A recent News Journal article by Karl Baker exposes a serious problem exacerbating the insufficient funding issues for Christina public schools. This well-done investigative piece should initiate some type of response and action by authorities in collecting outstanding property tax arrearages or cause them to place a lien against the property owners or businesses.
As a State Representative, I have consistently opposed the draconian cuts to Delaware’s public education system. We still have Wilmington children bussed to the suburbs daily because of the lack of a Wilmington high school. We still force Christina school children into dilapidated and outdated buildings rife with structural failings and ever-burgeoning mold growth.
We ask teachers to supplement basic supplies due to these ongoing cuts and we waste money continuously on ineffective and unproven standardized tests and RODEL/Pearson/Chamber of Commerce reform measures that stifle education opportunities for the poorest and minority children. So you can imagine my frustration and astonishment when I was informed of New Castle County’s failure to recover property tax money destined to help Christina’s children.
When the top 20 delinquent property tax owners total well over a million dollars in uncollected arrearages and the top delinquent tax owed by a single entity, the Newark Country Club, exceeds $409,000 (almost all in delinquent school taxes) it is well past time for action to be taken to recover these sorely needed monies. See the full article: delawareonline.com: www.delawareonline.com/owed-millions-back-taxes-new-castle-county-goes-after-blighted-properties
We can no longer allow a lack of assets to dictate failing conditions for our school children.
State Representative John Kowalko
Emphasis added