(News Journa/AP) Delaware’s capital budget is expected to grow by 30 percent under legislation from the Joint Capital Improvement Committee.
The $769 million spending plan now heads to the full Assembly for a final vote.
But the Wilmington News Journal reports even that figure is not enough to meet the state demands that range from infrastructure to construction.
Although it is not the largest capital budget in the state’s history.
The budget is funded with nearly $189 million in tax revenue.
That’s compare to only $30 million two years ago.
The News Journal reports that the increase in funding comes after Governor John Carney called for much of the $360 million expected surplus to be spent for onetime expenses such as roads and schools.
The spending additions by lawmakers include $10 million for new voting machines and $11.4 million for economic development efforts of colleges and universities. They also added $3.3 million for the state police indoor firing range, now slated to get about $6 million, and $5 million for a new school safety fund.
The committee also approved $17.5 million for struggling Christina district schools in Wilmington, $2.5 million more than Carney recommended.