Residents are facing a tough Delaware County decision between paying more taxes to cover a proposed 23.8 percent tax increase many can’t afford, or a reduction in government services.
A debate over those choices in Delaware County’s proposed $321 million budget for 2025 generated a packed council meeting room Dec. 4, most opposing a tax increase, writes Kathleen E. Carey for the Daily Times.
A vote on the budget and tax increase are scheduled for Dec. 11.
A home with an average assessment of $255,109 would see the county tax bill go up from $803.34 to $988.03, or $184.69 more.
Council believes it has done everything it can to keep expenses down these past few years, including cuts to department budgets, elimination of excess positions and technological efficiency, according to Council Chair Dr. Monica Taylor.
It’s still not enough, because of inflation, she said.
Councilman Kevin Madden said that “no organization, no company, no government, no household, no entity can deal with inflationary costs and a flat income.”
The county did not see a tax increase for over a decade, so without that investment, roofs leaked, a parking garage collapsed, and more, Madden said.
“That’s what we’ve inherited,” he said.
Read more about a tough Delaware County decision regarding the 2025 budget in the Daily Times.
