With little discussion and no public comment, Kent County Levy Court this week passed the county’s FY 2026 budget.
Last year, after the county’s first property value reassessment since the 1980’s, Kent officials instituted a major property tax cut - from 36 cents per $100 of value to just 5.72 cents to compensate for new property values
A year later, Levy Court felt comfortable holding the tax rate at the same level.
There was no public comment on any of the 12 separate resolutions attached to the budget, nor was there any on the budget ordinance itself. Speaking in advance of Tuesday’s vote, Levy Court President Joanne Masten said that’s not uncommon, at least in her five years on Levy Court.
“To date, I can't count more than one or two people that will come before us and have a question about the budget," she said.
Masten attributes the lack of public comment to Levy Court’s careful stewardship of public funds.
She also praised her fellow commissioners and their ability to find consensus and had glowing words for county finance staff.
“They're the best and the most thorough," Masten said. "When the decisions are made, they're right and we honor those decisions because that's what we pay those people for is to give us the guidance we need to be prudent with taxpayer money.”
Kent County’s $43.7 million 2026 general budget goes into effect on July 1.
