PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Delaware County Council approved a 23% property tax increase on Wednesday, voting 4-1. Council members said the hike is necessary because federal COVID-19 funds have run out and other revenue sources remain flat.
On average, the increase would amount to an extra $15 a month, or roughly $185 annually, for most homeowners starting next year.
Dozens of residents at Wednesday night’s meeting spoke out against it.
“Just the financial irresponsibility, it’s mind-blowing,” said one attendee. “It’s discouraging to me as a young person because it’s disheartening for all the younger people who want to keep Delaware County going and remain in Delaware County and work in Delaware County.”
“None of us can go and be like, ‘Hey I’m going to use taxpayer credit card and spend, spend, spend, spend, spend and not hit a budget.’ I run a company; if I ever tried to run a business like this, I’d be out of business in two years,” argued another.
Councilmember Elaine Paul Schaefer said it was a “hard decision” and an “unpopular vote that none of us want to make.”
Delaware County Council Chair Dr. Monica Taylor said the increase was inevitable. Property taxes went nearly a decade without being raised before a 5% increase last year.
However, she said the county is developing a real estate tax deferral program to help residents struggling to pay the new rates.
“This program will allow income-eligible residents to defer their increase in tax. Simply put, they will pay the same increase in tax rate as was in place last year,” Taylor explained.
In addition to that program, Delaware County Council agreed with Vice Chair Richard Womack’s recommendation to create a community-based budget commission for next year’s budget. Womack was the only member who voted against the 23% property tax increase.