Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Tax Policy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council adopts formal taxation policy to guide future tax and development decisions
Summary
Council approved Resolution 25-65 adopting a written City of Delaware Taxation Policy intended to guide future tax decisions, set affordability and sustainability goals, and establish reporting benchmarks and triggers for future tax actions.
City Council voted on Sept. 8 to adopt the City of Delaware Taxation Policy (Resolution 25-65), a written statement of principles and procedures intended to guide tax and budget decisions in the years ahead.
David Connolly, president of Rock Mill Financial and the city’s financial advisor, presented the policy after several months of finance-committee work. Connolly said the policy provides a plain‑English set of objectives—sustainability of service delivery, affordability, value for residents, clear triggers for when new taxes may be needed, and guidance on using surplus cash.
Council members and committee participants said the document formalizes practices already informally used by staff and council (e.g., trying to have new development pay for infrastructure, keeping enterprise funds self-supporting, and prioritizing grant leverage). The policy establishes an annual performance review and benchmarks, sets targets for how the city will manage surpluses and deficits and calls for public transparency on taxation choices.
Council members praised the process and said the written policy will help provide consistency across administrations and counsel changes. The resolution passed by roll call; proponents said the policy is a starting point and will be revisited periodically to reflect economic or legislative changes.
City staff said the taxation policy will be used alongside the capital and operating budget process, and that it does not itself levy new taxes but is intended to frame future discussions.
