DOVER — Last night, Governor Matt Meyer signed several bipartisan reforms to provide immediate relief to Delaware homeowners facing sharp property tax increases and to ensure fairness following the statewide property reassessment.

The bills create fairer tax rates that ease the burden on homeowners, provide flexible payment plan options, and issues refunds to property owners who overpaid, all while maintaining resources for school districts. Passed legislation also calls for a review of the assessment process and development of improvement recommendations for future reassessments.

“Delaware for generations has prided itself in quality schools and affordable communities,” said Governor Matt Meyer. “We still, together, have a lot of work to do, but today’s special session was a step in the right direction.”

Signed Bills Include:

• House Bill 240: Authorizes counties to issue refunds to taxpayers for property taxes overpaid by more than $50 the year after a reassessment.
• House Bill 241: Authorizes counties to offer payment plans for school and county if a taxpayer’s bill increases by $300 or more from the previous year. Late payment penalties for anyone under a payment plan are suspended, and all other late penalties in New Castle County are reduced from 5% to 1%, the same as Kent and Sussex. This bill sunsets three years after enacted into law.
• House Bill 242: Allows for school districts in New Castle County to revise tax rates for the 2025-2026 school year by setting separate residential and non-residential tax rates, adjusting the balance between the two categories, while ensuring there is no increase in total revenue, protecting taxpayers from large tax increases.
• Senate Bill 202: Requires New Castle County to submit tax data quarterly to understand the impacts of reassessment.
• Senate Bill 203: Codifies the authority for counties to set different property tax rates for residential and non-residential properties.
• Senate Bill 204: Codifies the authority for municipalities to set different property tax rates for residential and non-residential properties.
• Senate Concurrent Resolution 122: Orders a comprehensive review of the reassessment process to develop improvements for future assessments.

For any questions or to schedule a one-on-one interview with Governor Meyer, please email govcomm@delaware.gov.

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