New Castle County began its budget hearing process.
County Executive Matt Meyer’s recommended operating budget is just under $342.5 million. The capital budget proposed is $34.2 million – about $23 million for general projects and $11 million for sewer.
There are no proposed property or utility tax increases. And County Chief Financial Officer Michael Smith says other revenue streams are bouncing back – like the county’s hotel tax.
Some council members like Councilman John Cartier and Councilwoman Dee Durham suggested including Air BnB and Vrbo in the lodging tax.
“The whole Air BnB and VRBO phenomenon has really grown tremendously, and I know that it’s growing in this county," Cartier says.
“Wilmington is considering an AirBnb and Vrbo tax," Durham adds.
Smith’s presentation also showed the county has added 55 new full-time positions since 2021, and is requesting another 15 this year. Six were added in the middle of the current fiscal year, five of which were parks positions approved by council.
The county also heard requests from the Sheriff's department, mainly requesting wage increases, and the Public Works Department, which hopes to make library and park improvements and bolster electric vehicle infrastructure this year.
Public Works General Manager Tracy Surles says the Water Quality Improvements Program goes out to bid this November on restoring 8,500 feet of the Little Mill Creek in Woodland Run Park, costing $2.4 million this fiscal year.
And part of the White Clay System Rehabilitation will run the county $4.1 million this year.
“Where we will realign approximately 550 linear feet of 12 inch trunkline that is to be bid in November of this year. We are also going to be focusing along Newport Gap Pike. In that corridor we have a lot of infiltration and inflow, I & I issues, so we will be doing investigations of that area for improvement.”
The budget request also includes just over $2 million to install more electric vehicle chargers across the county.
Community Services Department General Manager Carrie Casey seeks funding for four projects this year, including a needs assessment for a new library in Glasgow.
Demolition of the current and construction of a new Newark library will not begin until 2025.
Council will hear from Land Use, the Ethics Commission, and others, next Thursday.
