Deadline for Appeals is March 14 – Less Than 3 Weeks Away
Senate Special Committee on Reassessment Met Last Fall
Wilmington, DE – The deadline for New Castle County residents to appeal their 2026 property tax assessment is fast approaching: March 14, 2026. Many residents were shocked and confused by the reassessment process and the short amount of time that was allowed to address inaccuracies or other problems they perceived. There was a whirlwind of public and legislative activity, as people received their delayed invoices for 2025. What many people don’t understand is that most of the actions taken by the Delaware General Assembly to protect residents from “some” of the impact of higher property taxes after the reassessment only apply to LAST YEAR’S BILL!
The legislature took steps to shift the burden of property taxes back from residential property owners to commercial property owners – large businesses, small businesses, apartment owners and even agricultural properties. This was because the value of most residential properties increased much more rapidly over the last 40 years than the value of commercial properties. The result was a dramatic shift in the tax burden toward residential property owners. The changes implemented because of the “Special Session” of the legislature created separate tax rates for the two types of property, with commercial property owners paying 185% (almost double) of the rate paid by homeowners. There were many complaints from both small business owners and the owners (and renters) of apartments that were affected by the change. Some rents were increased dramatically – affecting some residents that were least able to afford the change…