DOVER — The state House of Representatives and Senate unanimously passed a $1.1 billion capital budget for fiscal year 2025 Thursday, which will help the state carry out various road, school and economic development projects in the coming year.
The bond bill for the upcoming fiscal year represents a 20.8% decrease from the fiscal year 2024 capital budget of $1.4 billion and was applauded by lawmakers in both chambers of the General Assembly due to its widespread benefits for each of their respective districts.
“So, let’s build some stuff, right?” said Sen. Jack Walsh, D-Stanton, who serves as vice chair of the Joint Committee on Capital Improvement. “There’s a lot of good in here for everybody’s district. We’re putting a lot of people to work … good jobs, a lot of prevailing wage jobs for all, and all good stuff for our communities.”
House Bill 475 was crafted by the Joint Committee on Capital Improvement over the course of several meetings that began in January. The group is comprised of equal bipartisan membership from each caucus in the General Assembly.
Sen. Walsh applauded the work of the controller general’s office in ensuring the bill was finalized, noting Thursday that, along with lawmakers, the group spent a long night in Legislative Hall last week ensuring the bill was complete.
The largest portion of the fiscal year 2025 bond bill is $352.7 million for road projects throughout the state that seek to address those in the poorest condition. Nearly $69 million will be used for transit and support systems and almost $39 million for grants, with the rest going to improve roadways in bad condition and other transportation projects.
It also includes $40 million for the Community Reinvestment Fund to help fund capital projects throughout community nonprofit and municipal organizations.
The second largest portion of capital appropriations is $160 million for school construction projects in the Christina, Colonial, New Castle County Vo-Tech, Polytech, Smyrna and Red Clay school districts.
This funding largely consists of $33.6 million for the new Hodgson Vo-Tech building, $37.5 million for the new John G. Leach school in the Colonial School District, over $34 million for the new Sussex Central High School and more than $18 million for minor capital improvements throughout state schools.
“The capital budget touches every corner of our state, and these investments have a real, tangible impact on people’s lives, whether it’s students attending new and upgraded schools, roads that are easier to travel, or clean water projects moving forward,” said Rep. Debra Heffernan, D-Bellefonte, who chairs the Joint Capital Improvement Committee.
Other investments include $37 million for economic development projects through various state funds, such as the strategic fund and Downtown Development District Program; $27.7 million for the clean and drinking water state revolving funds; $26 million toward the new Troop 4 in Georgetown; and $25 million for the new Kent and Sussex family courthouses’ fourth year of funding.
The fiscal year 2025 bond bill also includes $15.6 million for statewide improvements at Bellevue State Park, Fenwick Island State Park, Killens Pond Water Park, Lums Pond, White Clay Creek Nature Center and a feasibility study for the Cape Henlopen Fishing Pier.
Since the bond bill unanimously passed both chambers of the General Assembly Thursday, it now heads to Gov. John Carney’s desk for signature.
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