GEORGETOWN, Del. — Sussex County is entering the final phase of its years-long property reassessment project, with the appeals process set to begin in March.
During its meeting on Tuesday, County Council received the final assessment rolls from Tyler Technologies, the contractor handling the reassessment of nearly 200,000 parcels. The project stems from a 2018 education funding lawsuit and is on track to conclude this year.
“The public can now see years of work coming into full focus, from their preliminary assessment values to what their future tax bills may look like,” Finance Director and Chief Operating Officer Gina A. Jennings said. “We’re nearing the end, but a few important steps remain.”
A new tax calculator allows property owners to see how much it is estimated they will pay after the reassessment. It's important to note that the county has committed to a “revenue neutral” position under Delaware law, meaning that while property values have increased, the tax rate will be adjusted downward.
Currently, the tax rate stands at 44.5 cents per $100 of assessed value, but changes will be determined as part of the budget process in May. According to a proposal from Jennings, the proposed new tax rate would go down to just over 2 cents per $100 of value. The new tax bills will be issued in August.
One of the key steps is the appeals process before the County’s Board of Assessment Review. Throughout the spring, the board will hear cases from property owners who believe their assessed values are incorrect. Property assessments, which determine annual tax bills, are now available for review on the county’s website.
Once appeals are resolved, Sussex County will finalize property assessments and set a new property tax rate.
For more details on the reassessment project, including appeal instructions and a tax bill estimate calculator, visit www.sussexcountyde.gov/reassessment.