HS1FORHB144 • 2025

AN ACT TO AMEND THE CHARTER OF THE CITY OF NEW CASTLE RELATING TO PROPERTY TAX RATES.

Children Taxes

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Minor-Brown
Last action: 2025-07-30
Official status: Signed 7/30/25
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

AN ACT TO AMEND THE CHARTER OF THE CITY OF NEW CASTLE RELATING TO PROPERTY TAX RATES.

What This Bill Does

AN ACT TO AMEND THE CHARTER OF THE CITY OF NEW CASTLE RELATING TO PROPERTY TAX RATES.
This Act amends the Charter of the City of New Castle by authorizing the City Council to levy taxes on real property at varying rates based upon property classification (e.g.
residential, commercial, or industrial).
H.S.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2025-07-30 Delaware General Assembly
Signed by Governor
2025-06-25 Delaware General Assembly
Passed By Senate. Votes: 21 YES
2025-06-18 Delaware General Assembly
Reported Out of Committee (Elections & Government Affairs) in Senate with 2 Favorable, 4 On Its Merits
2025-06-17 Delaware General Assembly
Passed By House. Votes: 40 YES 1 ABSENT
2025-06-17 Delaware General Assembly
Assigned to Elections & Government Affairs Committee in Senate
2025-06-12 Delaware General Assembly
was introduced and adopted in lieu of HB 144

Official Summary Text

AN ACT TO AMEND THE CHARTER OF THE CITY OF NEW CASTLE RELATING TO PROPERTY TAX RATES.
This Act amends the Charter of the City of New Castle by authorizing the City Council to levy taxes on real property at varying rates based upon property classification (e.g. residential, commercial, or industrial).
H.S. 1 to H.B. 144 clarifies that any taxes on real property must be in “just portions” sufficient to cover the aggregate of the budget.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Legislation Document

SPONSOR:

Rep. Minor-Brown & Sen. Poore

Rep. Cooke

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE SUBSTITUTE NO. 1

FOR

HOUSE BILL NO. 144

AN ACT TO AMEND THE CHARTER OF THE CITY OF NEW CASTLE RELATING TO PROPERTY TAX RATES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE (Two-thirds of all members elected to each house thereof concurring therein):

Section 1. Amend Section 18 of the Charter of the City of New Castle by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

Section 18. Budget

The Council shall, on or before the first Monday in each July, meet and ascertain, as near as may be, the amount necessary to cover the net expenses of the government of said City for the current fiscal year, including, but not limited to, the maintenance of streets, police assessment, collection of taxes and cost of trash collection; and shall make up a budget containing the items and estimated amounts necessary to cover each and every branch and item of said City government. And immediately after the assessment and valuation shall have been finally settled and adjusted under the provisions of this Act, the said Council shall proceed to levy a tax on the real property, thus valued and assessed, in just

and equal

portions

and rates,

sufficient to cover the aggregate of said budget.

SYNOPSIS

This Act amends the Charter of the City of New Castle by authorizing the City Council to levy taxes on real property at varying rates based upon property classification (e.g. residential, commercial, or industrial).

H.S. 1 to H.B. 144 clarifies that any taxes on real property must be in “just portions” sufficient to cover the aggregate of the budget.