Merry Christmas Appo Citizens! Santa might bring you a tax increase for the holidays! Appoquinimink School District is holding a referendum for capital projects and operational increases on December 20th, from 10am to 8pm. The State of Delaware approved their request. I find December 20th to be a very odd date for a referendum. People are getting ready for the holidays and celebrating.
The capital cost part of the referendum will call for the following:
A new High School and Middle School at the Fairview Campus
A new Elementary School at Whitehall
Renovating and expanding Silver Lake Elementary School
Rebuilding and expanding Everett Meredith Middle School
If the referendum passes, the state will pay 75% of the costs and Appoquinimink will pay 25% out of the referendum tax increase. As well, they are also having a second part of the referendum to deal with operational costs in the following areas:
Enhancement and replacement of instructional technology
Staff recruitment and retention
Operating expenses associated with enrollment growth
The referendum would see taxpayers in the district paying an average of $17.36 more a month in school taxes based on an average assessed home price of $88,500.00. Keep in mind, this is the assessed value of a home and not the actual value of the home. I find the new elementary school at Whitehall to be ironic given that the Delaware State Board of Education approved a charter school at that location but the Mapleton at Whitehall Charter School board decided to try their luck in Dover but then gave up unexpectedly and turned in their charter.