It's no secret, most of us would like to stay in our own home as we age. Yet, sometimes our loved ones just need a little extra help to remain comfortable at home. That's where Always Best Care can help....we are dedicated to exceeding expectations....always.
They say that your golden years are the best years of your life. For most older Americans, that's how it should be - a time to relax, reflect, and live life in a familiar place. After all, senior citizens in the U.S. have worked tirelessly to build a better economy, serve their communities, and raise families.
However, as seniors grow older, completing daily tasks like showering and enjoying activities such as visiting New Castle Italian Immigrant Memorial in New Castle, DE gets harder without someone by their side. Unfortunately, many older Americans aren't able to rely on their adult children for help. The reality in today's world is that family members do not have the skills or time to dedicate to caring for their parents. That's where Always Best Care Senior Services comes in.
Our in-home care services are for people who prefer to stay at home as they grow older but need ongoing care that family or friends cannot provide. More and more older adults prefer to live far away from long-term, institutionalized facilities and closer to the place where they feel most comfortable - their home. Home care in New Castle, DE is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.
Home Care Services
Service AreasSince 1996, Always Best Care has provided non-medical in-home care for seniors to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they get older. We are proud to have helped more than 25,000 seniors maintain higher levels of dignity and respect. We focus on providing seniors with the highest level of in-home care available so that they may live happily and independently.
Unlike some senior care companies, we genuinely want to be included in our clients' lives. We believe that personalized care is always the better option over a "one size fits all" approach. To make sure our senior clients receive the best care possible, we pair them with compassionate caregivers who understand their unique needs. That way, they may provide care accordingly without compromising their wellbeing.
The Always Best Care difference lies in life's little moments - where compassionate care and trustworthy experience come together to help seniors live a fruitful, healthy life. Whether you are an aging adult that can't quite keep up with life's daily tasks or the child of a senior who needs regular in-home services, Always Best Care is here to help.
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Home is where the heart is. While that saying can sound a tad cliche, it is especially true for many seniors living in America. When given a choice, older adults most often prefer to grow older at home. An AARP study found that three out of four adults over the age of 50 want to stay in their homes and communities as they age.
When you begin to think about why, it makes sense. Home offers a sense of security, comfort, and familiarity.
The truth is, as we age, we begin to rely on others for help. When a family is too busy or lives too far away to fulfill this role, in-home senior care is often the best solution. Home care services allow seniors to enjoy personal independence while also receiving trustworthy assistance from a trained caregiver.
At Always Best Care, we offer a comprehensive range of home care services to help seniors stay healthy while they get the help they need to remain independent. As your senior loved one gets older, giving them the gift of senior care is one of the best ways to show your love, even if you live far away.
To give our senior clients the best care possible, we offer a full spectrum of in-home care services:
If your senior loved one has specific care needs, our personal care services are a great choice to consider. Personal care includes the standard caregiving duties associated with companion care and includes help with tasks such as dressing and grooming. Personal care can also help individuals with chronic conditions like diabetes.
Common personal care services include assistance with:
Sometimes, seniors need helpful reminders to maintain a high quality of life at home. If you or your senior has trouble with everyday tasks like cooking, our home helper services will be very beneficial.
Common home helper care services include assistance with:
Using this kind of care is a fantastic way to make life easier for you or your senior loved one. At Always Best Care, our talented caregivers often fill the role of a companion for seniors. That way, older adults can enjoy their favorite local activities, such as visiting New Castle Battery Park in New Castle, DE with friends while also receiving the care they need daily or weekly.
Common companionship services include:
According to AARP, more than 53 million adults living in the U.S. provide care to someone over 50 years old. Unfortunately, these caregivers experience stress, exhaustion, and even depression. Our respite care services help family caregivers address urgent obligations, spend time with their children, and enjoy nearby activities. Perhaps more importantly, respite care gives family members time to recharge and regroup. Taking personal time to de-stress reduces the risk of caregiver burnout. So, if you've always wanted to eat at the local Zollies Jazz Cucina or visit Read House & Gardens, don't feel bad. Doing so is great for both you and your loved one.
At the end of the day, our goal is to become a valuable part of your senior's daily routine. That way, we may help give them the highest quality of life possible. We know that staying at home is important for your loved one, and we are here to help make sure that is possible.
If you have been on the fence about non-medical home care, there has never been a better time than now to give your senior the care, assistance, and companionship they deserve.
Always Best Care in-home services are for older adults who prefer to stay at home but need ongoing care that friends and family cannot provide. In-home care is a safe, effective way for seniors to age gracefully in a familiar place and live independent, non-institutionalized lives. The benefits of non-medical home care are numerous. Here are just a few reasons to consider senior care services from Always Best Care:
According to AARP, 9 out of 10 seniors prefer to age in place within the comfort of their own home. With in-home care, seniors have a way to stay at home, receive the care they need, and maintain a sense of independence, improving overall wellness.
If you or a member of your family have assumed the role of caregiver for your senior loved one, you know how stressful the job can be. Between caregiver burnout and constant worry, being a family caregiver is hard. In-home care relieves your burden and gives you peace of mind knowing that your older family member is in expert hands.
Unlike nursing homes, where the staff and residents rotate frequently, seniors can foster new friendships and build bonds with their caregiver. Seniors who socialize on a regular basis are often happier, which fosters positivity and leads to increased wellbeing.
No two seniors need the same kind of in-home care assistance. That is why each of our Care Plans is tailored to meet our client's individual needs. We offer plans that cover everything from light housekeeping to more involved duties like transportation to doctor's appointments. Our Care Coordinators will work closely with you to develop a personalized plan to ensure your senior's needs are exceeded.
Always Best Care offers a full array of care options for patients at all levels of health. With our trusted elderly care services, your loved one will receive the level of care necessary for them to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.
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While it's true that some seniors have complicated medical needs that prevent them from staying at home, aging in place is often the best arrangement for seniors and their families. With a trusted caregiver, seniors have the opportunity to live with a sense of dignity and do so as they see fit - something that is unavailable to many older people today.
In-home care makes it possible for millions of seniors to age in place every year. Rather than moving to a strange nursing home, seniors have the chance to stay at home where they feel the happiest and most comfortable.
How much does a senior's home truly mean to them?
A study published by the American Society on Aging found that more than half of seniors say their home's emotional value means more than how much their home is worth in monetary value. It stands to reason, then, that a senior's home is where they want to grow old.
With the help of elderly care in New Castle, DE, seniors don't have to age in a sterilized care facility. Instead, they can age gracefully in the place they want to be most: their home. In contrast, seniors who move to a long-term care facility must adapt to new environments, new people, and new systems that the facility implements. At this stage in life, this kind of drastic change can be more harmful than helpful.
Institutional care facilities like nursing homes often put large groups of people together to live in one location. On any given day, dozens of staff members and caregivers run in and out of these facilities. Being around so many new people in a relatively small living environment can be dangerous for a seniors' health and wellbeing. When you consider that thousands of seniors passed away in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, opting for in-home care is often a safer, healthier choice for seniors.
Aging in place has been shown to improve seniors' quality of life, which helps boost physical health and also helps insulate them from viral and bacterial risks found in elderly living facilities.
For many seniors, the ability to live independently with assistance from a caregiver is a priceless option. With in-home care, seniors experience a higher level of independence and freedom - much more so than in other settings like a nursing home. When a senior has the chance to age in place, they get to live life on their own terms, inside the house that they helped make into a home. More independence means more control over their personal lives, too, which leads to increased levels of fulfillment, happiness, and personal gratification. Over time, these positive feelings can manifest into a healthier, longer life.
More independence, a healthier life, and increased comfort are only a few benefits of aging in place. You have to take into consideration the role of cost and convenience. Simply put, it's usually easier and more affordable to help seniors age in place than it is to move them into an institutional care facility. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, seniors who age in the comfort of their homes can save thousands of dollars per month.
In-home care services from Always Best Care, for instance, are often less expensive than long-term solutions, which can cost upwards of six figures per year. To make matters worse, many residential care facilities are reluctant to accept long-term care insurance and other types of payment assistance.
With Always Best Care's home care services, seniors and their families have a greater level of control over their care plans. In-home care gives seniors the chance to form a bond with a trusted caregiver and also receive unmatched care that is catered to their needs. In long-term care facilities, seniors and their loved ones have much less control over their care plan and have less of a say in who provides their care.
In-home care is a valuable resource that empowers seniors to age in place on their own terms. However, a big concern for many families and their loved ones is how much in-home care costs. If you're worried that in-home care is too expensive, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that it is one of the most affordable senior care arrangements available.
Typically, hiring an Always Best Care in-home caregiver for a few hours a week is more affordable than sending your loved one to a long-term care facility. This is true even for seniors with more complex care needs.
At Always Best Care, we will work closely with you and your family to develop a Care Plan that not only meets your care needs, but your budget requirements, too. Once we discover the level of care that you or your senior need, we develop an in-home care plan that you can afford.
In addition to our flexible care options, families should also consider the following resources to help offset potential home care costs:
When you or your senior loved one needs assistance managing daily tasks at home, finding a qualified caregiver can be challenging. It takes a special kind of person to provide reliable care for your senior loved one. However, a caregiver's role involves more than meal preparation and medication reminders. Many seniors rely on their caregivers for companionship, too.
Our companion care services give seniors the chance to socialize in a safe environment and engage in activities at home. These important efforts boost morale and provide much-needed relief from repetitive daily routines. A one-on-one, engaging conversation can sharpen seniors' minds and give them something in which to be excited.
At Always Best Care, we only hire care providers that we would trust to care for our own loved ones. Our senior caregivers in New Castle, DE understand how important it is to listen and communicate with their seniors. A seemingly small interaction, like a short hug goodbye, can make a major difference in a senior's day. Instead of battling against feelings of isolation, seniors begin to look forward to seeing their caregiver each week.
Understanding the nuances of senior care is just one of the reasons why our care providers are so great at their job.
Unlike some senior care companies, our caregivers must undergo extensive training before they work for Always Best Care. In addition, our caregivers receive ongoing training throughout the year. This training ensures that their standard of care matches up to the high standards we've come to expect. During this training, they will brush up on their communication skills, safety awareness, and symptom spotting. That way, your loved one receives the highest level of non-medical home care from day one.
While it's true that many seniors prefer to age at home, sometimes in-home care isn't the best fit. For those seniors and their families, choosing an assisted living facility makes more sense. Unfortunately, finding the optimal care facility is easier said than done in today's day and age. That's when Always Best Care's assisted living referral services begin to make a lot of sense.
Assisted living is a form of housing intended for seniors who require varying degrees of medical and personal attention. Accommodations may include single rooms, apartments, or shared living arrangements. Assisted living communities are typically designed to resemble a home-like environment and are physically constructed to encourage the independence of residents.
At assisted living communities, seniors receive help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating. They may also benefit from coordination of services with outside healthcare providers, and monitoring of resident activities to ensure their health, safety, and well-being. Caregivers who work at assisted living communities can also provide medication administration and personal care services for older adults.
Other services offered within assisted living communities can include some or all of the following:
At Always Best Care, our representatives can match your senior's emotional, physical, and financial needs with viable assisted living communities nearby. Results are based on comparative data, so you can select the best choice for you or your loved one.
Always Best Care works closely with local senior living communities to gain valuable knowledge that we then use to help seniors and their loved ones make informed decisions. This information can include basic care and rent, resident availability, and services provided. Because Always Best Care is compensated by these communities, we provide senior living referral services at no extra cost to you.
Some of the most popular assisted living communities to consider in our area include the following:
For many seniors, moving into a senior living community revolves around how and when they want to make a transition to more involved care. Some seniors are more proactive about transitioning to independent living. Others choose to remain home until their care needs or other requirements are satisfied. Remember - our staff is here to help. Contact our office today to learn more about assisted living communities and how we can find a facility that exceeds your expectations.
The first step in getting quality in-home care starts with a personal consultation with an experienced Always Best Care Care Coordinator. This initial consultation is crucial for our team to learn more about you or your elderly loved one to discover the level of care required. Topics of this consultation typically include:
A discussion of your needs and how our trained caregivers can offer assistance in the most effective way
A draft of your care plan, which includes highly detailed notes and a framework for the care that you or your senior will receive
Discuss payment options and help coordinate billing with your insurance provider
Our caregivers are trained to spot changes that clients exhibit, like mental and physical decline. As your trusted senior care company, we will constantly assess and update your Care Plan to meet any new emotional, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs.
If you have never considered in-home care before, we understand that you and your family may have concerns about your Care Plan and its Care Coordinator. To help give you peace of mind, know that every team member and caregiver must undergo comprehensive training before being assigned to a Care Plan.
At the end of the day, we only hire the best of the best at Always Best Care. Whether you need home care in New Castle, DE 24-hours a day or only need a respite for a couple of hours, we are here to serve you.
When you're ready, we encourage you to contact your local Always Best Care representative to set up a Care Consultation. Our Care Coordinators would be happy to meet with you in person to get to know you better, discuss your needs, and help put together a personalized Care Plan specific to your needs.
A stunning ship parade will be visible Oct. 9 from Battery Park in Historic New Castle, along the Delaware River near Delaware Street.The maritime procession of Navy ships and other vessels is making its way on the river toward Philadelphia to celebrate Homecoming 250, the 250th anniversaries of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps.The ships will begin gathering in the river, south of the Delaware Memorial Bridge, as early as 4 a.m. All are expected in position by 8:30 a.m.They should begin moving north, passing the bridge sta...
A stunning ship parade will be visible Oct. 9 from Battery Park in Historic New Castle, along the Delaware River near Delaware Street.
The maritime procession of Navy ships and other vessels is making its way on the river toward Philadelphia to celebrate Homecoming 250, the 250th anniversaries of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps.
The ships will begin gathering in the river, south of the Delaware Memorial Bridge, as early as 4 a.m. All are expected in position by 8:30 a.m.
They should begin moving north, passing the bridge starting at about 9 a.m., and the procession is expected to take about 2½ hours.
The U.S. Navy traces its origin to Oct. 13, 1775, in Philadelphia. The Marine Corps was also established in Philadelphia in 1775. New Castle has strong ties to the Navy. Gen. Thomas Holcomb, born in the city in 1879, was the 17th commandant of the Marine Corps.
Traffic in and around Old New Castle is expected to be heavier than usual. Visitors are encouraged to wear weather-appropriate clothing and shoes, bring a camping or folding chair, and binoculars. City officials ask that visitors leave dogs at home.
Parking will be available at the public parking lot at West Third and Foundry streets.
Delaware Street will be closed from The Strand to the Delaware Street wharf beginning at 6 a.m. on Oct. 9. Incoming traffic on Delaware Street will be diverted onto East Second Street. Parking at the Delaware Street wharf will be prohibited starting at 11 p.m. on Oct. 8.
Public restrooms will be available at Battery Park, near the basketball court, from 6 a.m., First State National Historical Park Welcome Center, 10 Market St., open at 7 a.m., and the New Castle Visitor Center at the Arsenal, 30 Market St., open at 7 a.m.
Old New Castle is also accessible by bike via the Jack Markell Trail and the East Coast Greenway. Bike racks and a repair station are located at the Battery Park entrance near Second and Delaware streets. Historic New Castle is served by DART’s Route No. 15 bus. The bus stop serving the historic area is located at Sixth and Delaware streets. DART's Route No. 51 has stops just a short walk from the historic district.
Arrival of the ships in Philadelphia is expected at around 11:30 a.m., but all times are subject to change.?
?The following vessels are participating in the Parade of Ships:
?USS Arlington
USS Lassen
USS Cooperstown
USCGC Lawrence Lawson
USS Billings
USNA YP 686 Class
USNA MKII 44’
?For more information, visit homecoming250.org.
Why Should Delaware Care?A lawsuit filed by landlords across New Castle County is adding more turmoil to a long-running controversy over Delaware’s once-in-a-generation property reassessment that initially shifted the northern Delaware tax burden from homes to businesses.New Castle County’s goal of mailing out its long-delayed property tax bills by November may be at risk after a year-long drama over tax reassessments just got more complicated with claims of arbitrary taxation and a demand to depose county...
Why Should Delaware Care?A lawsuit filed by landlords across New Castle County is adding more turmoil to a long-running controversy over Delaware’s once-in-a-generation property reassessment that initially shifted the northern Delaware tax burden from homes to businesses.
New Castle County’s goal of mailing out its long-delayed property tax bills by November may be at risk after a year-long drama over tax reassessments just got more complicated with claims of arbitrary taxation and a demand to depose county leaders.
In September, a coalition of commercial landlords and hotel owners sued New Castle County and area school districts, claiming a new property tax system lawmakers approved in August is unfair because it treats business and residential properties differently.
A Delaware judge later fast-tracked the lawsuit with a goal of resolving it by the end of October.
It was a schedule that would give New Castle County just enough time to send tax bills to property owners and receive payments by the end of November, a lawyer for the county said last month.
But, on Monday, lawyers for the coalition of commercial property owners asked the judge to change the fast-tracked schedule, in part to allow them to depose New Castle County Executive Marcus Henry, and others.
The plaintiffs also asked the judge to allow them to file an amended lawsuit, with new allegations that New Castle County – which collects property taxes for itself, schools and municipalities – has arbitrarily deemed certain properties as commercial, and others residential.
They said the county recently “dropped a bombshell,” by “admitting that thousands of properties” are misclassified in such a way.
To buttress the new claims, the plaintiffs highlighted in court documents a string of seemingly similar properties, including two high-rise apartments in downtown Wilmington.
One – called The Standard – is a residential property under county rules, the attorneys said, while a brand new building around the corner – The Press – is non-residential. Both apartments are managed by the Buccini/Pollin Group.
“The county defendants have confessed that there are thousands of arbitrary discrepancies in how they have classified properties as residential or non-residential,” the attorneys said in their amended complaint, which they are asking the judge to accept as the new lawsuit in the Delaware Chancery Court case.
New Castle County has not yet filed a response to the claims in court. A spokesperson for the county declined to comment for this story.
As of Wednesday, the judge, Vice Chancellor Lori Will, had not yet replied to the plaintiffs requests, and so it remains unclear whether she would allow the case’s tightly scheduled proceedings to be altered.
The deposition of Henry alone, which the plaintiffs want to do next Monday, would happen three days after the two sides are scheduled to file their opening briefs in the case.
What Will did stress several times during a hearing in the case last month is that she did not want to see New Castle County send out property tax bills before she rules on the case.
“Because I think that could create some complications,” the judge said.
As part of their deposition of Henry, the attorneys for the commercial properties owners want to probe what they say is the county’s ongoing process of reclassifying nearly 1,000 properties from a residential category to the higher-taxed, non-residential one.
In their request to the judge, the plaintiffs also noted that Henry had testified to state lawmakers just last week that his county executive predecessor – now-Gov. Matt Meyer – had last year held up a first-in-a-generation property reassessment by delaying the release of property valuations until after the 2024 election.
Meyer is also a defendant in the property owners’ lawsuit.
The attorneys for the property owners said New Castle County can’t reasonably object to any delays caused by their requests, claiming that the county, under Meyer, had already delayed the reassessment process by many months.
As a result, they said county officials “lack clean hands” – which is legal parlance meaning a party in a lawsuit can not make claims of unfairness if they participated in it.
Last week, Meyer’s office defended the governor by sending Spotlight Delaware several documents showing that the county’s decision to release property valuations in November 2024 dates back to at least 2021.
There's plenty to do around Delaware this weekend, including the Queen Jeans Ball in Wilmington and Bankstober Fest in Millville.When it comes to things to do each week, there’s no place quite like Delaware. The First State is a hub for activities of all sorts, from art exhibits to food festivals and inventive workshops. Yet with all the happenings across the state, it can be a challenge to figure out exactly what to do. To get started, here are our top picks for the weekend.Rock out at the Queen Jeans Ball at the Chase C...
There's plenty to do around Delaware this weekend, including the Queen Jeans Ball in Wilmington and Bankstober Fest in Millville.
When it comes to things to do each week, there’s no place quite like Delaware. The First State is a hub for activities of all sorts, from art exhibits to food festivals and inventive workshops. Yet with all the happenings across the state, it can be a challenge to figure out exactly what to do. To get started, here are our top picks for the weekend.
Rock out at the Queen Jeans Ball at the Chase Center on the Riverfront. Wear your favorite jeans and concert tee and listen to live music in a variety of genres. All event proceeds benefit Donate Delaware, an organization that provides essential resources to families and nonprofits across the First State.
Purchase tickets online.
See the sunset on the water at the Evening Autumn Cruise on the Wilmington Riverfront. Enjoy the pretty autumn leaves along the river and the Wilmington skyline at sunset. Kick back and sip yummy seasonal cocktails and mocktails. This is an all-ages, ticketed event.
Purchase tickets online.
620 Justison Street, Wilmington
Take a fun nighttime tour of Dover’s historic buildings by lantern light. Hear spooky tales of local hauntings and ghost stories from tour guides and embrace the supernatural.
Purchase tickets online.
43 The Green, Dover
Sip over 60 delicious local brews and sample yummy snacks from local food trucks at the fourth annual Bankstober Fest presented by Banks Wines & Spirits in Millville. Kick back and listen to live music or embrace your competitive side and participate in fun games and competitions for the chance to win a prize. This is a 21-plus event, and you can purchase tickets online.
35554 Atlantic Avenue, Millville
Explore the Wilmington riverfront on the historic Kalmar Nyckel ship. Kick back and enjoy the fall weather or explore the ship and hear stories about its history. Kids can enjoy a fun scavenger hunt and a pirate story time.
Purchase tickets online.
1124 East 7th Street, Wilmington
Visit the Harvest Festival at Cook Family Farms in Newark for a fun fall day! Visit cuddly creatures, enjoy a hayride, and play games. Stop by the farm’s pumpkin patch to pick your own pumpkin to take home as a souvenir. Tickets are $15 and include your choice of pumpkin, mum, or bale of hay.
3300 Frazer Road, Newark
Indulge in delicious food and drinks at Puptober Fest at Chuck Lager’s Kitchen and Taphouse in New Castle. Meet adorable adoptable puppies and dogs, and try your luck by participating in raffles and 50/50 drawings. All weekend event proceeds benefit the Rescue for the Misunderstood pet nonprofit.
4500 New Linden Hill Road , New Castle
Enjoy brunch favorites like waffles, eggs, bacon, and so much more at Brunch with Stitch at MadMacs in Newark this weekend. Meet your favorite out-of-this-world furry friend, Stitch, and be sure to take a fun picture with him!
801 South College Avenue, Newark
Looking for more things to do this weekend? Check out our Delaware event calendar guide, where you can also submit events of your own happening in the region.
*Please call ahead or check online to confirm event cancellations or changes.
What are journalists missing from the state of Delaware? What would you most like WHYY News to cover? Let us know.New Castle County property owners will be kept in limbo about the taxes they owe likely until the end of October.That’s because a judge is weighing the merits of a lawsuit filed last month that challenges a new law that changed the formula for commercial and residential rates.The lawsuit is the latest development in the turmoil swirling around the first reassessment of property values statewide...
What are journalists missing from the state of Delaware? What would you most like WHYY News to cover? Let us know.
New Castle County property owners will be kept in limbo about the taxes they owe likely until the end of October.
That’s because a judge is weighing the merits of a lawsuit filed last month that challenges a new law that changed the formula for commercial and residential rates.
The lawsuit is the latest development in the turmoil swirling around the first reassessment of property values statewide in 40 years.
That process resulted in a dramatic shift in the tax burden from commercial properties to residential properties. It also prompted months of public outcry about skyrocketing tax bills and visible frustration from homeowners, pushing state lawmakers into an August special session to provide relief.
A bill sponsored by state Rep. Kim Williams, D-Stanton, allowed school districts to use split rates for residential and commercial properties. It was among a limited number of bills lawmakers passed and Gov. Matt Meyer promptly signed into law.
The September lawsuit was filed in Chancery Court from apartment landlords, hotel owners and manufactured home operators in Delaware’s largest county.
They have asked Vice Chancellor Lori Will for an accelerated ruling, arguing that the change in school property rates will cause them “irreparable harm.”
Will held a hearing Tuesday on the plaintiffs’ request for a temporary restraining order to prohibit the new split residential and commercial rates from taking effect. Will said in court she could likely hold a hearing on Oct. 20 to decide the case on an expedited basis, then issue a decision by Oct. 30.
The county had been planning to put new tax bills out in mid-October but agreed, along with the plaintiffs, to wait until the judge’s decision on how to proceed.
The county’s attorney, Nicholas Brannick, told Will that waiting until she rules would be better for property owners.
“There’s an extraordinary amount of confusion right now among taxpayers, whether they should pay the bills that are already out there, or whether they shouldn’t, whether they’re going to incur penalties if they don’t,” Brannick said. “We certainly don’t want to add to that. The situation is bad enough.”
Counties issue property tax bills that include school taxes, which constitute the majority of each owner’s tax burden. The tax bills issued after the reassessment went out in July.
Property owners in the state have paid artificially low rates because all three counties went decades without updating property values. New Castle County went 41 years without doing property reassessments.
A lawsuit brought in 2018 by civil rights groups argued that the lack of current property assessments contributed to inequities in how schools were funded. A Chancery Court judge agreed in 2020 that all property should be taxed equitably and at fair market value, and all three counties pledged to conduct reassessments.
While the reassessments went relatively smoothly in Kent and Sussex counties, contractor Tyler Technologies received immediate backlash from some New Castle County homeowners whose tax bills rose dramatically.
New Castle County’s then-chief financial officer, Jill Floore, told county officials in July that residents were seeing their share of the tax burden swell from 67% to about 76%. The city of Wilmington said earlier this year that residential properties are now 57% of its tax base while commercial properties make up just 29%. The city was not named in the lawsuit.
After months of controversy, the General Assembly passed about a half dozen bills during a special session aiming to calm the outcry. Williams’ legislation gave school districts the ability to levy split rates, similar to what the county and city of Wilmington did. A working group of legislators is holding hearings on the reassessment process starting Sept. 30.
Organizations suing include the Newark Property Association, Delaware Apartment Association, the Delaware Hotel & Lodging Association and the First State Manufactured Housing Association. They argue the new law shifts the tax burden away from wealthy and upper-middle-class homeowners directly onto renters with much lower incomes.
Apartment buildings with more than four units and the land leased to residents living in manufactured homes are considered “non-residential.”
Attorneys for the plaintiffs made it clear in Tuesday’s hearing that only the school tax rates were at issue in the case. It said school boards increased the non-residential rate as much as 80%.
The plaintiffs warn that if the split rates take effect, they will have to pass the costs onto their tenants or risk “financial ruin.”
Manufactured home residents Lorraine Burns and Evelyn Marshall said in the lawsuit that they live on fixed incomes and have multiple health conditions. They say a rise in their land rent of $20 or $45 a month could cause them to forgo needed medications and doctor visits.
The lawsuit contends that Williams’ legislation violates Delaware’s Uniformity Clause because it’s treating taxpayers differently based on their property type and because it’s a retroactive tax increase. It also argues that school districts are not allowed to raise additional revenue outside of a referendum, although state law allows them to realize a 10% increase after reassessments.
Williams said lawmakers passed stopgap measures intended to help homeowners until longer-term solutions could be considered in January.
“We were coming up with a short-term solution to take some of the burden off the residential property owners,” Williams said. “And that was the goal, and that’s why they developed this special working group just to try to get some answers on what has happened and how we got to where we’re at and what we can do moving forward.”
The county and school districts dispute that split rates are unconstitutional and said in court papers that the legislature’s decision to give school districts that ability was neither irrational or arbitrary.
They said the plaintiffs’ claim that the law shifts the tax burden directly onto renters is false and ignores the determination by lawmakers that commercial properties are better equipped to absorb tax increases than homeowners.
They also pushed back on the plaintiff’s argument that because the law was enacted after the county’s deadline to appeal the overall assessments, it violated their due process rights.
Brannick, the county’s attorney, told Will that a ruling by the end of October will still allow enough time for officials to send out new tax bills.
The county has already extended the payment deadline to Nov. 30.
This story was supported by a statehouse coverage grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
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Just as they did in 1997–98, Barcelona begin their Champions League campaign at St. James’ Park. They’ll want a different outcome on Thursday night, though.A Faustino Asprilla hat-trick sunk the Blaugrana on their first visit to Tyneside 28 years ago, and while Barça have won all three subsequent meetings, Hansi Flick is well aware of the upoming challenge at his team’s disposal.St. James’ will be rocking under the lights, and the mettle of the majestic La Liga champions will doubtless be te...
Just as they did in 1997–98, Barcelona begin their Champions League campaign at St. James’ Park. They’ll want a different outcome on Thursday night, though.
A Faustino Asprilla hat-trick sunk the Blaugrana on their first visit to Tyneside 28 years ago, and while Barça have won all three subsequent meetings, Hansi Flick is well aware of the upoming challenge at his team’s disposal.
St. James’ will be rocking under the lights, and the mettle of the majestic La Liga champions will doubtless be tested by tens of thousands of barmy Georgies.
The visitors are without a few key faces for their Champions League opener, but they refused to skip a beat at the weekend, as they thrashed Valencia 6–0 in La Liga. Here’s the Barcelona XI Flick could pick on Thursday night.
GK: Joan García—The summer addition has immediately cemented himself as Barcelona’s number one, and he could be busy on Thursday night.
RB: Jules Koundé—A consistent performer at right-back since Flick took over, there’s no doubt that Koundé will retain his place in the German’s XI.
CB: Ronald Araújo—Flick has a dilemma at centre back, but he should probably opt for the physicality of Araújo, given the opposition. He can’t rock up with Eric García at the heart of his defence.
CB: Pau Cubarsí—The young Spanish defender has a key role to play in unlocking Newcastle’s press, and the Magpies will aim to dishevel their superior visitors with their intensity out of possession.
LB: Gerard Martín—The academy graduate starred on his previous Champions League appearance at the San Siro in May, and Martin will once again fill in for the injured Alejandro Balde, who hasn’t travelled.
CM: Pedri—Good luck taming Pedri, Magpies. The Spaniard’s imperious from from last season has permeated into 2024–25, and he’s another who’ll be decisive in bypassing Newcastle’s intensity.
CM: Frenkie De Jong—De Jong, who picked up an injury on international duty, was likely preserved for this fixture by Flick. The Dutchman didn’t feature in the Valencia rout on Sunday.
RW: Raphinha—Flick disciplined the Brazilian for lateness by dropping him to the bench on Sunday, but Raphinha, who’s starting to become inevitable in the final third, still scored twice in the 6–0 win. It’ll be interesting to see what role he plays in Lamine Yamal’s absence.
AM: Fermín López—The unsung Spaniard deserves to keep his place over Dani Olmo based on his performance at the weekend.
LW: Marcus Rashford—Flick was complimentary of Rashford’s performance on Sunday, which was perhaps his brightest in Barcelona colours. The Englishman will be keen to silence a fervent English crowd on Thursday night.
ST: Robert Lewandowski—The veteran striker has been eased into the new season because of a fitness issue, but Lewandowski is trending towards a return to the starting XI. He struck twice off the bench against Valencia.
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