Del. Governor Proposes $3.4B Budget

DOVER, Del. (AP) - Gov. Jack Markell is proposing a $3.4 billion operating budget for the fiscal year starting July 1.

The budget proposal released on Thursday would increase spending by 3.85 percent compared to this year but does not call for raising taxes or dipping into reserve funds.

Markell instead wants to use a mix of program cuts, unspent federal stimulus money, and funding transfers to balance the fiscal 2012 budget.

In addition to the operating budget, the governor proposed spending $420.5 million on road and building construction projects, up from about $390 million this year.

The proposed capital budget authorizes $222 million for building projects and $198 million for transportation projects.

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