DOVER, Del. (AP) — The state Senate has approved an operating budget of almost $3.6 billion for the fiscal year that starts Sunday.
The state Senate voted 16 to 4 Wednesday for the fiscal 2013 spending plan, which now goes to the House.
The budget is about $78 million more than this year's budget and is slightly higher than the spending plan proposed by Gov. Jack Markell in January, thanks to the addition of a 1 percent pay raise for state employees that will cost taxpayers about $21 million next year. Lawmakers also added $10 million for retiree health care and other post-employment benefits.
The budget includes almost $1.2 billion for public schools and more than $1 billion for health and social services, including more than $622 million in general fund outlays for Medicaid.
