New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer delivered his fifth budget address to New Castle County Council this evening live from the DuPont Environmental Education Center at the Wilmington Riverfront and was broadcast live to New Castle County’s government Facebook page. The full speech can be watched HERE.
“What we have learned this past year is we can endure through a long quarantine and through the toughest economic times, and we can emerge stronger, more creative and even more united.”
The proposed operational budget for Council’s consideration is $311,612,237, a 2.68% increase from the current fiscal year and the proposed capital budget, including both General Fund and Sewer Fund projects, totals $60,375,522, a 7.5% decrease from the current year, as the County continues to manage the debt load. With these proposed budgets, there will be no tax increase.
The full FY2022 budget can be downloaded HERE.
The budget highlights include County Executive Meyer calling for a $15 minimum wage for all full-time New Castle County employees, expanding Summer Youth Employment Program, increased investments for libraries, parks, and public safety for southern New Castle County residents, and additional investments in New Castle County’s Community Intervention Team.
County Executive Meyer also turned his attention to the environment by budgeting $7.3m in open space, parkland, and farmland over the next two years and investing in additional electric cars for the County’s fleet.
Following this evening’s budget address, County Executive Meyer will embark on a slate of online community conversations throughout the next two months. The dates are Wednesday, March 31 at 6 p.m., Monday, April 5 at 6 p.m., Thursday, April 15, at 6 p.m. and Monday, April 19 at 12 p.m.
Source: County Executive’s Office