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The Brandywine School District is working to pass its tax referendum February 13th

Delaware Public Media

The Brandywine School District is making its pitch to pass next month’s tax referendum.

The district held the first of three town halls explaining its operating referendum request Thursday night.

The Brandywine School District has not had a referendum since 2016- stretching their dollars far beyond the 3 years they were expected to last.

And they’ve seen 2.21% in budget growth in that time.

As a result, BSD is now seeking a 45-cent tax increase spread out over two years - 25 cents in year one and 20 cents in year two - which would cost the average homeowner about $324 in total.

The additional revenue will allow Brandywine to pay for safety and security projects, after-school and alternative programming, staffing, and supplies.

If this referendum fails, district Chief Financial Officer Jill Floore says they face $6.5 million in budget cuts.

“It’s an 8.4% cut to the overall budget, and 80% of our operating funds staff. So it would be a significant number of staff and programming that we’d have to look at. We would certainly look at having another operating referendum before the end of the fiscal year if we had to but it’s why we’re focusing so much effort on doing it right the first time,” she said.

Floore adds the district is emphasizing that ongoing property reassessment will be revenue neutral - and not provide the district any additional money.

Appoquinimink School District cited that misunderstanding as one reason its referendum failed last month.

“So while people will have different assessed values closer to market value, we would have to reduce the tax rate to remain revenue neutral. So there isn’t a windfall on top of what the district is asking for, they are two entirely separate things,” explained Floore.

She adds she understands the referendum process can be confusing, especially with property assessment underway for the first time in 40 years.

The reassessment will play no part in BSD’s financial modeling going into the next 3 years.

Floore is one of several staff and board members participating in town hall presentations to inform the community on what the referendum means.

Thursday’s town hall meeting, the first of three, had some surprise guests- four Concord High School seniors.

They’re part of Concord’s Make-A-Change Club, which was created to elevate marginalized voices within the school.

The club’s leadership heard about the referendum online, and have since been working to spread awareness on its importance.

Quinn Kirkpatrick
/
Delaware Public Media

The four members made a plea to residents at a town hall Thursday evening.

Anyone Delaware resident over the age of 18 who lives in the Brandywine School District can vote on this referendum. And the club’s Vice President Katie Framptom says everyone should- whether or not they have a child in a BSD school.

“By investing in the district you’re also investing in your own property,” explained Frampton. “Because if the district that you live in is very good, you’re going to draw in a lot of new people who want to move to the area. And that’s going to benefit your property taxes and you. So not only are you benefiting the children around you and their education, but you’re also benefiting yourself. And that’s very valuable.”

As seniors, none of the four students will be affected by this referendum.

But Rushil Patel says moving forward, he wants every student to have the opportunities that he had in the Brandywine School District.

“I actually moved to America in Sophomore year. And I had the opportunity to join about 7 clubs, and even be an officer in some of them,” said Patel. “I had the opportunity to run cross country as a JV athlete. And let me tell you, I’m horrible at running. But my point is, I would not be able to do any of that if my school wasn’t receiving the funding that it is right now.”

Jackson Hamilton says the leadership and accountability that he learned by participating in sports alone is worth the $324 the district is asking for from each taxpayer. But BSD has offered him much more than that.

“We are shaped so much more as people through the efforts of our staff and the programming that is available to us,” said Hamilton. “Being able to come every day with smiles on teachers faces, being able to feel like we are an actual family- not only does it help me get a good grade on a test, but it makes it easier for us to communicate and relate with one another.”

MAC Club president and founder Ojas Paudyal says he’s received many chances to meet with students at other schools through his extracurriculars.

“The quality education that the Brandywine School District is able to give with the little money they have is outstanding. And to be able to have better funding will do wonders for BSD programs,” he said.

This echoes a point the Brandywine School District is trying to hammer home in their referendum presentations to the public. Despite stretching their funding thin, they’ve had many successes over the past year.

Brandywine has two more town halls planned, January 27th at P.S. duPont Middle School and 30th at Springer Middle School, before their February 13th vote.

For those who can’t make those dates, the district is willing to come to you.

“We are willing to speak to any group. We’re going to 3 to 5 organizations a night between now and the referendum,” said BSD Assistant Superintendent Kenneth Rivera. “And anyone who wants to have us come and present and answer questions we are more than happy to meet.”

More information on that can be found online at brandywineschools.org/referendum.

Quinn Kirkpatrick was born and raised in Wilmington, Delaware, and graduated from the University of Delaware. She joined Delaware Public Media in June 2021.