Appoquinimink’s referendum has passed in the district’s second attempt to raise local taxes to support district operations and operating costs.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Take two — Appoquinimink School District‘s second stab at a referendum has passed.
The district will raise about $77.8 million in local revenue: $11,126,000 for operating costs and $66,663,550 for capital costs. The average homeowner will see an increase of $435 per year on their tax bill.
The influx of funds will help the district maintain its operations as well as help finance capital projects such as new building construction.
“It wouldn’t have been possible without the community support and without the efforts of all the people that are in this room and people that aren’t in this room,” said Superintendent Matt Burrows. “It took a team effort to get this through and I’m excited to see that our community sees the need and supports our kids and staff.”
Appo’s first attempt at referendum failed on Dec. 12, 2023 in a very close vote.
RELATED: Appo referendum fails, preliminary voting results show
Burrows also acknowledged those that voted against the referendum.
“We do have some of our community that we need do a better job of connecting with and showing the great things are happening in our schools,” he said, “and that will be one of the tasks that I look to carry out as we move forward.”
Leading up to the second attempt, Appo’s board warned that if the referendum fails, not only will the district miss out on $233 million in state funding, it will have to make hefty job cuts, drastically increase the amount of students in each classroom, will have to move classes to modular trailers and more.
Unofficial results via the Delaware Department of Elections:
Section I: 7,412 votes FOR (56.6%) ; 5,674 votes AGAINST (43.4%)
Approval to raise local taxes ($o.399 per $100 assessed value) for current operating expenses (teacher and staff compensation, safety and security, operating expenses due to growth, maintaining student devices).
Section II: 7,627 votes FOR (57%) ; 5,765 votes AGAINST (43%)
Approval to raise local taxes ($0.03 per $100 assessed value) for capital projects â middle school and high school on Summit Campus and elementary school on Green Giant Road).
âWe are at a pivotal crossroads in our district,” Burrows said. “This vote ensures we can continue to deliver the highest-quality education to our growing district.”
School Board President Michelle Wall said the Appo community has shown that they believe in the district and the work it is doing. The school board understood the gravity of this ask, she said, but it also knew the importance of it.
“This referendum ensures we can support our teachers and staff through more competitive compensation,” Burrows said. “We are now in a position to build more schools to accommodate the growth in our district and narrow the pay gap between Appoquinimink teachers and the rest of New Castle County.â
Raised in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, Jarek earned a B.A. in journalism and a B.A. in political science from Temple University in 2021. After running CNNâs Michael Smerconishâs YouTube channel, Jarek became a reporter for the Bucks County Herald before joining Delaware LIVE News.
Jarek can be reached by email at [email protected] or by phone at (215) 450-9982. Follow him on Twitter @jarekrutz
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