GEORGETOWN, Del. - On Tuesday, June 18, the Sussex County Council voted to approve the proposed $265.8 million budget for the 2025 fiscal year beginning on July 1.
The property taxes remain unchanged with this year's proposed budget but it includes a few annual rate changes for public utility users. Annual sewer fees will increase by $10 and an additional $15 for unmetered water.
The budget will include:$52.5 million allocated for wastewater infrastructure, $6.4 million to preserve open space and farmland, $4.6 for the County’s contract with the State of Delaware supplemental state troopers assigned to Sussex County, $3.4 million for continued court-ordered reassessments of all properties, $5.7 million for local fire companies to help with operational costs, $900,000 for municipalities, and $2.6 million for the construction of paramedic stations in Dewey Beach, Lincoln, Millsboro and Milton
County Administrator Todd F. Lawson has stated in response to the budget, “This is a sensible budget that ensures the County continues to meet demand and provides the highest quality services, but at a price that remains affordable for our taxpayers.”
The County continues to increase funding for services that will benefit its residents and visitors however the budget has decreased by $13 million from the current year’s plan.
Council President Michael H. Vincent commented on the budget, “Providing a no-nonsense, reasonable budget that guarantees the critical local services we all have come to expect and doing it in a way that doesn’t break the bank, I think that’s something the public truly appreciates... Sussex County knows whose money it is, and we work every day to make sure it’s used wisely to provide the best value possible.”
Copies of the Fiscal Year 2025 budget can be found on the County website at www.sussexcounty.gov/county-budget.