The New Castle County Government’s Holding up a ‘BARGAIN’ Sign but Lift the Curtain and You’ll See Half the Merchandise Missing

The New Castle County Government’s holding up a ‘BARGAIN’ sign but lift the curtain and you’ll see half the merchandise missing and a 15 % price jump already waiting in the back room. Let’s read the tag they’re hiding.”

The brag and the missing half sentence Officials trumpet “New Castle County (NCC) taxes are the lowest around”. True, but they never add: “…because NCC funds LESS THAN HALF the services full-service counties do.”

1. New Castle County pays for 4 big things other counties pay for about 10.

2. The state of Delaware covers highways, bridges, courts, jails, hospitals, public health clinics, and most social service costs. 3. NCC funds land use, sewers, a limited park + library system, and one police force that patrols only unincorporated areas (State Police & city PDs cover the rest). Half the cart → half the cost: 1. NCC rate (FY 2026): 0.16 % 2. Delaware Co. PA: 0.39 %

3. Chester Co. PA: 0.52 % 4. Cecil Co. MD: 0.98 % We pay 15-40 % of our neighbors’ county rate, exactly what you’d expect for half the services.

Bottom line: We fund maybe 4 of 10 big ticket items. So, our FY 2026 county rate (0.16 % of market value) must be lower than Delaware Co. PA (0.39 %) or Cecil Co. MD (0.98 %).

Apples to apples, which checks out.

Why some county bills still spiked in 2025

1. 40-year freeze thawed overnight: Average assessment 500 %, rate 0 %. If your value rose 411 %, your county line still jumped.

2. Homes > warehouses: Residential values ballooned faster than business property, shifting more load to homeowners (Reportedly businesses “commercial properties” were asked to fill out a form without Tyler Technologies checking accuracy and accountability measures).

3. Neighborhood swings: Greenville up 350 %; Claymont up 650 %, your street, not the average, drove your bill.

4. Regressive hit: Seniors and fixed income homeowners feel it first, yes, liens and sheriff’s sales are the enforcement end game if taxes go unpaid.

School tax rocket booster

1. Red Clay & Appoquinimink boards grabbed Delaware’s one time 10 % no vote hike (14 Del. C. § 1916 b).

2. Every district’s bill climbed regardless, because the tax base exploded.

3. Any district, including Red Clay & Appoquinimink, can still run a referendum next year for even more money. (For reference: Pennsylvania's no vote cap 5 %; New Jersey’s 2 %; Manyland has no separate school levy, Delaware’s 10 % is the region’s biggest automatic lever).

The new shell game for 2026

1. School tax distraction Residents rage at school bills, exactly where County Government wants the spotlight.

2. County hike backstage Credible insiders say County Executive Marcus Henry already has Council vote commitments for a 15 % county rate increase for the next budget. No press release, just quietly whispered behind closed doors.

3. Net impact A potential 15 % bump erases the price edge we should have as a half service county. Pair it with likely school referenda and your 2026 bill could dwarf the 2025 reassessment shock.

How they’ll spin it

1. “Still lower than Pennsylvania.” True, until repeated hikes close the gap while we still fund half the services.

2. “It’s for public safety.” Yet the State still pays for courts, prisons, State Police patrols, and much of the paramedic costs.

3. Point at school taxes to keep eyes off the county column.

Your move before the vote is locked

1. Ask your Council member NOW: “Will you vote for any county rate increase next year? How much and why?”

2. Pin down your school board: “Are you planning a referendum next year, even after using (or skipping) the 10 % bump?”

3. Appeal if your assessment rose 411 %: Paper trail beats wishful thinking. Frozen values thawed overnight. Assessments jumped about 500 % (average 1983 to 2023 values). If yours rose 411 %, your county line still climbed, no matter how far the rate fell.

4. Email your school board & state reps: Ask why § 1916 b still exists and when they’ll give voters a say (the 10% school tax increase after reassessment without referendum, taxation without representation, remember the Boston Tea Party school history lesson).

5. Demand daylight: Early draft budgets, evening hearings, five-year cost projections in plain English. Lower county taxes make sense only if leaders stay honest about the smaller service list and tell you up front when they plan to raise the rate anyway.

Don’t settle for spin. Demand the full ledger.

- Karen Hartley Nagle Former President, New Castle County Council (2016-2024)