UPDATED: Gov Meyers Vetoes $35-million Legislative Hall Expansion in Bond Bill; Comment from House Majority Caucus

Governor Matt Meyer exercised his line-item veto and has said no to the $35-million appropriation for the Legislative Hall Expansion Project in the Bond Bill – HB 500. The Governor said that while Delawareans are struggling to pay rent, healthcare costs, utility and grocery bills – this is not the time to spend taxpayer dollars on the Leg Hall expansion – and this is just a portion of the full $116-million project. The rest of the Bond Bill – which funds schools, affordable housing, transportation and other statewide capital priorities, remains intact.  The measure has been returned to the State House with the Governor’s objections to the $35-million Leg Hall expansion. 

Additional information from Gov. Meyer: 

The governor returned the bond bill to the General Assembly with his objections. In his veto statement, Meyer noted that the $35 million appropriation represents only the initial funding for a project expected to cost at least $116 million. He said that while improvements to Legislative Hall’s security, accessibility and public participation are important, those needs can be addressed at a lower cost while allowing the state to focus on higher priorities.

“Everywhere I go, Delawareans tell me the same thing: life costs too much,” said Governor Matt Meyer. “At a time when families are struggling to afford housing, healthcare, and energy bills, I can’t justify spending $116 million on a Legislative Hall expansion. Affordability demands accountability, and accountability demands that we put taxpayers first. Affordability starts with setting the right priorities.”

The governor pointed to continued affordability challenges facing Delaware families and argued that unmet needs, including school construction, housing and community investments, should take precedence over expanding government office space. He also cited concerns raised by lawmakers, government transparency advocates and members of the public regarding both the project’s cost and the process by which the appropriation was added to the bond bill.

In his message to the General Assembly, Meyer said Delaware’s line-item veto authority exists to allow governors to remove individual appropriations that do not serve the public interest while preserving the remainder of important legislation. He urged the General Assembly to work with him and his administration to find other uses for the money, noting that when Delawareans are forced to make tough choices, government leaders should too.

“The General Assembly has spent a great deal of time in recent years protecting our democracy. And while that often means passing laws that expand access to the ballot box, it can also mean physically preserving the halls of government — improving the physical spaces that we occupy to ensure that they are safe, accessible, and welcoming to the People of Delaware.

 

“The tens of thousands of people who visit Legislative Hall yearly – and especially those who visit on a session day – know firsthand the challenges that come with simply showing up to our state capitol to participate in our democracy. 

 

“They know how difficult it can be just to find a parking spot and make the walk across the street. They’ve seen committee rooms filled beyond capacity, with people standing in hallways because there’s nowhere left to sit. And those who have physical disabilities know how challenging it can be to simply navigate the building, which hasn’t had the updates necessary to keep pace with how our legislature, and the public it serves, has changed over the years.

 

“It has been an ongoing goal of the Legislature – and the state as a whole – to increase public participation in the decisions that affect the lives of every resident who calls Delaware home. And the fact that we are out of space at Legislative Hall is a testament to the success of that goal. Our laws should reflect the will of the people we serve. All of the people that we serve. Since the last major construction on Legislative Hall in 1994 the population of Delaware has grown 49%. But Legislative Hall wasn’t built to reflect that, and that is not a legacy that we need to preserve. 

 

“That’s why it’s not only disappointing, but frankly perplexing, that the Governor chose to veto the Bond Bill language that would have funded these long-overdue renovations. 

 

“These are not frivolous or cosmetic upgrades – this is a carefully planned and well-thought-out project that would address problems that legislators, members of the public, the press, and staff have experienced for several years now. Years of bipartisan planning has gone into the expansion, with a special focus on public safety recommendations made by Capitol Police. 

 

“Through the Bond Bill, the legislature routinely funds construction, maintenance, and renovation on state buildings used by the Governor and their staff, including this year, when more than $838 million in funding was approved by the General Assembly for executive branch capital improvements.

 

“Those include more than $200 million in school construction; $6 million for building maintenance and restoration at the Carvel State Office Building; $60 million to renovate the dilapidated Emily P. Bissell facility; and nearly $18.2 million for maintenance, capital improvements, and restoration at DHSS, DSHS, and DNREC facilities — just to name a few.

“Legislative Hall, which belongs to the People of Delaware, should be no different. 

 

“That is why we, the Chairs of the Joint Capital Improvement Committee, stand united in condemning this veto language that would have delivered transparency, accessibility, and safety to Legislative Hall.”