By Rachel Sawicki

NEW CASTLE — County Council will be putting the first step to establishing neighborhood improvement districts to a vote Tuesday.

Resolution 21-228 is urging the Delaware General Assembly to enact legislation authorizing the county to create the districts.

The resolution up for vote asserts that creation of these areas will put county government resources under “one roof” to focus on persistent or “legacy” neighborhood problems, which will improve the chances of successfully resolving systemic difficulties, such as unsanitary conditions and crime, that erode communities’ quality of life.

“There are special assessments or fees levied on the community to pay for things like maintenance of common open space, garbage collection, snowplowing and these kinds of things,” said District 8 Councilman John Cartier, one of four members introducing the proposal. “It is designed to address communities that are chronically challenged and unable to carry out these important community overhead or maintenance activities. So it gives the county another policy in our policy toolbox to enable us to address these issues.”

Councilman Cartier said it is generally up to residents in unincorporated areas to take care of community services but that, more often than not, they don’t get done.

“(For) some chronically challenged communities in New Castle County, especially ones that are dominated by landlords like in (my district), trash collection for a lot of homes doesn’t happen,” he said. “People throw their trash all over the neighborhood, so that’s an issue for public sanitation, … as well as public safety.”

Before any fees are changed or new taxes levied, the county needs to get the OK from state lawmakers.

“County Council cannot charge any fees or levy any additional taxes without getting the permission of the General Assembly. So the resolution (Tuesday) is simply telling members of the General Assembly that we would like to have enabling legislation (that) allows us to charge fees for a neighborhood improvement district.”

Lisa Diller (District 5), Janet Kilpatrick (District 3) and Timothy Sheldon (District 9) are also listed as introducers on the resolution.

Last week, however, during a Land Use Committee meeting, Councilman Jea Street expressed significant opposition to creating neighborhood improvement districts, particularly in reference to the fees that would be imposed on residents.

“If you look at the so-called tax in areas that I think (council) is going to concentrate on, nothing is going to change,” he said. “They’re going to keep on being just as challenged as it relates to policing as they are now. If the tax was doing what it is supposed to do, then we would see changes in those areas that have been constantly the source of problems, and it’s not gonna change just because we can impose a fee. Until we change police practices and methodologies, it’s not going to get any better.

“As a matter of fact, it is getting progressively worse in my opinion.”

Council is not voting to create the districts yet; this vote is to first ask the General Assembly for the ability to do so.

Tuesday night's meeting will take place at 6:30. For more information, visit here.