
County and in the State of Delaware as a whole. The Chamber is encouraged
by the vision displayed by county government in entering into a
partnership with the Chamber to foster economic development and
looks forward to continuing the productive working relationship
that has resulted from this initiative.
Government
The
New Castle County Chamber of Commerce endorses the limited growth
of New Castle County government and its budget as appropriate to
accommodate sound economic development. The County Chamber urges
County government to exercise sound financial management practices
and prudent debt service in order to protect the County’s bond rating.
The County Chamber believes that County government is ultimately
accountable to its citizens and thus should seek always to provide
the most equitable and efficient delivery of services to all its
citizens. And, in lieu of revenue raising devices or outright
elimination of essential and appropriate services, New Castle County
government should consider, when appropriate and feasible, privatization
as an option for the delivery of services.
The
New Castle County Chamber of Commerce:
•
believes that
ethical conduct by government officials, whether elected, appointed
or members of the merit system, is fundamental to preserving our
system of government. Hence, the Chamber urges New Castle County
government to reestablish an ethics commission that is provided
with the resources necessary to carry out its mission.
•
opposes any legislation which would have
the effect of restricting individuals from serving on Council due
to their profession.
•
continues to believe that County Council
President remain a countywide elected office.
•
opposes the performance of political
campaign activities on government time or with taxpayer dollars
and supports legislation, the objective of which is to prohibit
such activities.
•
recognizes that it is essential to the
economic well-being of New Castle County and the State of Delaware
to have individuals involved in government who understand business
and the issues affecting the private sector. The Chamber therefore
encourages members of the business community to take an active role
in County government by speaking out on issues, serving on boards
and running for office, and encourages Council and the Executive
to promote balance among members of administrative boards and committees
by appointing qualified members of the business community to serve.
•
strongly believes that any changes to
the New Castle County Code, changes to major government operating
procedures, or changes to the land use planning process must occur
in an open and deliberate manner.
•
believes that all New Castle County residents
have the right to access County government information and documents
without impediment or excessive costs.
•
encourages County government to continue
to update, in a cost effective manner, its technology infrastructure
in order to maximize access and convenience for taxpayers. Allowing
for basic permitting and other services to be transacted online
would greatly increase cost and time efficiency for agencies and
constituents alike.
•
recommends that County government reconsider
its voluntary partnership program for maintenance organizations
as it constitutes government co-option of services already delivered
by private companies in New Castle County.
•
believes that the County's new initiative
where civic organizations would
be able to receive community planning grants should be approached
cautiously and urges Council and the Administration to ensure that
proper fiscal controls and oversight exist to ensure that the funds
are utilized solely for community
planning purposes and that conflicts of interest and/or the appearance
of same be avoided.
•
encourages the County to work to establish
effective working relationships with State government and municipalities.
•
urges the County, for the proper functioning
of boards, to: 1) achieve balance by appointing a representative
cross-section of the community, including members of the business
community; 2) minimize the potential for conflicts of interest;
and 3) provide appointees with appropriate training with procedures,
legal responsibilities, ethical behavior and meeting decorum.
•
opposes the use of taxpayer dollars for community activities not
integral to New Castle County government's core mission of providing
essential services, land use planning, libraries and parks maintenance.
Taxes
and Fees
The
New Castle County Chamber of Commerce favors the lowest achievable
rates of taxation consistent with funding essential public services
at adequate levels. The County Chamber believes the cost of essential
County government services should be funded by the County’s general
operating budget. The County Chamber believes that the rate of
New Castle County government fees (non-impact fees) should be matched
to the actual cost of the service | 
