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Committee advances resolution asking PEFC to report on equitable school-tax collection
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Summary
The House Education Committee voted to advance HCR 78, a resolution asking the Public Education Funding Commission to recommend how property-tax revenue should be collected and distributed equitably after reassessments; supporters urged county input and continued PEFC work.
The House Education Committee on March 20 advanced HCR 78, a resolution directing the Public Education Funding Commission to produce a final report with recommendations for the equitable collection and distribution of property tax revenue after property reassessment.
Representative Wilson Anton, the sponsor, told the committee the resolution — updated in a proposed amendment not yet filed — would remove expired dates, require county consultation and ask the commission to answer specific questions in its final report. “The idea behind the resolution is for this commission … to arrive at a more equitable system,” Anton said.
Committee members signaled support for further stakeholder engagement. Chair Cher Williams encouraged the sponsor and staff to work with school-district officials, and one member suggested the sponsor meet with specific CFOs before filing amendments.
Two in-person public commenters backed the resolution. Taylor Hawk, speaking for a statewide education group, said Delaware has lagged other states in addressing local property-wealth disparities and urged continued PEFC work. Bridal Mumford, executive director of Delaware Kids Can and a PEFC member, said the commission should fix inequities and urged the committee to release the resolution from committee.
After brief discussion the committee took a roll-call vote and advanced HCR 78 out of committee. Members said they expected follow-up conversations on the amendment language and deadlines.
The committee did not adopt a filed amendment during the hearing; the sponsor said he would accept additional feedback and could add deadlines when he files the written amendment. The resolution will proceed according to the committee’s normal workflow.
