Wilmington residents, council seek data and outreach after county reassessment produces wide valuation swings

Wilmington City intergovernmental committee members and residents pressed New Castle County and contractor Tyler Technologies for clearer data and better outreach after a countywide property reassessment produced widely varying proposed property values, speakers said at the committee’s Feb. 5 meeting.

The reassessment, the first since 1983, raises proposed assessed values for many city parcels but does not automatically raise tax bills, the committee said. Council members and multiple residents urged the city to seek explanations of methodology, delivery rates for mailed notices, and to request parcel-level data that residents can use to appeal. Council members said Tyler Technologies and a county representative were invited to the meeting but did not attend.

Why it matters: property tax allocations and the city’s future tax collections will use the county’s updated assessed values, so errors or uneven application across neighborhoods could shift tax burdens. Residents and council members said many homeowners — particularly elderly or low-income residents — lack the time, internet access or funds to hire private appraisers and may not be able to pursue appeals on their own.

City chair Council Member Shanae Darby opened the meeting by explaining the committee’s mission and the reassessment background. “So tonight, we are gonna have…