Sussex County FY 2027 $300-M Budget Unveiled – No Increase in Property Tax Rate

Sussex County Council began an hour earlier Tuesday morning – at 9am.  A proclamation to celebrate Community Action Month was read by County Administrator, Todd Lawson and was presented to First State Community Action Executive Director Bernice Edwards. First State has been in existence for over 60 years and has grown from the Sussex County Community Action Agency to now encompass the entire state of Delaware. They offer a diverse array of programs that target the root causes of poverty.

In Old Business, two Conditional Use applications (CU No. 2554 and CU No. 2555) were updated to announce that the P&Z Commission recommendations have been made – and written public comment can be taken for 5 days.

The Council approved Conditional Use No 2692 on behalf of Sunset Bridge Corporation – for a non-profit public charity providing respite care south of Fred Hudson Road at Charleys Run north of Bethany Beach. The Council agreed there is a need for this and voted unanimously to approve.

Conditional Use No. 2533 on behalf of RWE Clean Energy for a solar array and associated utilities in the area of Cypress & Cliff Roads west of Selbyville. Council President Doug Hudson in his comments stated that the proposal is not good for the farming area that surrounds it. The Council voted 4 to 1 to deny the application.

The Council held four public hearings on ordinances that come from the Land Use Reform Working Group.

The first ordinance, No. 26-01, on the Sussex County rental unit program went through discussion and several public comments and pertained to the Sussex County Rental Unit Program.  Information was supplied on all four of the Ordinances by Assistant County Attorney Vince Robertson, however for the SCRP ordinance, Community Development & Housing Director Brandy Nauman was also on hand.  

26-02 – Cluster Subdivisions and RPC Districts/Open Space Requirements
Sussex County farmers came out from around the County in opposition – many saying this would further devalue their property. Most of the farming community also asked that their comments be applied to Ordinance No 26-04 so that they could leave – and get back to work.

Ordinance No 26-03 was heard out of order, so that the remaining commenters on 04 could speak and get back to farming. This dealt with height, area and bulk requirements – regarding design criteria for all subdivision.

The four public hearings took over 6 hours – the Council deferred their vote for each of the ordinances so that the testimony presented can be reviewed more thoroughly.  

The Council late this afternoon received the proposed FY 2027 Sussex County Budget presentation from County Administrator Todd Lawson and Finance Director Gina Jennings. The proposed budget is $300-million – nearly $15-million more than the current budget – it does include some new fees and charges – including the creation of a first-ever building permit surcharge for the county’s public school districts and Sussex Tech. The property tax rate remains at 2.14 cents per $100 of assessed value – which was set last year following the court-ordered reassessment project.

Additional information on the Budget from Sussex County Government:

The proposed $300-million budget for Fiscal Year 2027, will fund a variety of local services, including public safety, sewer expansions, and continued open space preservation. But the plan takes on new, unprecedented roles and challenges for the County government, including the creation of a first-ever building permit surcharge for the independent public school districts, as well as a centralized billing and ambulance purchase cost share program for local fire and EMS companies, important milestones as southern Delaware – and the demand for services – grows.

While the overall budget is up nearly $15 million, or 5.2 percent, over the current year, fueled largely by capital expenses for public wastewater improvements, the general fund portion of the budget that pays for day-to-day operations is rising just $4 million, or 3.6 percent. The County’s property tax rate, meanwhile, of 2.14 cents per $100 of assessed value – set last year following the court-ordered reassessment project – remains unchanged.

“This budget is forward looking to a future that presents new challenges for County government, but it continues the past traditions of limited government, disciplined spending, and delivering critical local public services for the best value possible,” said County Administrator Todd F. Lawson, who presented to County Council the proposed budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1. “Times and demands may change, but the need for sound financial planning remains.”

Among the highlights in the proposed FY2027 budget, the proposal includes:

• $74.6 million for wastewater infrastructure, including expansion of two treatment plants, new service areas, increased capacity, and other upgrades to the County utility systems;
• $7.6 million for local fire and ambulance companies to help with operational costs, including EMT salaries, as well as an additional $1.6 million for a centralized ambulance billing and unit purchase cost-share plan to aid basic life support (BLS) services;
• $7.4 million to acquire open space and farmland, preserving it for the future;
• Up to $7 million, depending on market activity, in new funding as a result of a new $5 per $1,000 construction value surcharge on most building permits that will be directed to local school districts for capacity-related capital needs;
• Increased funding, from $5.8 million to $6.1 million, for the County’s contract with the State of Delaware for supplemental state police troopers assigned to Sussex County;
• $3.4 million for new paramedic stations in the Dewey Beach, Lincoln, and Milton areas;
• $1.25 million for affordable housing initiatives, including rehabilitation for low-income households, as well as homebuying settlement assistance;
• $1 million for municipalities providing local law enforcement services;
• A number of fee increases are proposed, including $36 annually for sewer and $90 annually for unmetered water on public utility systems, as well as new and adjusted fees for the Geographic Information, Engineering, and Planning & Zoning offices.

Revenue for County government comes through a variety of sources, including property taxes, realty transfer taxes, building permits, and other service fees.

Council President Doug Hudson praised the budget team, including Mr. Lawson and Finance Director Gina A. Jennings, for developing the balanced plan. “Our constituents benefit thanks to the hard work of these folks, who keep the taxpayers top of mind every budget year,” President Hudson said.

County Council will hold a public hearing on the proposal during its 10 a.m. meeting Tuesday, June 16, 2026, in council chambers at the County Administrative Offices building, 2 The Circle, in Georgetown. The public can comment on that date, or submit comments through the web at budget@sussexcountyde.gov. By law, Council must adopt a budget by June 30.

To view a copy of the proposed Fiscal Year 2027 budget, as well as the accompanying budget presentation, visit www.sussexcountyde.gov/county-budget.