Last night, the Brandywine Board of Education passed a resolution calling for a referendum to support additional capital and organizational costs for the district. The referendum will be held March 23rd, 2016. The unanimous board vote calls for a referendum to increase property taxes by approximately $240 per tax payer on an annual basis according to an article from WDEL last month.
The last time Brandywine held a referendum was in 2012 for operating costs. The referendum passed with 4,624 yes votes compared to 4,013 voting no as per Hockessin Community News.
The new referendum was recommended by Superintendent Dr. Mark Holodick. With school funding becoming a very controversial and hot topic in 2015, there is no mistaking that local funding is increasingly taking on more and more of a district’s operating costs. Red Clay, Caesar Rodney and Milford passed much needed referendums earlier this year, while Christina failed in two referendum attempts. Christina will attempt for a third referendum attempt in 2016 as well.