The Fund sold out of its inverse floater position on March 14, 2008, and as of the period ended March 14, 2008, the Fund had an average daily liability from the participation in inverse floater program of $15,500,000 and recorded interest expense at an average rate of 4.22%.
The Fund receives earnings credits from its custodian when positive cash balances are maintained, which are used to offset custody fees. The expense paid under this arrangement is included in custodian fees on the statement of operations with the corresponding expense offset shown as “expense paid indirectly.”
Notes to financial statements
Delaware Tax-Free Pennsylvania Fund
| 2. | Investment Management, Administration Agreements and Other Transactions with Affiliates |
In accordance with the terms of its investment management agreement, the Fund pays Delaware Management Company (DMC), a series of Delaware Management Business Trust and the investment manager, an annual fee which is calculated daily at the rate of 0.55% on the first $500 million of average daily net assets of the Fund, 0.50% on the next $500 million, 0.45% on the next $1.5 billion, and 0.425% on average daily net assets in excess of $2.5 billion.
DMC has contractually agreed to waive that portion, if any, of its management fee and reimburse the Fund to the extent necessary to ensure that annual operating expenses, (excluding any 12b-1 plan expenses, taxes, interest, inverse floater program expenses, brokerage fees, certain insurance costs and non-routine expenses or costs including, but not limited to, those relating to reorganizations, litigation, conducting shareholder meetings, and liquidations (collectively, “non-routine expenses”)), do not exceed 0.67% of average daily net assets through June 30, 2009. For purposes of these waivers and reimbursements, non-routine expenses may also include such additional costs and expenses, as may be agreed upon from time to time by the Fund’s Board and DMC. These expense waivers and reimbursements apply only to expenses paid directly by the Fund.
Delaware Service Company, Inc. (DSC), an affiliate of DMC, provides fund accounting and financial administration oversight services to the Fund. For these services, the Fund pays DSC fees based on the aggregate daily net assets of the Delaware Investments® Family of Funds at the following annual rate: 0.0050% of the first $30 billion; 0.0045% of the next $10 billion; 0.0040% of the next $10 billion; and 0.0025% of aggregate average daily net assets in excess of $50 billion. The fees payable to DSC under the service agreement described above are allocated among all Funds in the Delaware Investments Family of Funds on a relative net asset value basis. For the period ended August 31, 2008, the Fund was charged $13,209 for these services.
DSC also provides dividend disbursing and transfer agency services. The Fund pays DSC a monthly fee based on the number of shareholder accounts for dividend disbursing and transfer agent services.
Pursuant to a distribution agreement and distribution plan, the Fund pays DDLP, the distributor and an affiliate of DMC, an annual distribution and service fee not to exceed 0.30% of the average daily net assets of the Class A shares and 1.00% of the average daily net assets of the Class B and C shares. The Board has adopted a formula for calculating 12b-1 plan fees for the Fund’s Class A shares that went into effect on June 1, 1992. The total 12b-1 expenses to be paid by Class A shareholders of the Fund will be sum of 0.10% of the average daily net assets representing shares that were acquired prior to June 1, 1992 and 0.30% of the average daily net assets representing shares that were acquired on or after June 1, 1992. All Class A shareholders will bear 12b-1 fees at the same rate, the blended rate based upon the allocation of the 0.10% and 0.30% rates described above. DDLP has contracted to limit the Class A Shares’ 12b-1 fees from July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009 to no more than 0.25% of average daily net assets.
24
This contractual waiver is applied to the shares of the Fund that were acquired on or after June 1, 1992 in calculating the applicable 12b-1 fee rate.
At August 31, 2008, the Fund had liabilities payable to affiliates as follows:
| Investment management fees payable to DMC | $ | 236,849 |
| Dividend disbursing, transfer | | |
| agent and fund accounting oversight fees | | 28,030 |
| Distribution fees payable to DDLP | | 114,238 |
| Other expenses payable to DMC and affiliates* | | 23,767 |
*DMC, as part of its administrative services, pays operating expenses on behalf of the Fund and is reimbursed on a periodic basis. Such expenses include items such as printing of shareholder reports, fees for audit, legal and tax services, registration fees and trustees’ fees.
As provided in the investment management agreement, the Fund bears the cost of certain legal and tax services, including internal legal and tax services provided to the Fund by DMC and/or its affiliates’ employees. For the six months ended August 31, 2008, the Fund was charged $18,470 for internal legal and tax services provided by DMC and/or its affiliates’ employees.
For the six months ended August 31, 2008, DDLP earned $27,850 for commissions on sales of the Fund’s Class A shares. For the six months ended August 31, 2008, DDLP received gross CDSC commissions of $2,723 and $693 on redemption of the Fund’s Class B and Class C shares, respectively, and these commissions were entirely used to offset up-front commissions previously paid by DDLP to broker-dealers on sales of those shares.
Trustees’ fees include expenses accrued by the Fund for each Trustee’s retainer and per meeting fees. Certain officers of DMC, DSC and DDLP are officers and/or Trustee’s of the Trust. These officers and Trustees are paid no compensation by the Fund.
3. Investments
For the six months ended August 31, 2008, the Fund made purchases of $102,560,071 and sales of $105,743,849 of investment securities other than short-term investments.
At August 31, 2008, the cost of investments for federal income tax purposes has been estimated since the final tax characteristics cannot be determined until fiscal year end. At August 31, 2008, the cost of investments was $496,833,004. At August 31, 2008, net unrealized appreciation was $16,484,530, of which $22,235,337, related to unrealized appreciation of investments and $5,750,807 related to unrealized depreciation of investments.
Effective March 1, 2008, the Fund adopted Financial Accounting Standards Board Statements of Financial Accounting Standards No. 157, Fair Value Measurements (FAS 157). FAS 157 defines fair value as the price that the Fund would receive to sell an asset or pay to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date.
25
Notes to financial statements
Delaware Tax-Free Pennsylvania Fund
3. Investments (continued)
FAS 157 also establishes a framework for measuring fair value, and a three level hierarchy for fair value measurements based upon the transparency of inputs to the valuation of an asset or liability. Inputs may be observable or unobservable and refer broadly to the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability. Observable inputs reflect the assumptions market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability based on market data obtained from sources independent of the reporting entity. Unobservable inputs reflect the reporting entity’s own assumptions about the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability developed based on the best information available under the circumstances. The Fund’s investment in its entirety is assigned a level based upon the observability of the inputs which are significant to the overall valuation. The three-tier hierarchy of inputs is summarized below.
Level 1 — inputs are quoted prices in active markets
Level 2 — inputs that are observable, directly or indirectly
Level 3 — inputs are unobservable and reflect assumptions on the part of the reporting entity
The following table summarizes the valuation of the Fund’s investments by the above FAS 157 fair value hierarchy levels as of August 31, 2008:
| | | Securities |
| Level 1 | | $ | — |
| Level 2 | | | 513,317,534 |
| Level 3 | | | — |
| Total | | $ | 513,317,534 |
There were no level 3 securities at the beginning or end of the period.
4. Dividend and Distribution Information
Income and long-term capital gain distributions are determined in accordance with federal income tax regulations, which may differ from U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. Additionally, distributions from net short-term gains on sales of investment securities are treated as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes. The tax character of dividends and distributions paid during the six months ended August 31, 2008 and the year ended February 29, 2008 was as follows:
| | | Six Months | | Year |
| | | Ended | | Ended |
| | | 8/31/08* | | 2/29/08 |
| Ordinary income | | $ | 21,387 | | $ | 49,747 |
| Tax-exempt income | | | 10,957,015 | | | 23,353,081 |
| Total | | $ | 10,978,402 | | $ | 23,402,828 |
*Tax information for the six months ended August 31, 2008 is an estimate and the tax character of dividends and distributions may be redesignated at fiscal year end.
26
5. Components of Net Assets on a Tax Basis
The components of net assets are estimated since final tax characteristics cannot be determined until fiscal year end. As of August 31, 2008, the estimated components of net assets on a tax basis were as follows:
| Shares of beneficial interest | $ | 515,893,611 | |
| Distribution payable | | (540,969 | ) |
| Undistributed tax-exempt income | | 540,969 | |
| Realized loss 3/1/08 – 8/31/08 | | (991,184 | ) |
| Capital loss carryforwards as of 2/29/08 | | (10,140,218 | ) |
| Unrealized appreciation of investments | | 16,484,530 | |
| Net assets | $ | 521,246,739 | |
The differences between book basis and tax basis components of net assets are primarily attributable to tax deferral of losses on wash sales and tax treatment of the Fund’s participation in inverse floater programs.
For federal income tax purposes, capital loss carryforwards may be carried forward and applied against future capital gains. Capital loss carryforwards remaining at February 29, 2008 will expire as follows: $8,323,306 expires in 2009, $1,161,652 expires in 2010, $316,507 expires in 2014 and $338,753 expires in 2016.
For the six months ended August 31, 2008, the Fund had capital losses of $991,184 which may increase the capital loss carryforwards.
27
Notes to financial statements
Delaware Tax-Free Pennsylvania Fund
6. Capital Shares
Transactions in capital shares were as follows:
| | Six Months | | Year |
| | Ended | | Ended |
| | 8/31/08 | | 2/29/08 |
| Shares sold: | | | | | |
| Class A | 2,208,117 | | | 3,143,596 | |
| Class B | 9,199 | | | 19,373 | |
| Class C | 242,819 | | | 391,963 | |
| |
| Shares issued upon reinvestment of dividends and distributions: | | | | | |
| Class A | 832,495 | | | 1,730,710 | |
| Class B | 8,835 | | | 23,292 | |
| Class C | 17,825 | | | 30,695 | |
| | 3,319,290 | | | 5,339,629 | |
| | | | | | |
| Shares repurchased: | | | | | |
| Class A | (3,866,301 | ) | | (7,363,656 | ) |
| Class B | (148,764 | ) | | (485,203 | ) |
| Class C | (134,327 | ) | | (173,967 | ) |
| | (4,149,392 | ) | | (8,022,826 | ) |
| Net decrease | (830,102 | ) | | (2,683,197 | ) |
For the six months ended August 31, 2008 and year ended February 29, 2008, 71,605 Class B shares were converted to 71,605 Class A shares valued at $558,006 and 304,271 Class B shares were converted to 304,200 Class A shares valued at $2,441,583, respectively. The respective amounts are included in Class B redemptions and Class A subscriptions in the table above and the statements of changes in net assets.
7. Inverse Floaters
The Fund may participate in inverse floater programs the Fund transfers its own bonds to a trust that issues floating rate securities and inverse floating rate securities (inverse floaters) with an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal of the transferred bonds. The inverse floaters received by the Fund are derivative tax-exempt obligations with floating or variable interest rates that move in the opposite direction of short-term interest rates, usually at an accelerated speed. Consequently, the market values of the inverse floaters will generally be more volatile than other tax-exempt investments. The Fund typically uses inverse floaters to adjust the duration of its portfolio. Duration measures a portfolio’s sensitivity to changes in interest rates. By holding inverse floaters with a different duration than the underlying bonds that the Fund transferred to the trust, the Fund seeks to adjust its portfolio’s sensitivity to changes in interest rates. The Fund may also invest in inverse floaters to add additional income to the Fund or to adjust the Fund’s exposure to a specific segment of the yield curve. At August 31, 2008, the Fund no longer participates in the inverse floater program.
28
8. Line of Credit
The Fund, along with certain other funds in the Delaware Investments® Family of Funds (Participants), participates in a $225,000,000 revolving line of credit with The Bank of New York Mellon (BNY Mellon) to be used for temporary or emergency purposes as an additional source of liquidity to fund redemptions of investor shares. The Participants are charged an annual commitment fee, which is allocated across the Participants on the basis of each participant’s allocation of the entire facility. The Participants may borrow up to a maximum of one third of their net assets under the agreement. The Fund had no amounts outstanding as of August 31, 2008, or at any time during the period then ended.
9. Credit and Market Risk
The Fund concentrates its investments in securities issued by Pennsylvania’s municipalities. The value of these investments may be adversely affected by new legislation within the state, regional or local economic conditions, and differing levels of supply and demand for municipal bonds. Many municipalities insure repayment for their obligations. Although bond insurance reduces the risk of loss due to default by an issuer, such bonds remain subject to the risk that value may fluctuate for other reasons and there is no assurance that the insurance company will meet its obligations. A real or perceived decline in creditworthiness of a bond insurer can have an adverse impact on the value of insured bonds held in the Fund. At August 31, 2008, 27% of the Fund’s net assets were insured by bond insurers. These securities have been identified in the statement of net assets.
The Fund may invest in advanced refunded bonds, escrow secured bonds or defeased bonds. Under current federal tax laws and regulations, state and local government borrowers are permitted to refinance outstanding bonds by issuing new bonds. The issuer refinances the outstanding debt to either reduce interest costs or to remove or alter restrictive covenants imposed by the bonds being refinanced. A refunding transaction where the municipal securities are being refunded within 90 days from the issuance of the refunding issue is known as a “current refunding.” Advance refunded bonds are bonds in which the refunded bond issue remains outstanding for more than 90 days following the issuance of the refunding issue. In an advance refunding, the issuer will use the proceeds of a new bond issue to purchase high grade interest bearing debt securities which are then deposited in an irrevocable escrow account held by an escrow agent to secure all future payments of principal and interest and bond premium of the advance refunded bond. Bonds are “escrowed to maturity” when the proceeds of the refunding issue are deposited in an escrow account for investment sufficient to pay all of the principal and interest on the original interest payment and maturity dates.
Bonds are considered “pre-refunded” when the refunding issue’s proceeds are escrowed only until a permitted call date or dates on the refunded issue with the refunded issue being redeemed at the time, including any required premium. Bonds become “defeased” when the rights and interests of the bondholders and their lien on the pledged revenues or other security under the terms of the bond contract are substituted with an alternative source of revenues (the escrow securities)
29
Notes to financial statements
Delaware Tax-Free Pennsylvania Fund
9. Credit and Market Risk (continued)
sufficient to meet payments of principal and interest to maturity or to the first call dates. Escrowed secured bonds will often receive a rating of AAA from Moody’s Investors Service, Inc., Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group, and/or Fitch Ratings due to the strong credit quality of the escrow securities and the irrevocable nature of the escrow deposit agreement.
The Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities, which may include securities with contractual restrictions on resale, securities exempt from registration under Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and other securities which may not be readily marketable. The relative illiquidity of these securities may impair each Fund from disposing of them in a timely manner and at a fair price when it is necessary or desirable to do so. While maintaining oversight, the Fund’s Board has delegated to DMC the day-to-day functions of determining whether individual securities are liquid for purposes of the Fund’s limitation on investments in illiquid assets. Securities eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144A, which are determined to be liquid, are not subject to the Fund’s 15% limit on investments in illiquid securities. As of August 31, 2008, there were no Rule 144A securities and no securities have been determined to be illiquid under the Fund’s Liquidity Procedures.
10. Contractual Obligations
The Fund enters into contracts in the normal course of business that contain a variety of indemnifications. The Fund’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is unknown. However, the Fund has not had prior claims or losses pursuant to these contracts. Management has reviewed the Fund’s existing contracts and expects the risk of loss to be remote.
30
Other Fund information (unaudited)
Delaware Tax-Free Pennsylvania Fund
Board Consideration of Delaware Tax-Free Pennsylvania Fund Investment Advisory Agreement
At a meeting held on May 20-22, 2008 (the “Annual Meeting”), the Board of Trustees, including a majority of disinterested or independent Trustees, approved the renewal of the Investment Advisory Agreement for the Delaware Tax-Free Pennsylvania Fund (the “Fund”). In making its decision, the Board considered information furnished at regular quarterly Board meetings, including reports detailing Fund performance, investment strategies and expenses, as well as information prepared specifically in connection with the renewal of the investment advisory contract. Information furnished specifically in connection with the renewal of the Investment Advisory Agreement with Delaware Management Company (“DMC”) included materials provided by DMC and its affiliates (“Delaware Investments”) concerning, among other things, the nature, extent and quality of services provided to the Fund, the costs of such services to the Fund, economies of scale and the financial condition and profitability of Delaware Investments. In addition, in connection with the Annual Meeting, the Board separately received and reviewed in February 2008 independent historical and comparative reports prepared by Lipper Inc. (“Lipper”), an independent statistical compilation organization. The Lipper reports compared the Fund’s investment performance and expenses with those of other comparable mutual funds. The independent Trustees reviewed the Lipper reports with Counsel to the Independent Trustees at the February 2008 Board meeting and discussed such reports further with Counsel earlier in the Annual Meeting. The Board requested and received certain information regarding Management’s policy with respect to advisory fee levels and its philosophy with respect to breakpoints; the structure of portfolio manager compensation; the investment manager’s profitability; and any constraints or limitations on the availability of securities in certain investment styles which might inhibit DMC’s ability to invest fully in accordance with Fund policies.
In considering information relating to the approval of the Fund’s advisory agreement, the independent Trustees received assistance and advice from and met separately with independent counsel. Although the Trustees gave attention to all information furnished, the following discussion identifies, under separate headings, the primary factors taken into account by the Board in its contract renewal considerations.
Nature, Extent And Quality of Service. The Board considered the services provided by Delaware Investments to the Fund and its shareholders. In reviewing the nature, extent and quality of services, the Board emphasized reports furnished to it throughout the year at regular Board meetings covering matters such as the relative performance of the Fund, compliance of portfolio managers with the investment policies, strategies and restrictions for the Fund, the compliance of management personnel with the Code of Ethics adopted throughout the Delaware Investments Family of Funds complex and the adherence to fair value pricing procedures as established by the Board. The Board was pleased with the current staffing of the Fund’s investment advisor and the emphasis placed on research in the investment process. Favorable consideration was given to DMC’s efforts to maintain expenditures and, in some instances, increase financial and human resources committed to fund matters. The Board
31
Other Fund information (unaudited)
Delaware Tax-Free Pennsylvania Fund
Board Consideration of Delaware Tax-Free Pennsylvania Fund Investment Advisory Agreement (continued)
also considered the transfer agent and shareholder services provided to Fund shareholders by Delaware Investments’ affiliate, Delaware Service Company, Inc. (“DSC”), noting DSC’s commitment to maintain a high level of service as well as Delaware Investments’ expenditures to improve the delivery of shareholder services. During 2007 Management commenced the outsourcing of certain investment accounting functions that are expected to improve further the quality and the cost of delivering investment accounting services to the Fund. The Board once again noted the benefits provided to Fund shareholders by being part of the Delaware Investments Family of Funds, including each shareholder’s ability to exchange an investment in one Delaware Investments fund for the same class of shares in another Delaware Investments fund without a sales charge, to reinvest Fund dividends into additional shares of the Fund or into additional shares of other Delaware Investments funds and the privilege to combine holdings in other Delaware Investments funds to obtain a reduced sales charge. The Board was satisfied with the nature, extent and quality of the overall services provided by Delaware Investments.
Investment Performance. The Board considered the overall investment performance of DMC and the Fund. The Board placed significant emphasis on the investment performance of the Fund in view of its importance to shareholders. Although the Board gave appropriate consideration to performance reports and discussions with portfolio managers at Board meetings throughout the year, the Board gave particular weight to the Lipper reports furnished for the Annual Meeting. The Lipper reports prepared for the Fund showed the investment performance of its Class A shares in comparison to a group of similar funds as selected by Lipper (the “Performance Universe”). A fund with the best performance ranked first, and a fund with the poorest, ranked last. The highest/best performing 25% of funds in the Performance Universe make up the first quartile; the next 25%, the second quartile; the next 25%, the third quartile; and the poorest/worst performing 25% of funds in the Performance Universe make up the fourth quartile. Comparative annualized performance for the Fund was shown for the past one-, three-, five- and ten-year periods ended December 31, 2007. The Board’s objective is that the Fund’s performance for the periods considered be at or above the median of its Performance Universe. The Trustees complimented Management on navigating the Delaware Investments Family of Funds fixed income funds through the turbulent financial markets since 2007 without incurring a major difficulty. The following paragraph summarizes the performance results for the Fund and the Board’s view of such performance.
The Performance Universe for the Fund consisted of the Fund and all retail and institutional Pennsylvania municipal debt funds as selected by Lipper. The Lipper report comparison showed that the Fund’s total return for the one- and ten-year periods was in the second quartile of its Performance Universe. The report further showed that the Fund’s total return for the three- and five-year periods was in the first quartile. The Board was satisfied with performance.
Comparative Expenses. The Board considered expense comparison data for the Delaware Investments Family of Funds. Management provided the Board with information on pricing levels and fee structures for the Fund as of October 31, 2007 and the most recent fiscal
32
year end for comparative funds as of August 31, 2007 or earlier. For any fund with a fiscal year end after August 31, 2007, such fund’s expense data were measured as of its fiscal year end for 2006. The Board focused on the comparative analysis of the effective management fees and total expense ratios of the Fund versus the effective management fees and expense ratios of a group of similar funds as selected by Lipper (the “Expense Group”). In reviewing comparative costs, the Fund’s contractual management fee and the actual management fee incurred by the Fund were compared with the contractual management fees (assuming all funds in the Expense Group were similar in size to the Fund) and actual management fees (as reported by each fund) of other funds within the Expense Group, taking into account any applicable breakpoints and fee waivers. The Fund’s total expenses were also compared with those of its Expense Group. The Lipper total expenses, for comparative consistency, were shown by Lipper for Class A shares and comparative total expenses including 12b-1 and non-12b-1 service fees. The Board also considered fees paid to Delaware Investments for non-management services. The Board noted its objective to limit the Fund’s total expense ratio to be competitive with that of the Expense Group. The following paragraph summarizes the expense results for the Fund and the Board’s view of such expenses.
The expense comparisons for the Fund showed that its actual management fee and total expenses were in the quartile with the second highest expenses of its Expense Group. The Board noted that the Fund’s total expenses were not in line with the Board’s objective. In evaluating total expenses, the Board considered waivers in place through June 2008 and recent initiatives implemented by Management, such as the outsourcing of certain transfer agency and investment accounting services, creating an opportunity for a reduction in expenses. The Board was satisfied with Management’s efforts to improve the Fund’s total expense ratio and bring it in line with the Board’s objective.
Management Profitability. The Board considered the level of profits realized by Delaware Investments in connection with the operation of the Fund. In this respect, the Board reviewed the Investment Management Profitability Analysis that addressed the overall profitability of Delaware Investments’ business in providing management and other services to each of the individual funds and the Delaware Investments Family of Funds as a whole. Specific attention was given to the methodology followed in allocating costs for the purpose of determining profitability. Management stated that the level of profits of Delaware Investments, to a certain extent, reflect operational cost savings and efficiencies initiated by Delaware Investments. The Board considered Delaware Investments’ efforts to improve services provided to fund shareholders and to meet additional regulatory and compliance requirements resulting from recent industry-wide SEC initiatives. The Board also considered the extent to which Delaware Investments might derive ancillary benefits from fund operations, including the potential for procuring additional business as a result of the prestige and visibility associated with its role as service provider to the Delaware Investments Family of Funds and the benefits from allocation of fund brokerage to improve trading efficiencies. The Board found that the management fees were reasonable in light of the services rendered and the level of profitability of Delaware Investments.
33
Other Fund information (unaudited)
Delaware Tax-Free Pennsylvania Fund
Board Consideration of Delaware Tax-Free Pennsylvania Fund Investment Advisory Agreement (continued)
Economies of Scale. The Trustees considered whether economies of scale are realized by Delaware Investments as the Fund’s assets increase and the extent to which any economies of scale are reflected in the level of management fees charged. The Trustees reviewed the standardized advisory fee pricing and structure, approved by the Board and shareholders, which includes breakpoints. Breakpoints in the advisory fee occur when the advisory fee rate is reduced on assets in excess of specified levels. Breakpoints result in a lower advisory fee than would otherwise be the case on all assets when the asset levels specified are exceeded. The Board noted that the fee under the Fund’s management contract fell within the standard structure. The Board also noted that the Fund’s assets exceeded the first breakpoint level. The Board believed that, given the extent to which economics of scale might be realized by the advisor and its affiliates, the schedule of fees under the Investment Advisory Agreement provides a sharing of benefits with the Fund and its shareholders.
34
About the organization
This semiannual report is for the information of Delaware Tax-Free Pennsylvania Fund shareholders, but it may be used with prospective investors when preceded or accompanied by a current prospectus for Delaware Tax-Free Pennsylvania Fund and the Delaware Investments® Fund profile for the most recently completed calendar quarter. These documents are available at www.delawareinvestments.com. The prospectus sets forth details about charges, expenses, investment objectives, and operating policies of the investment company. You should read the prospectus carefully before you invest. The figures in this report represent past results that are not a guarantee of future results. The return and principal value of an investment in the investment company will fluctuate so that shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost.
| Board of trustees | |
| |
| Patrick P. Coyne | Ann R. Leven |
| Chairman, President, and | Consultant |
| Chief Executive Officer | ARL Associates |
| Delaware Investments Family of Funds | New York, NY |
| Philadelphia, PA | |
| Thomas F. Madison |
| Thomas L. Bennett | President and Chief Executive Officer |
| Private Investor | MLM Partners, Inc. |
| Rosemont, PA | Minneapolis, MN |
| |
| John A. Fry | Janet L. Yeomans |
| President | Vice President and Treasurer |
| Franklin & Marshall College | 3M Corporation |
| Lancaster, PA | St. Paul, MN |
| |
| Anthony D. Knerr | J. Richard Zecher |
| Founder and Managing Director | Founder |
| Anthony Knerr & Associates | Investor Analytics |
| New York, NY | Scottsdale, AZ |
| |
| Lucinda S. Landreth | |
| Former Chief Investment Officer | |
| Assurant, Inc. | |
| Philadelphia, PA | |
35
| Affiliated officers | Contact information |
| |
| David F. Connor | Investment manager |
| Vice President, Deputy General Counsel, and | Delaware Management Company, a series of |
| Secretary | Delaware Management Business Trust |
| Delaware Investments® Family of Funds | Philadelphia, PA |
| Philadelphia, PA | |
| National distributor |
| Daniel V. Geatens | Delaware Distributors, L.P. |
| Vice President and Treasurer | Philadelphia, PA |
| Delaware Investments Family of Funds | |
| Philadelphia, PA | Shareholder servicing, dividend disbursing, |
| and transfer agent |
| David P. O’Connor | Delaware Service Company, Inc. |
| Senior Vice President, General Counsel, | 2005 Market Street |
| and Chief Legal Officer | Philadelphia, PA 19103-7094 |
| Delaware Investments Family of Funds | |
| Philadelphia, PA | For shareholders |
| 800 523-1918 |
| Richard Salus | |
| Senior Vice President and | For securities dealers and financial |
| Chief Financial Officer | institutions representatives only |
| Delaware Investments Family of Funds | 800 362-7500 |
| Philadelphia, PA | |
| Web site |
| www.delawareinvestments.com |
Delaware Investments is the marketing name of Delaware Management Holdings, Inc. and its subsidiaries.
The Fund files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the Securities and Exchange Commission for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year on Form N-Q. The Fund’s Forms N-Q, as well as a description of the policies and procedures that the Fund uses to determine how to vote proxies (if any) relating to portfolio securities are available without charge (i) upon request, by calling 800 523-1918; and (ii) on the Commission’s Web site at www.sec.gov. In addition, a description of the policies and procedures that the Fund uses to determine how to vote proxies (if any) relating to portfolio securities and the Fund’s Schedule of Investments are available without charge on the Fund’s Web site at www.delawareinvestments.com. The Fund’s Forms N-Q may be reviewed and copied at the Commission’s Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C.; information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling 800 SEC-0330.
Information (if any) regarding how the Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recently disclosed 12-month period ended June 30 is available without charge (i) through the Fund’s Web site at www.delawareinvestments.com; and (ii) on the Commission’s Web site at www.sec.gov.
36
Item 2. Code of Ethics
Not applicable.
Item 3. Audit Committee Financial Expert
Not applicable.
Item 4. Principal Accountant Fees and Services
Not applicable.
Item 5. Audit Committee of Listed Registrants
Not applicable.
Item 6. Investments
(a) Included as part of report to shareholders filed under Item 1 of this Form N-CSR.
(b) Divestment of securities in accordance with Section 13(c) of the Investment Company Act of 1940.
Not applicable.
Item 7. Disclosure of Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures for Closed-End Management Investment Companies
Not applicable.
Item 8. Portfolio Managers of Closed-End Management Investment Companies
Not applicable.
Item 9. Purchases of Equity Securities by Closed-End Management Investment Companies and Affiliated Purchasers
Not applicable.
Item 10. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders
Not applicable.
Item 11. Controls and Procedures
The registrant’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer have evaluated the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures within 90 days of the filing of this report and have concluded that they are effective in providing reasonable assurance that the information required to be disclosed by the registrant in its reports or statements filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the rules and forms of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
There were no significant changes in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the second fiscal quarter of the period covered by the report to stockholders included herein (i.e., the registrant’s second fiscal quarter) that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.
Item 12. Exhibits
(a) (1) Code of Ethics
Not applicable.
(2) Certifications of Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer pursuant to Rule 30a-2 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 are attached hereto as Exhibit 99.CERT.
(3) Written solicitations to purchase securities pursuant to Rule 23c-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
Not applicable.
(b) Certifications pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 are furnished herewith as Exhibit 99.906CERT.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf, by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
Name of Registrant: DELAWARE GROUP STATE TAX-FREE INCOME TRUST
| PATRICK P. COYNE |
| By: | Patrick P. Coyne |
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer |
| Date: | October 28, 2008 |
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
| PATRICK P. COYNE |
| By: | Patrick P. Coyne |
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer |
| Date: | October 28, 2008 |
| |
| RICHARD SALUS |
| By: | Richard Salus |
| Title: | Chief Financial Officer |
| Date: | October 28, 2008 |
