Voters reject latest school funding boosts for Cape Henlopen – The News Journal

Cape was the fifth Delaware school system to head to referendum this year.
On Tuesday, Cape Henlopen School District held a debt service and operating expense referendum. That’s the district having asked voters for a combined 54.9-cent tax increase per $100 of accessed property value, fueling expansion and keeping up with operating needs.
“Enrollment issues continue to be the main reason more funds are needed,” wrote the district having ballooned some 59% from 2001 to September 2023. And, the district said, “population studies show that the enrollment will continue to increase significantly over the next 10 years.”
But voters said no.
Tuesday’s polls showed 54% of the vote coming in against the ask looking to prepare for key district expansions. Nearly 7,900 votes were tallied in the unofficial results.
The last such ask came in 2018, while a 2020 request had to be postponed by the pandemic. On the operating side, the district cited main concerns in security needs, growth outpacing revenue, alongside ongoing curriculum, facility maintenance, technology needs and more.
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And ahead of the referendum, Cape told voters it needs to secure new district office space so the high school can complete an expansion, as well as to secure new land for future expansion, a natatorium and a bus maintenance facility.
Looking ahead, the high school is already over-capacity. The district did not get state approval for Cape Henlopen High School’s expansion project in 2023, but plans to resubmit this year. It says the school needs additions and renovations, allowing for more classroom space, storage, athletic facility improvements, additional parking and more.
For now, the district will have to return to the drawing board on this request.
It’s really been a season for referendums. In February, nearly 4 out of every 5 Brandywine voters approved an operational referendum. Then, Red Clay Consolidated School District’s voters loudly supported both an operations and capital-projects ask at roughly 71% approval each, just one day before Colonial schools would also approve two similar requests. 
Now, two districts haven’t seen the same results in March. Cape Henlopen voters just gave their answer, while Smyrna schools saw funding requests rejected on March 9, with over half the votes coming against each ask. 
Appoquinimink asks voters to return to the polls to consider its referendums on April 23.
Got a story? Contact Kelly Powers at kepowers@gannett.com or (231) 622-2191, and follow her on Twitter @kpowers01.

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