No Change to CSD Tax Warrant

By Elizabeth Scheinberg

After an informative presentation at the Board Meeting last night, CSD BOE voted to accept to the district recommendation that the 2009/10 tax warrant maintain the same levels as the 2008/09 warrant. For CSD tax payers, there will be no increase to school taxes.

Of note, the district cited 1% increase in revenue from taxes due to new construction, both residential and commercial (thank you Home Depot.)

On the down side, the closing of the Chrysler Plant in Newark could lead to a $1 million loss in revenue. After consulting with the State Auditor and Department of Education, the value of the former Chrysler property was not included in the calculations. The district will cease to receive revenue from the site if it is purchased by a non-for-profit entity such as the University of Delaware, the apparent fore-funner in current real estate negotiations. Furthermore, a for-profit successor entity to Chrysler could choose to level the plant, remove all the buildings, and leave the land with little to no taxable value for the purpose of school taxes.

I hope to delve a little deeper into the tax warrant in the coming days, to explain the more complicated portions of the formula. But, first I need to fact check for accuracy.

As for the board meeting itself, it started forty minutes late, indicating that executive session prior to the meeting ran long. In-coming Superintendent Marcia Lyles was again in attendance. During public comment the Board acknowledged outgoing member Beverly Howell for her years of service. The other noteworthy action of the night, voting on the consent agenda, was complicated by the decision to table all of Item B - Bid Awards for Foreign Language Translators, Elementary Counseling Services, Behavior Intervention Specialist Services, In School Alternative Program, and Student Support Services [ whose job it is to "assist building staff in monitoring in various capacities such as Hall Monitor and In School Suspension Monitor" (6/23/09, School Board Meeting Agenda, p. 4, BID #CSD-2009-05.)] The vote was 4-2 in favor of tabling.