SOCIAL COMMENTARY: Delaware Tech tax increase

Here’s a selection of opinions and reactions readers have shared at delawarestatenews.net and facebook.com/delawarestatenews: Readers reacted to Sunday’s story of a possible property tax increase to pay for improvements to Delaware Technical Community College. •Here in Dover, we just had our property reassessed and values raised and now Dover is hitting us with a 20 percent property tax increase. I haven’t seen any increase in my income in years, but I’ll bet that the president of DelTech gets a hefty raise every year and bonuses too. Remember Orlando George, the highest-paid state employee retired from DelTech making nearly half a million a year and they gave him a $90,000 retirement bonus to boot. Of course, he was tight with Delaware legislators. I really resent it when some rich guy (i.e. the DelTech president) tells me that I shouldn’t be concerned about a “modest” tax increase. Once these people get their hands in your pocket, it’s there to stay. — Bob Hartman •Taxpayers are getting something for their money. They are getting top-notch educated students who graduate and get jobs in the state, thus earning a paycheck and not relying on state assistance to live or moving out of state and returning zero dollars to the state. — Kim McGregor-Endres •I have a top-notch education (Ed.D) from in state institutions and have been out of full-time employment for almost three years. The state doesn’t need to renovate buildings. The state needs to become business-friendly again, allowing for job creation. — Kimberly Chick •I go there. I don’t see a need for physical renovations ... except better staff and maybe more parking. — Jess Friedman •With every other tax increasing, this is a nice to have, but not a necessity. Legislators should vote no on this and worry more about filling the 80 million dollar hole in their budget. — Matthew Lindell •How about you get rid of some of those underperforming employees who can’t be fired because of the merit board first. You’ll have plenty of cash to build more buildings with ex-legislators names on them. — Greg Austin •A non-elected board given the power to levy taxes on property owners - that stinks of taxation without representation. — Terry Lovin

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