OCEAN VIEW, Del — The Indian River School District is holding the first of three public meetings Monday night to discuss an upcoming referendum vote that could impact school funding. The meeting begins at 7 p.m. at Lord Baltimore Elementary School.
The referendum vote, scheduled for March 20, will determine whether the district can implement a tax increase to address rising operating expenses. If approved, the measure would result in a tax hike of $1.2105 per $100 of assessed property value, amounting to an average increase of $24.10 per month or $289.23 per year for district taxpayers.
Superintendent Dr. Jay Owens emphasized the necessity of the referendum, citing a growing budget deficit.
“During the last three fiscal years, our operating expenses have increased an average of 7.4 percent per year. During that same time period, revenue has increased by only 3.55 percent per year,” Owens said. “That trend is not sustainable, and the district has been in a position of deficit spending for the past two fiscal years. Passage of this referendum is imperative if we are to continue the premier educational services currently being provided to our students.”
The referendum will take place on March 20 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Indian River School District residents who are U.S. citizens and at least 18 years old are eligible to vote at any of the following polling locations:
- East Millsboro Elementary School
- Georgetown Elementary School
- Indian River High School
- Long Neck Elementary School
- Lord Baltimore Elementary School
- Selbyville Middle School
- Sussex Central High School
- Millville Community Center
Voter registration is not required, but proof of identification or residency must be presented. Absentee ballots can be requested via mail until March 14 at noon or submitted in person at the Sussex County Department of Elections office until March 19 at noon. The second referendum public meeting is 7:00 pm March 12 at the Indian River High School in Dagsboro.