Governor Carney's Office Shares Administration Accomplishments

WILMINGTON, Del. - Governor John Carney on Tuesday released the following statement reflecting on the end of his term as Governor:

"When I started my term as Governor, I was hopeful that Delawareans would say at the end of my term that the economy was strong. That there were better-paying jobs and employees felt valued. That people were safer in their neighborhoods. That children were getting a strong education and had every opportunity for a bright future. That our state's finances were sound.

There's more work to be done, but working hard and working together, I believe we met that promise. To the people of Delaware, thank you for your trust. It has been my great privilege to serve as your Governor."

Accomplishments of the Carney Administration

A list of accomplishments and a thank you note from Governor Carney to Delawareans can be found on the Governor's website , which will be archived at 12 PM today. Content can be accessed after that time through the Delaware Public Archives . All content on Governor Carney's YouTube page will remain online.

Building a Stronger Economy and Creating a Fiscally Sustainable Future

The Delaware Prosperity Partnership

On his first day in office, Governor Carney signed an executive order to rethink Delaware's approach to economic development. This led to the creation of the Delaware Prosperity Partnership (DPP), a public-private partnership which has been a tremendous success. DPP has supported 75 successful projects leading to over 10,000 new and retained jobs and over $2 billion in capital investment.

Supporting Small Businesses

In partnership with the Delaware Division of Small Business, Governor Carney launched the Encouraging Development, Growth and Expansion (EDGE) competition in 2019 to help small businesses expand in the First State. The $7.25 million in grant funding has helped over 110 businesses take their operations to the next level. More than half of the awardees have been woman, minority, or veteran-owned businesses.

Leveraged Federal Investments

Governor Carney directed investments supported by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) to meet the diverse needs of communities. This federal funding - made possible by the advocacy of Sens. Carper, Coons, and then-Rep. Blunt Rochester - helped to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, construct new libraries, improve transportation infrastructure and transit, upgrade drinking water systems, rebuild the Nylon Capital Shopping Center in Seaford, and has put Delaware on track to become the first state in the nation to connect every home and business to high-speed internet.

Government Efficiency and Accountability Review (GEAR) Board

Governor Carney launched the Government Efficiency and Accountability Review (GEAR) Board to build a culture of continuous improvement by increasing the quality, efficiency, and effectiveness of state government. One of GEAR's main objectives is to reduce state government spending growth and save taxpayer dollars. More than 100 practitioners from 23 state organizations are executing projects within a portfolio of 147 initiatives to improve efficiency. The savings from this work are estimated to total $101 million over the life of projects underway.

Sustainable Budget

During the 2024 Legislative Session, the General Assembly passed Senate Bill 270, codifying the Budget Stabilization Fund. Thanks to responsible investments and management of taxpayer dollars, Delaware has gone from a nearly $400 million deficit in 2017 to more than a $450 million Budget Stabilization Fund, over and above the State's Rainy Day Fund.

Investing in Every Delaware Student

Opportunity Funding

Governor Carney created Opportunity Funding to better support low-income students and multilingual learners. For the first time, schools in Delaware are receiving weighted funding to better support low-income students and multilingual learners, called Opportunity Funding. This $63 million annual investment is making a real impact in schools up and down our state.

Raising Educator Pay

Some jobs are really important, and some jobs are really hard. Teaching is both. Working in collaboration with the General Assembly and Public Education Compensation Committee (PECC), Governor Carney committed to raising educator salaries to make sure Delaware is competitive with surrounding states, so we can keep the best talent here in our state.

Early Childhood Education

Children with access to early education have better educational and career outcomes into adulthood. That's why the Carney Administration more than doubled funding for Purchase of Care and the Early Childhood Assistance Program, revamped kindergarten registration, and launched the Early Childhood Innovation Center at Delaware State University.

Wilmington Learning Collaborative

Together with community members, educators, students, and neighbors, the Carney Administration launched the Wilmington Learning Collaborative (WLC) to provide targeted support to City schools. The WLC is empowering educators, students, and families across Wilmington.

Mentoring

Mentors and role models can make a life-changing impact, improving both educational and behavioral outcomes for students. Governor Carney launched a centralized program to simplify the sign-up process and connect more Delaware students with a trusted mentor.

School Construction

Together with the General Assembly, the Administration invested over $1.7 billion in school construction projects across Delaware. That includes the state-of-the-art Maurice Pritchett Sr. Academy on the east side of Wilmington - the first new school in Delaware's largest city in a generation, fully-funded by the State of Delaware.

Focus on Literacy

Literacy is the foundation that each of our students and neighbors need for success. Governor Carney and First Spouse Tracey Quillen Carney partnered with community organizations, state agencies, and schools to focus on literacy across the lifespan. This work included supporting libraries, participating in the Delaware Literacy Alliance, and investing in high-dosage tutoring and literacy coaches for students throughout the school year and in the summer.

Building Stronger Communities

Gun Safety

Governor Carney believes it is our responsibility to prevent the tragedies we've seen across the country from happening in Delaware. This administration has taken a comprehensive approach to gun violence prevention, championing 23 pieces of common-sense gun safety legislation, including red-flag legislation that temporarily removes the ability for individuals to purchase a firearm during a crisis.

Affordable Housing

Every Delawarean deserves a safe and affordable place to live. The Carney Administration has made historic investments in affordable housing using federal and state dollars that are transforming neighborhoods across the state, from the Imani Village in Wilmington to Dutchman's Harvest, a proposed affordable housing project in Lewes.

Traffic Safety

In 2022, Delaware tied its record high for traffic fatalities set in 1988 with 165 lives lost on our roadways. Governor Carney, the Delaware Department of Transportation, the Department of Safety and Homeland Security, and members of the General Assembly teamed up to address this issue with a package of traffic safety bills to curb speeding and reckless driving. We encourage all Delawareans to observe speed limits, wear a seatbelt, and practice safe driving each time they are behind the wheel.

First Chance Delaware

Through her First Chance Delaware initiative, First Spouse Tracey Quillen Carney has championed literacy efforts, fought childhood hunger, and advanced the recognition of and response to childhood trauma. Tracey's work has impacted children, families, and communities across the state. She also wrote a children's book focused on Delaware's libraries, helped support and promote a streamlined kindergarten registration process, lifted up school nutrition staff, and helped bring Dolly Parton's Imagination Library to Delaware.

Protecting our Environment

Climate Action Plan

Delaware is the lowest-lying state in the nation. The Carney Administration launched the Climate Action Plan to set measurable goals for taking meaningful climate change action.

Climate Change Solutions Act and Energy Solutions Act

Governor Carney advocated for and signed the Climate Change Solutions Act of 2023 that puts Delaware on a path to cut greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030 and get to net zero by 2050. The Delaware Energy Solutions Act of 2024 will help reach those targets by allowing the state to participate in offshore wind projects along our coastline, by purchasing wind-generated renewable energy in a fiscally responsible way.

Clean Transportation

Transportation is our number one source of emissions. The Carney Administration leveraged federal and state money to invest in electric vehicle infrastructure, including incentives for those transitioning to zero emissions vehicles, and have committed to electrifying the state fleet and public transportation.

Preserving Open Space and Farmland

Delaware's Open Space Program managed by the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) aims to protect the state's natural and cultural assets by expanding state parks and preserves, fish and wildlife areas, state forests, and cultural resource sites. Similarly, in partnership with the Delaware Department of Agriculture, the Carney Administration preserved 403 Delaware farms - a record number through the AgLands program.

Keep DE Litter Free

In partnership with Keep Delaware Beautiful, Governor Carney launched the Keep DE Litter Free initiative in 2019 to address Delaware's litter problem. Thanks to the help of DelDOT, DNREC, and other state agencies and partners, we cleaned up 309,000 bags of trash on our roadways since the initiative launched.

A Tree for Every Delawarean

Governor Carney launched a Tree for Every Delawarean Initiative (TEDI) with the Delaware Department of Agriculture and the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) with the goal of planting a tree for every resident of our state.

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Videos from the Carney Administration can be found on Governor Carney's YouTube page .

Photos from the Carney Administration can be found on Governor Carney's Flickr page.

View Governor Carney's Inaugural Address from 2017 on Governor Carney's Facebook page. The Governor's remarks start at the 18-minute mark.

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