Winners and losers of 2015 legislation session

Winners

DelDOT

At the end of the night, Democrats and Republicans finally agreed on a deal that would provide funding for infrastructure projects in Delaware after months of debate.

The $23.9 million plan would hike DMV fees, and authorize new debt, raising nearly $300 million over six years. By the time lawmakers were done, money was restored to municipal street aid and community transportation funds.

Also, potholes will be patched thanks to the addition of $44 million in new money for paving.

Nonprofits

Delaware's nonprofits won half of the battle facing them during budget crunches Tuesday night, after the Joint Finance Committee restored money to the state's grants-in-aid budget.

Using one-time financial settlement money, fire companies and senior centers will get the same amount of grant money they received last year. Cuts to so-called pass through agencies in the operating budget still made it, though.

Municipalities

Proposed cuts to municipal street aid and community transportation funds? Gone by the close of business early Wednesday morning after the Bond Bill Committee restored money to both programs.

Changes to the realty transfer tax? Also gone after municipalities put up enough of a fight, forcing the budget writing committee to back off.

All in all it was a good night for Delaware's counties, cities and towns.

Undocumented immigrants

In the early stages of what turned out to be a long night, lawmakers approved legislation that allowed driving privileges in Delaware for undocumented immigrants.

Supporters of the legislation cheered its passage in the House. Gov. Jack Markell signed the measure shortly after.

The measure takes effect January 1.

Losers

Casinos

The last day of legislative session came and went with nary a peep about Delaware's three casinos.

That proposed $46 million package? Not a word uttered. And by the close of business, no Band-Aid had even been considered.

Legislators have acknowledged that money from the casinos is drying up, but declined to act on June 30.

Next year's budget

Lawmakers couldn't talk about this year's budget without mentioning the giant, potentially $160 million-sized hole, in next year's budget.

Several Democrats accused their own party of kicking the can down the road and not addressing what's going to be a huge hole to fill next year.

Whatever the deficit might be, lawmakers did not raise revenue, or institute significant budget cuts before leaving Dover early Wednesday. Discussions in 2016, an election year, could be even more messy with lawmakers unwilling to anger constituents with deep cuts or tax increases.

Open space

The one earmark to not make the cut was the state's open space fund. A proposed $3 million for the program, eligible for federal matches, was cut and never restored.

Other programs though, like farmland preservation, were restored.

Matt Denn

Lawmakers used more than $31 million in one-time settlement money to balance Delaware's budget, and all but ignored the freshman Attorney General's request to fund crime-fighting programs, affordable housing and low-income school subsidies with the funds.

Denn said he was disappointed by budget lawmakers' failure to fund additional foot patrols in Wilmington, and said patrols that began in March will now end in two weeks.