The Smyrna School District is moving forward with its operational referendum scheduled for March 15, 2025, aiming to secure funding to maintain and enhance educational programs, support staff retention, and address rising operational costs across the district officials said.
This initiative comes less than a year after the Smyrna Town Council’s decision in April 2024 to double property taxes to address a significant budget deficit. The council increased the property tax rate from 47 cents to 94 cents per $100 of assessed value to close a budget shortfall.
Earlier this month the Christina School District Board of Education voted to cancel its referendum, citing concerns over the impact of the reassessments on property values and the potential tax implications for residents.
The proposed school district referendum seeks to generate $5.4 million to support key areas such as staffing, school safety, new middle school programming, technology, and general operations. If approved, the tax impact on residents would be 39.33 cents per $100 of assessed property value in New Castle County and 9.24 cents per $100 in Kent County.
District leaders encourage all eligible residents to participate in the vote and attend upcoming community meetings to stay informed about the referendum’s implications.