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Delco community voice opposition to significant property tax increase
There’s a budget debate brewing in Delaware County as the council is planning to vote on a nearly $397 million county budget that comes with a significant property tax hike.
MEDIA, Pa. - There’s a budget debate brewing in Delaware County as the council is planning to vote on a nearly $397 million county budget and within that budget, a more than 23 percent property tax increase for county residents.
"Taxpayers don’t want to fit the bill for a ballooning government when costs remain high," says a concerned citizen at a Delaware County Council meeting.
Another person at the meeting said, "We already pay some of the highest property taxes in the greater Philadelphia area. We the taxpayers are already hurting from inflation."
Members of council say a property tax increase is their best option.
"We went through a period prior to this board where 12 years went by without a tax increase. You notice from that chart no other county has ever done that in this region," says Council Member Elaine Schaefer.
Council Member Christine Reuther says, "We just don’t have any choice about this if we are going to continue to operate the government. We’ve deferred all that we can do as long as we can."
What they can’t agree on is the amount of increase.
"I think, if like minds come together, we can work together, we can get through this crisis and I hope to be able to do it without a 23 percent increase," says Vice Chair Richard Womack.
Officials from Aqua Pennsylvania spoke at the meeting and believe they could purchase DELCORA, the municipality run wastewater group, to help the county and provide better rates for the community.
"Would generate up to $125 million in proceeds that would ultimately go to the county and could be used to offset these tax increases that are going to be faced by these people," says Marc Lucca, the President of Aqua Pennsylvania.
As for the residents, they feel the increase is just another burden to the community.
"The way I see it, It’s 23 percent here, credit cards get you for 3 percent here, this one gets you for 5 percent here and it all starts adding up. I don’t understand why it has to stop at we the people," says Denise Godfrey of Upper Chichester.
The council will have another meeting Wednesday at 6 p.m. at the Government Center in Media. Then, on December 11th, they will have a meeting to vote on the property tax increase.