• The tax, capped at $50 per student, could generate $2.4 million for the city.
• The University of Delaware acknowledges the city’s financial needs and aims to maintain affordable education.
• The Newark City Council will determine the exact tax rate, considering student-related expenses and inflation.

The city of Newark is now allowed to tax the University of Delaware for every Blue Hen.

Gov. Matt Meyer signed a bill on June 24 amending Newark’s city charter allowing the city to levy a per-student tax on UD, which is by far the largest economic and cultural force in the city. The public university sits on about 40% of the city’s land, but is nontaxable.

Newark’s government has been searching for new revenue streams amid cost and tax increases. Most of the city’s revenue comes from utility payments, which have increased.

The bill was introduced in January by Democratic State Rep. Cyndie Romer, from Newark. It passed both the House and Senate unanimously.

“We’re happy the governor saw this as fit to sign,” Newark Mayor Travis McDermott said.

The law allows the city to tax up to $50 for every student, which could rake in an additional $2.4 million in tax revenue. The city collects around $180,000 annually from UD from deals made in 1965 and 2002. In addition to being a local pillar, UD is responsible for billions of dollars in statewide economic output every year.

In a statement to the News Journal from May, the University of Delaware said it has a shared interest in Newark’s improvements. It remains committed to access to its education.

“We are understanding of and sympathetic to the city’s needs, which — in many ways — reflect ours, due to inflation-induced costs and other financial pressures,” the statement from May 23 reads. “Our goal is and remains centered on providing an accessible and affordable pathway to a UD education for our students — those who contribute social, cultural and economic value to the City of Newark.”

It is now up to the City Council to come up with how much they plan on taxing the institution. The new tax rate might not be at the maximum rate, either. McDermott said the council will find out how much the city is spending on students and then find a rate to reflect that, while leaving room for inflation-related hikes in the future.

Hearings to shape the city’s next annual budget are coming up, and this new revenue stream would need to be factored in. McDermott said he wants a tax rate established by the time budget hearings begin, which should be within the next month.

Shane Brennan covers Wilmington and other Delaware issues. Reach out with ideas, tips or feedback at slbrennan@delawareonline.com.

Jennings also announced four men have been charged with the shooting death of Carrie Mondell, a 37-year-old WSFS bank executive who was caught in a crossfire of bullets fired by alleged gang members as she drove through Wilmington on Aug. 16, 2022.

The cold case adds to a gang indictment, which previously included the murders of Latahesia Hill, Khalil Ameer-Bey and Kwamir Wise. 

“All of these victims deserve justice,” Jennings said. “Their families have lived with unbearable loss, one that you cannot understand unless you have suffered it. No indictment can undo that pain. But this is a step forward, a step toward justice and toward the accountability that each one of these victims and their families deserve.”

Neiamjha Rollins, 18, of Wilmington, Nyair Small, 25, of Wilmington, Philip Harris, 25, of Smyrna and Daeshawn Shields, 24, of Wilmington, were indicted on multiple charges. All of the defendants, except Rollins, were charged with first-degree murder for Mondell’s death. Jennings says the four men were members of the Wilmington-area gang “Exit 4,” with the aliases “The Mag” and “Magboyz.”

This story was supported by a statehouse coverage grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

PHILADELPHIA – Thousands of people in Montgomery and Delaware counties are still without power four days after last Thursday’s storms brought down trees and power lines. 

The outages are not only frustrating but can also be dangerous, especially with the current heatwave.

What we know:

PECO crews are working tirelessly in the scorching heat to restore power to homes and businesses affected by last week’s powerful storms. 

The sound of generators fills the air in Cheltenham, where residents like Lee Wilson have been without power since Thursday night. 

Wilson notes that in their old neighborhood with large trees, power outages are not uncommon.

Residents in Haverford are also facing dangerous temperatures as power outages continue to affect nearly 5,000 PECO customers. With no relief from the heat, families are forced to endure uncomfortable conditions.

What they’re saying:

Montgomery County

Lee Wilson, a Cheltenham resident, expressed gratitude for having purchased a generator years ago, recalling a previous 12-day outage during Hurricane Sandy. “I bought the first generator I could get my hands on, luckily it was big enough,” he said.

Meanwhile, Leonard Bodo from Roslyn, who doesn’t have a generator, is seeking cooler refuge at his son’s house. “It’s warm – it’s too warm,” Bodo remarked.

Dan Tyler, also from Roslyn, shared the challenges of working from home without power. 

“All the windows are closed, all the doors are closed…lights off automatically trying to keep cool and stay downstairs,” he explained. Tyler is hopeful for power restoration soon and plans to visit the mall or store items in friends’ fridges if outages persist.

Delaware County

Bill Hayward and his family are among those impacted, having lost two refrigerators’ worth of food. “It’s hot, and we’ve got four unhappy campers in the house right now,” Hayward shared.

Around the corner, Janine Nolan and her family of five are experiencing similar challenges. 

Their power was restored at midnight but went out again at 8 a.m. leaving their home at a sweltering 80 degrees. 

“We can’t even go up to the floor where the bedrooms are; it’s just stifling hot,” Nolan explained. The family has resorted to setting up an air mattress in the basement to escape the heat.

What’s next:

Residents are managing as best as they can while awaiting power restoration. 

PECO crews continue their efforts, and further updates will be provided as the situation develops.