Chair’s Message BY NICK LAMBROW
AS WE ENTER the next phase of our recovery from the pandemic, I am bullish on the prospects for our state in the years ahead. Delaware is a great place to live and work, and this is an opportune time for business growth throughout the state. More people are moving into Delaware than any other state in the midAtlantic. According to the latest U.S. Census data. Biopharmaceutical, IT, and other industries are bringing good jobs into the state, and continued collaboration among individuals and organizations interested in the same goal—putting Delaware in a position to succeed—have galvanized the state’s business community around a set of common priorities. Indeed, Governor Carney has made important moves—notably, the launch of the Delaware Prosperity Partnership (DPP)—to bring the state’s government and business community closer together. Recent collaboration among this and other chambers of commerce, DPP, Delaware Business Roundtable, Kent Economic Partnership, and Wilmington Alliance has
helped clarify the business community’s message, and we look forward to sharing that message with Delaware’s legislators and other decision-makers in the months ahead. This foundational work of the past has prepared us to take advantage of what lies ahead in our future. An unprecedented amount of federal money from the American Rescue Plan Act and President Biden’s infrastructure bill will flow into the state’s coffers. In all, Delaware will receive more than $3 billion in funds from those two federal sources. As much as another $444 million could be gained from a fiscal 2022 surplus, as forecasted by the Delaware Economic and Financial Advisory Council.
As we invest in initiatives that create jobs, we must also continue to embrace the benefits a diverse workforce has on the state’s economy. I support much of that funding going toward existing programs and new initiatives that will bolster the state’s workforce and help fill open jobs. While Delaware’s unemployment rate has dropped in the past year, many employers in several industries throughout the state are still struggling to find help and, as a result, have cut back on hours of operation, services they offer, wages and more. As we invest in initiatives that create jobs, we must continue to embrace the benefits a diverse workforce has on the state’s economy. Many of these jobs will likely serve Delaware’s construction and IT sectors. The state will receive more than $2 billion from the President’s infrastructure bill that will go toward federal highway repairs, bridge replacements, public transit improvements, wastewater projects, cyber security upgrades, and expanded broadband access. High-speed internet access for all in Delaware could help businesses grow, families thrive, and students learn. Meanwhile, progress toward adoption of the state’s Ready in 6 initiative is crucial to our efficient and effective allocation of these resources. Reducing the time it takes for businesses to receive needed permits or approval to begin or complete work could mean the difference between spurring new business activity or losing promising projects. Delaware is in position to win. I want to thank Katie Wilkinson, who chaired the State Chamber the past two years, for her contributions to get us there. Katie helped guide this organization and its members through the uncertainty brought by the pandemic that began just two months into her tenure. I vow to advocate on behalf of the state’s business community as vigorously and relentlessly as Katie and the board have throughout the past few years. I look forward to the work we will continue to do together to strengthen Delaware’s legacy as a great place to do business.
12
Jan uar y / Fe b r uar y 2022 | DELAWARE BUSINESS
