Delaware's $410 Million Mistake. How Governor Meyer Chose Politics Over Delaware's Economic Future
- Sussex County Republican Committee
- 5 hours ago
- 3 min read
February 5, 2026
Former New Castle County Council President (2016-2024)
BREAKING: Delaware Just Became the Worst State in America for Business. And Governor Matt Meyer Did It on Purpose.
68 years to build a reputation. 60 days to destroy it. $410 million extracted from businesses. Zero problems solved.
Let me tell you a story about a promise broken.
For 68 years, Delaware made a deal with American business: incorporate here, and we will treat you fairly. We will follow federal tax rules. We will not surprise you. We will be predictable.
That deal made Delaware the corporate capital of America. More than 60% of Fortune 500 companies call Delaware home. Not because of our beaches. Because of our word.
On November 19, 2025, Governor Matt Meyer broke that word.
THE NUMBERS DON'T LIE
Here is what House Bill 255 actually does:
It extracts $365 million from Delaware businesses by forcing them to delay tax deductions they are legally entitled to take immediately.
It drops Delaware to 50th out of 50 states in corporate tax competitiveness. Dead last. Behind New Jersey. Behind California. Behind everyone.
It breaks our 68-year tradition of following federal tax code, creating new compliance burdens for every business operating here.
It solves nothing. The state's structural deficit remains. Medicaid costs still grow at 10-12% annually. Spending still outpaces revenue.
THE QUESTION NO ONE IS ASKING
Why did Governor Meyer do this when he had other options?
Delaware had nearly $1 billion in reserves. Money specifically set aside for revenue volatility. Money designed for exactly this situation.
He did not use it.
Delaware could have trimmed spending by 3% annually and freed up $483 million without touching a single tax rule.
He did not do it.
The $410 million "crisis" was a timing issue, not a structural emergency. It would have resolved itself over three years.
He could not wait.
Instead, he chose to rewrite the rules, take money that was not owed, and declare victory.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOU
You might think this is a corporate issue. It is not.
When businesses leave Delaware or choose not to come here, those are jobs that your neighbors will not get. That is tax revenue that will not fund your schools. That is economic growth that will not happen in your community.
The biotech startup looking for a home? North Carolina just became more attractive.
The manufacturer planning to expand? Pennsylvania now makes more sense.
The small business your friend runs? Their compliance costs just doubled because now they have to track two different tax systems.
These costs do not show up on budget projections. They compound over decades. They erode the foundation that has sustained Delaware for generations.
I HAVE SEEN THIS BEFORE
As New Castle County Council President from 2016 to 2024, I watched this same pattern play out at the county level.
Short-term fixes instead of structural reform. Political convenience instead of fiscal discipline. Easy escapes instead of hard choices.
I raised concerns. I was outvoted. The county became structurally unsound.
Now the same approach is being applied to all of Delaware. And the stakes are higher.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
SHARE this post. People need to know what happened.
READ the full investigation: www.karenhartleynagle.com
Every claim is documented. Every number is sourced from Delaware's own financial records.
The full report is available through the Truthline Network.
Delaware is worth fighting for. But we cannot fight what we do not see. Now you see it.
Karen Hartley-Nagle
Former New Castle County Council President (2016-2024)
The Truthline Network
