DOVER, Del. (AP) - In the waning hours of this year's legislative session, the General Assembly's budget-writing committee has reversed a decision to cut grant funding for nonprofit groups and community agencies.
Members of the Joint Finance Committee voted unanimously Tuesday evening to reverse a decision they made last week to impose across-the-board cuts of 5 percent for local groups that receive money from the state's grant-in-aid package.
Committee members are restoring the money with $2.3 million in one-time funds from Delaware's share of a nationwide financial settlement.
The Wilmington News Journal reports that in the last few hours of the session lawmakers restored $3 million in capital funding for farmland preservation and municipal street aid.
In addition, more $16 million was put toward the Community Transportation Fund.
The capital budget totaled $456 million.
Vehicle Fees
DOVER, Del. (AP) - The Delaware Senate has recalled and passed a Democratic proposal to raise vehicle fees to pay for road and infrastructure improvements.
Following closed-door meetings, the Democratic-led Senate late Tuesday rescinded a straight party-line vote from last week in which the bill failed to win a three-fifths majority. Senators then approved the measure 15-to-6, with three GOP votes.
The action removed a key roadblock to agreement on other spending bills for the fiscal year that starts Wednesday.
The legislation, which now goes to Gov. Jack Markell, increases the tax on car sales from 3.75 percent to 4.25 percent. Penalties for late license and registration renewals, along with several other fees, also would increase substantially.
The increases would generate about $24 million annually to help pay for road maintenance and construction.
