Gov. John Carney wants to hear your budget ideas

To fix Delaware's $350 million budget problem, Gov. John Carney and the General Assembly are going to have to make some painful choices.

On Thursday, Carney made a pitch to the Delaware public: Help me come up with some ideas.

"This is a challenge for all of us," Carney said. "The solution is going to be hard. But I'm confident we can do it."

Carney will attend a series of "community conversations" in locations throughout the state:

Jan. 30 – Timothy’s on the Riverfront, Wilmington, 7:30 a.m.

Feb. 15 – Drip Café, Hockessin, 7:30 a.m.

Feb. 21 – Drip Café, Hockessin, 8 a.m.

Feb. 22 – Downtown Dover Partnership, 9 a.m.

March 1 – Nanticoke Senior Center, Seaford, 9 a.m.

April 5 – Café Gelato, Newark, 8 a.m.

The meetings will be held in the morning, around 7:30 to 8 a.m. Exact times will be available on a website.

Lawmakers, both Democrats and Republicans, will join Carney.

Residents can submit comments online at governor.delaware.gov/BudgetReset, or send an email to BudgetReset@state.de.us.

MORE: See what kinds of taxes and cuts might be necessary to fix the budget

There will be a telephone town hall of Feb. 22 in which residents can call in to listen to Carney's presentation and offer their thoughts.

Carney's administration will present information on the scope of the budget problem and some ideas on how to fix it. For example, Carney said they might present a budget that solves the gap only through cutting spending and also show a budget that only raises taxes — Carney has said the solution lies in a "balanced approach."

But the governor said most of the time will go toward listening to residents.

Carney said he hopes to hear what programs residents think are most important as he and legislators look for places to trim spending. He also wants ideas on ways government can run more efficiently.

"My job is bringing Dover to Newark," said Rep. Paul Baumbach, D-Newark. "There is no easy solution to this budget, and the more we can bring the community in to be part of the solution, the better."

House Minority Leader Danny Short, R-Seaford, said the meetings could get intense.

"The coffee will be hot," he said. "The conversation might get hotter."

Contact Matthew Albright at malbright@delawareonline.com, (302) 324-2428 or on Twitter @TNJ_malbright.

RELATED: Legislators slap down pay hikes for top officials