Caesar Rodney residents voted against tax hikes in a referendum Saturday, April 22.

Caesar Rodney referendum results, next steps for district

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

The Caesar Rodney School District plans to go to referendum again after their request to raise school taxes by 27.7%, or $211 annually for the average homeowner, failed Saturday. “We believe the results of our recent referendum are not a reflection of our community’s lack of support for the district, rather our need to better clarify needs and the impact …

Bellefonte has proposed annexing two adjacent subdivisions.

Bellefonte wants to annex a bit, which upsets some folks

Ken MammarellaGovernment, Headlines

  NOTE: An earlier version of this story incorrectly attributed Brian Franklin’s quote to another person. Bellefonte, a town of 1,200 in northeastern New Castle County, wants to simplify its borders by annexing two neighboring subdivisions, but the idea is anything but simple. First, the concept – suggested by some homeowners in the areas that could be annexed – has …

Realty transfer tax

Delaware’s realty transfer tax to remain highest in nation

Charlie MegginsonHeadlines, Government

Delaware will remain the state with the highest realty transfer tax in the nation after a bill to decrease the tax died in the General Assembly.  Introduced by Rep. Bill Bush, D-Dover, House Bill 358 would have cut the tax from 4% of a property’s sale price to 3% — the level it was at prior to 2017 when the …

New Castle County's latest tax bill

New NCCo bills show new way to figure out taxes

Ken MammarellaGovernment, Headlines

New Castle County’s just-mailed tax bills come with an explanatory letter titled “Local service function tax rates have changed.” People who live in unincorporated parts of the county – and that’s most residents – and businesses in these unincorporated areas “will not see any change to their property tax rate,” the letter says. But it’s a different story for residents …

Tax Credit

Committee votes to raise senior property tax credit

Charlie MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

The committee responsible for drafting the state’s budget has voted to restore the senior property tax credit to its pre-2017 level. The credit was cut from $500 to $400 per year in 2017 in an effort to close a budget shortfall that year. Currently, the program allows homeowners ages 65 and over to claim a tax credit against regular school …

Weed, taxes, police reform likely to dominate end of GA session

Charlie MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

With the year-long campaign to pass paid family and medical leave in the rearview mirror, the General Assembly returns to work Tuesday with two months left to focus on the rest of its progressive agenda. When the House of Representatives and Senate reconvene, they will be kicking off a two-month stretch to the end of the 151st General Assembly on …

Republican bill would increase senior property tax credit to $750 max

Charlie MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

A Republican-backed bill to nearly double the tax break for senior citizen homeowners is pending action in the Delaware House of Representatives.  House Bill 287, sponsored by Rep. Kevin Hensley, R-Odessa, would increase the Senior School Property Tax Credit to a maximum of $750 annually. Currently, homeowners ages 65 and older are eligible for a 50 percent tax credit against …

Gov’s budget proposal nears $5 billion; includes raises for all state employees

Charlie MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

Gov. John Carney (D) on Thursday introduced his proposed FY 2023 operating budget/Stacey Hofmann Gov. John Carney’s $4.99 billion proposed budget for 2023 includes raises for all state employees, increased opportunity funding for schools in low-income areas, continued investment in clean water and economic development initiatives and funding for the construction of three new schools and two courthouses. What the …

As revenues rise, Republicans say taxpayers should get some money back

Charlie MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

Republicans in the General Assembly have introduced six bills to decrease Delawareans’ tax burden. (Getty Images) Republicans in the House of Representatives have introduced six new bills to return surplus state revenue to Delawareans. With a windfall of cash from federal stimulus bills and the bipartisan infrastructure bill, Republican lawmakers say there’s no better time to give Delawareans some needed …