South New Castle News

The Delaware State Senate removed a new lodging tax in Kent County and passed a no-excuse absentee voting bill, a step toward a constitutional amendment Jan. 16. 

The state Senate unanimously, 21-0, advanced legislation to remove a tax on hotels and motels passed last year, but it was never implemented after controversy arose regarding where the tax revenue was to be allocated. 

Sen. Trey Paradee (D-Dover) sponsored the bill and pulled it back before the tax went into place. 

Proceeds were to go to the DE Turf sports complex in Frederica, not Kent County overall, which caused the controversial reaction among some after its passage.

The tax revenue was proposed to help the complex with advertising, promotions, youth programs, expenses and debt. The sports complex opened in 2017. It brought 102,000 visitors to the county and had an economic impact of $31 million in 2018, according to the Delaware State News.

Trey Paradee’s brother, John Paradee, was on the board of directors of DE Turf, but John resigned from the board in November, after the tax’s passage. Trey said he didn’t know John was involved with the nonprofit board. 

The state Senate approved no-excuse absentee voting, with a two-thirds affirmative vote, following the state House from a 2019 vote moving the bill toward amendment to the state constitution. 

The Senate must pass the bill again in either 2021 or 2022 as the next step in the constitutional amendment process. 

All twelve Democrats support the bill and two Republicans, Erin Lopez and Cathy Cloutier, made up the 14-7 vote. 

Votes now can only vote with an absentee ballot for a specific, allowed reason. 

Those supporting the amendment say this is a way to make voting more accessible. 

Republican opponents said passing early voting legislation in 2019 is an important way to make voting easier and this absentee ballot change could be a slippery slope toward legislators passing restrictions or guidelines on voting access in the future.

Gov. John Carney said he supports the amendment, according to the Delaware State News.