Delaware
Sussex County proposes FY 25 budget with no tax increase
Sussex County introduces its Fiscal Year 2025 budget, and it’s lower than this year.
The proposed budget is almost $266 million dollars. That’s about $13 million less than the current year as American Rescue Plan Act funds come off the books.
There is no increase in taxes, but the county proposes using reserves to balance the budget with $12.4 million going to the General Fund and $11.9 to the Capital Fund.
The good news is there is no increase in property taxes, but residents can expect fee increases.
“We do have some changes in fees,” said Jennings. “I am proposing a $25 annual increase in our water rates, that’s a 6.4% increase, a $10 increase in sewer rates.”
That’s Sussex County Finance Director Gina Jennings who adds the proposed sewer increase is three percent.
The county also wants to add fees according to Jennings.
“A new fee, it’s a plan resubmittal fee, it’s $300 per occurrence, and this would be happening in two different departments, one being in the engineering department for sewer and road reviews. They get a lot of reviews from engineers and we ask exactly what we need and sometimes we have to reject them and we have to start all over again. So staff’s asking to help with the backlog is that we implement a rejection fee,” said Jennings.
The other department using that new fee would be Planning and Zoning. Currently the county doesn’t charge a fee to go back and review again.
Another proposed fee is for use of the Data Center in Seaford by municipalities who want to store data off-site. It would be either $500 per month for a half a rack and $1,000 per month for a full rack.
There will be a public hearing on the budget on June 18th at 10:15 in council chambers at the Sussex County Administration Building.
County Council needs to approve a final budget by June 30th.