Especially in these difficult economic times, handling taxpayers' dollars wisely and responsibly is more important than ever. While many other states have not faced up to this fundamentally important duty, Delaware has. The result? We have not only balanced our budgets but we have also maintained our AAA bond ratings, the highest ratings possible. Going forward, I will be working even harder to assure responsible state finances as a member of the Joint Finance Committee, the committee that makes those difficult financial decisions.