Residents in Colonial School District vote down tax hike
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NEW CASTLE, Del. (AP) — Residents in New Castle’s Colonial School District have voted against a two-part referendum to raise $10.9 million annually in additional taxes and give the county the authority to take out $4.7 million in bonds for one-time school security upgrades.
Preliminary results show about 59 percent of the approximately 5,000 voters Tuesday opted against a property tax increase.
Administrators said over half of the $10.9 million would have supported already-existing programs and staff. They warned that if the referendum failed, the district may have to cut staff.
About 55 percent voted against the county taking on $4.7 million in debt.
The News Journal (http://delonline.us/2mKDhI6 ) reports the district can bring another referendum forward in 60 days. The district’s last referendum failed on the first attempt in 2013, but passed on the second.
