After criticism from lawmakers and Delaware residents, Senate Bill 50 has been pulled off the table.
If passed into law, the proposal would have allowed Delaware Technical and Community College to tax property owners across the state. The money would have been used for maintenance and repairs at the school’s campuses.
State Senator Harris McDowell, a Democrat from Wilmington North, issued a statement on Friday that stated Senate Bill 50 will not be brought to the floor for a vote.
Earlier this month, State Senator Colin Bonini released a statement that warned against opening Pandora’s box.
“If this bill passes, the floodgates will open and within a matter of years Delaware will no longer be a low-property-tax state”, said Bonini.
“My prediction is that property taxes will at least double over the next several years. This will have far-reaching consequences. Not only on taxpayers (especially senior-citizens on fixed incomes) who will be paying ever-more in taxes, but also the economy at large as our business and real estate environment will become less and less competitive. We already struggle to bring decent jobs into Delaware: why would we want to create yet another disincentive for businesses to come here!”