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John Carney on Jobs

 

 


Today we have more jobs than we have people to fill them

The biggest challenge we have is filling the job openings that are out there. For my entire career in public service, we've been focused first on creating jobs. There have always been more people looking for work than jobs available. Today, it's just the opposite. We have thousands more job openings than we have people looking for work. Employers have 37,000 job openings in the State of Delaware. And there are just 21,000 Delawareans looking for a job. I've never seen a situation like this before.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Delaware legislature , Jan 19, 2023

Grants to small business is investment in the future

With a strong economy, it's the right time for us to invest in our future. More than half of Delawareans working are employed at small businesses. They're the engine of our economic growth. Our future success depends on finding ways to grow our small businesses. So last spring we started a new grant program: Encouraging Development, Growth and Expansion, or EDGE for short. We've awarded nearly $1.5 million in EDGE Grants to 20 companies.
Source: 2020 Delaware State of the State address , Jan 23, 2020

Work-a-Day Earn-a-Pay Program Pilot

Gov. John Carney announced the expansion of the Work-a-Day Earn-a-Pay Program Pilot. The $150,000 pilot initiative funded by the Department of Transportation created a partnership with Goodwill of Delaware to hire 46 individuals who collected 759 bags of trash along the I-95 corridor in Wilmington. Cleanups were performed three times per week.

"As we work to 'Keep DE Litter Free,' this program is a great example of how we can put people to work and address the litter problem that exists across our state," said Carney. "With DelDOT and Goodwill of Delaware working together, this program will expand statewide beginning on August 1, and broaden our litter cleanup efforts."

DelDOT will provide $483,000 in funding for the expanding program. The expanded program will increase the frequency of I-95 ramp cleanups in Wilmington as well as target other high-litter areas in New Castle, Kent, and Sussex counties.

Source: Delaware Business Times on 2020 Delaware gubernatorial race , Jul 18, 2019

Investment in new jobs means drop in unemployment

Over the past two years, and thanks in large part to the work of many of you, we have 10,000 new jobs in Delaware. Our unemployment rate has fallen to 3.8 percent for the first time since 2008. Working with you, we signed an agreement to bring hundreds o
Source: 2019 State of the State address to Delaware legislature , Jan 17, 2019

Raise minimum wage, add training wage, youth wage

Legislative Summary:HB483: This Act creates a training minimum wage and a youth wage that is not more than $0.50 less than the minimum wage rate of $8.75.

The Capital Daily summary: A spirited debate on raising the wage floor followed, with Democrats arguing it would help lift people out of poverty while Republicans claimed it would cause prices to rise and lead to layoffs. Democrats and Republicans reached a compromise, increasing the minimum wage to $9.25 and instituting a training wage. "We just gave an extra dollar an hour to these working-class people. That's a hundred pennies," the Democratic House Majority Leader said.

Legislative Outcome: Passed Senate 15-5-1 on Jul/1/18; Passed House 32-7-2 on Jul/1/18; Signed by Governor John Carney on Jul/1/18

Source: The Capital Daily: Delaware legislative voting records HB483 , Jul 1, 2018

Focus on trade school training and apprenticeships

Carney addressed a question I raised about how the future of Delaware will look for young people. He cited how he has pushed for job creation, and played a vital role in getting most of DuPont to stay in Delaware. He believed that I'll have plenty of Delaware jobs to look forward to.

I later inquired about his views on the future of trade schools as a way to build a greater workforce. He said that everyone needs welders, yet we seem to not have enough. We focus on only the highest jobs through college or the lowest jobs, and don't focus on the decently paying middle jobs, occupations vital for Americans such as welding, or plumbing or other trades.

He cited Germany's apprenticeship programs as an excellent example and something we could emulate in Delaware. In addition, he saw the pathway program in schools as an important first step in pushing for education that can still get students good jobs without spending thousands of dollars on college.

Source: Wilmington News Journal on 2016 Delaware Governor's race , Mar 10, 2016

Rated 8% by CEI, indicating a pro-worker rights voting record.

Carney scores 8% by CEI on union issues

The Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI), a public policy organization dedicated to the principles of free markets and limited government, has created a Congressional Labor Scorecard for the 112th Congress focusing on worker issues. The score is determined based on policies that support worker freedom and the elimination of Big Labor`s privileges across the country.

Source: CEI website 12-CEI-H on May 2, 2012

Raise the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour by 2016.

Carney co-sponsored Minimum Wage Fairness Act

Congressional summary: Increases the federal minimum wage for employees to:

  1. $8.20 an hour beginning 6 months after enactment
  2. $9.15 an hour beginning 1 year later,
  3. $10.10 an hour beginning 2 years later, and
  4. an amount determined by increases in the Consumer Price Index, beginning annually after 3 years.

Proponent`s argument in favor (RaiseTheMinimumWage.com): The federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour remains decades out of date, and the federal minimum wage for tipped workers--$2.13 per hour--has not increased in over 20 years. The minimum wage of the past provided significantly more buying power than it does today. The minimum wage of $1.60 an hour in 1968 would be $10.56 today when adjusted for inflation.

Opponent`s argument against: (Neil King in Wall Street Journal, Feb. 24, 2014): The CBO concluded that a jump in the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour could eliminate 500,000 jobs. For Republicans, the report provided ammunition that a higher minimum wage would kill jobs. Democrats pointed to the CBO`s findings that the higher wage would lift 900,000 people out of poverty. But both sides missed a key finding: That a smaller hike from the current $7.25 to $9.00 an hour would cause almost no pain, and still lift 300,000 people out of poverty while raising the incomes of 7.6 million people.Congressional Budget Office report:: Once fully implemented, the $10.10 option would reduce total employment by about 500,000 workers, or 0.3%. Some people earning slightly more than $10.10 would also have higher earnings, due to the heightened demand for goods and services. The increased earnings for low-wage workers would total $31 billion. Accounting for all increases and decreases, overall real income would rise by $2 billion.

Source: S.1737 & H.R.1010 14-H1010 on Mar 6, 2013

Other governors on Jobs: John Carney on other issues:
DE Gubernatorial:
Bethany Hall-Long
Matt Meyer
Mike Ramone
DE Senatorial:
Chris Coons
Eric Hansen
James DeMartino
Jessica Scarane
Lauren Witzke
Lisa Blunt Rochester
Mike Katz
Gubernatorial Debates 2023:
KY: Incumbent Andy Beshear(D)
vs.State A.G. Daniel Cameron(R)

vs.Ambassador Kelly Craft(R)
vs.State Auditor Mike Harmon(R)
LA: Incumbent John Bel Edwards(D,term-limited)
vs.Jeff Landry(R)
vs.Shawn Wilson(D)
vs.John Schroder(R)
vs.Sharon Hewitt(R)
MS: Incumbent Tate Reeves(R)
vs.Bill Waller(R,withdrew)
vs.Brandon Presley(D)

Gubernatorial Debates 2024:
DE: Gov. John Carney (D, term-limited);
vs. Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long (D)
vs. County Exec. Matt Meyer (D)
vs. State Rep.Mike Ramone (R)
IN: Gov. Eric Holcomb (R, term-limited);
vs. Sen. Mike Braun (R)
vs. Suzanne Crouch (R, lost May 7 primary)
vs. Eric Doden (R, lost May 7 primary)
vs. Attorney General Curtis Hill (R, lost May 7 primary)
vs. Jennifer McCormick (D)
MO: Gov. Mike Parson (R, term-limited):
vs. Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft (R)
vs. State Senator Bill Eigel (R)
vs. Lt.Gov. Mike Kehoe (R)
vs. House Minority Leader Crystal Quade (D)
MT: Gov. Greg Gianforte (R)
vs. Ryan Busse (D)
vs. State Rep. Tanner Smith (R, lost June 4 primary) 		Gubernatorial Debates 2024 (continued):
NC: Gov. Roy Cooper (D, term-limited);
vs. Lt.Gov. Mark Robinson (R)
vs. Attorney General Josh Stein (D)
vs. Treasurer Dale Folwell (R, lost March 5 primary)
vs. Justice Michael Morgan (D, lost March 5 primary)
vs. State Senator Andy Wells (R,withdrew)
ND: Gov. Doug Burgum (R, retiring)
vs. State Rep. Rick Becker (R)
vs. U.S.Rep. Kelly Armstrong (R)
vs. State Sen.Merrill Piepkorn (D)
NH: Gov. Chris Sununu (R, retiring)
vs. U.S.Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R)
vs. Mayor Joyce Craig (D)
vs. Acting Gov.Chuck Morse (R)
vs. Exec.Councilor Cinde Warmington (D)
UT: Gov. Spencer Cox (R)
vs. State Rep. Phil Lyman (R)
vs. Minority Leader Brian King (D)
VT: Gov. Phil Scott (R)
vs. Lt.Gov.David Zuckerman (D, withdrew)
vs. Selectman Peter Duval (D)
vs. Commissioner Esther Charlestin (D)
WA: Gov. Jay Inslee (D, retiring);
vs. Attorney General Bob Ferguson (D)
vs. U.S.Rep.Dave Reichert (R)
vs. State Sen. Mark Mullet (D)
vs. County Chair Semi Bird (R)
vs. Hilary Franz (D, withdrew to run for U.S.Rep.)
WV: Gov. Jim Justice (R, term-limited)
vs. WV Attorney General Patrick Morrisey (R)
vs. Huntington Mayor Steve Williams (D)
vs. WV State Auditor JB McCuskey (R, withdrew)
vs. WV Secretary of State Mac Warner (R, lost May 14 primary)
vs. State Del. Moore Capito (R, lost May 14 primary) 		Abortion
Budget/Economy
Civil Rights
Corporations
Crime
Drugs
Education
Energy/Oil
Environment
Families/Children
Foreign Policy
Free Trade
Govt. Reform
Gun Control
Health Care
Homeland Security
Immigration
Infrastructure/Technology
Jobs
Local Issues
Principles/Values
Social Security
Tax Reform
War/Iraq/Mideast
Welfare/Poverty

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