The Caesar Rodney School District will hold a public meeting next week in advance of its tax referendum next month.
The referendum is set for February 9. It’s the district’s first attempt to raise school taxes since 2023, when more than two-thirds of voters voted against an operating referendum.
At a meeting last month, school board member David Failing acknowledged that, this time around, the district is doing more to inform the public.
“I think this time around the explanation of what the election's all about was a lot more well-defined than last time, so it was a lot of work," he said.
The effort to keep voters informed includes detailed information on the district’s website, like a calculator so that property owners can estimate how much their taxes would rise. District officials say the average home would see an increase of about $274 per year.
The district is also holding an in-person and virtual public information session on January 15 at 6:00 at Caesar Rodney High School and a virtual-only forum on February 5.
Money from the referendum - some $6.1 million if approved - will go towards safety improvements, staff recruiting and retention, and student supports.
Polls for the February 9 referendum will be open from 7:00 am to 8:00 pm.
