Voters in the Caesar Rodney School District said “yes” to a tax referendum Saturday.
District residents will pay an additional 57 cents per $100 of assessed property value over the next 5 years to bolster Caesar Rodney’s operating budget and pay for a series of building projects.
Unofficial election results have the referendum passing by a 62 to 38 percent margin with 1,939 people voting for the increase and 1,171 against.
The bulk of the increase – 41 cents – heads to the operating budget to make up for lost state and federal funds - as well as improving school security, updating technology, and maintaining the district’s immersion program and 9th grade Academy.
The other 16 cents will raise $27.8 million dollars to fund capital projects including construction of a new elementary school, an addition at McIlvaine Early Childhood Center and renovation of Caesar Rodney High School that would include a separate ninth grade academy.
It’s the first tax increase passed in the Caesar Rodney district since 2002. Three previous tries in 2005, 2006 and 2007 all failed.
This increase will cost a resident whose home has a sales value of $200,000 and an assessed value of $48,000 about $22 more each month.
