CAMDEN — At a town hall meeting Monday, Republican officials discussed what they see as a spending problem that is troubling Delaware.

Held at Caesar Rodney High School, the meeting allowed Delawareans to hear from Treasurer Ken Simpler and Rep. Lyndon Yearick, R-Camden.

Lyndon Yearick

The state is sixth in the country in per capita spending, but many Republican officials believe the results do not match the output.

“When you spend at relatively high levels and get relatively mediocre results, that’s a problem,” Mr. Simpler said.

Education and public safety, in particular, are lacking, he told the attendees.

Rep. Yearick said he was troubled a resolution he introduced in the General Assembly to establish a bipartisan committee that would examine state spending was largely ignored by Democrats.

“The heavy lifting needs to begin soon and that includes the value of what we’re spending as a state,” he said.

Democrats have repeatedly said government needs to focus on increasing revenue. A committee of lawmakers and other top officials made several recommendations to that end in May, urging lawmakers to eliminate the estate tax, lower income tax rates and remove itemized deductions.

According to a Bureau of Labor Statistics report released this month, Kent County lags behind the national average for wages. Kent countians made $821 per week last year, compared to a U.S. average of $1,035. Sussex was at $763, while New Castle residents earned $1,164.