Let me begin by saying that Gov. Markell, you are wrong. It astounds me that you believe cutting 8% of state employees salaries will solve Delaware’s economic crisis. You claim that this will share the burden equally and prevent people from losing their jobs. Yet, as a teacher, I am still not assured of this as my district controls my job. Any district in the state for that matter could still cut employees. Your proposal will not help this state. In fact, it will in all likelihood do more damage than good.

    Your plan will negatively effect all state departments. What will become of the quality of education in Delaware? What will become of our police force, our transportation department and so on? Employees will be overworked, underpaid, and above all frustrated as they struggle to make ends meet. Some of us who are already struggling to pay our mortgages will in all likelihood be forced to give up our homes or find second jobs. These systems will fall to pieces and our children and future of the state will suffer the most.

    Second, this plan will only further hurt our economy. If you cut our state employees salaries by 8% then you are leaving them with less income to spend. The largest part of that income will be spent on paying bills and making ends meet. Which means that there will be less spending. This will have a domino effect as people spend less, businesses continue to close and our economy continues its downward spiral. I ask again, how can you believe that this plan is a solution?

    Finally, many people voted for you because you promised reform and change for the state. I think I can speak for many when I say that this is not the reform and change we were hoping for. This plan is unfair and places an unfair burden on those that the state depends on the most. If you truly want to share the burden, then find a way to make every person in the state help alleviate this deficit. Institute a sales tax for the state. This way everyone will pay a part of the deficit. Asking only state employees to shoulder this burden is wrong. It is not our fault that the state is in the situation we are in. It is the fault of years of misspending and poor planning. Passing it off on state employees simply because we work for the state is an injustice that none of us should stand for.

    This plan is wrong and will not help the state. Gov. Markell, give us the leadership that you promised and find a better way.