CAPE HENLOPEN SCHOOL DISTRICT- A total of 7,921 people from the Cape Henlopen School District came out to vote on March 26, either for or against a referendum to increase the school tax for property owners. The district says the increased funding would go towards making schools safer and building new facilities. After the votes were tallied, the results showed the majority of voters were not in favor of the referendum passing.
At Mariner Middle School, one of the three voting locations, more people voted against the tax than for it. Out of 1,962 voters at that location, only 594 supported the tax increase, while 1,368 opposed it. Cape Henlopen High School had a total of 4,151, with 2,120 against and 2,031 for. The only location that had a majority of votes in favor of the increase was Rehoboth Elementary School, which had a total of 1,808 votes, 924 in favor and 884 against.
Jeff Wilkinson, who lives in Milton, told CoastTV he chose to vote against the referendum.
"I feel that the different aspects of the referendum should not have been bundled, they should have been separate items so we could have voted on each," explained Wilkinson.
Wilkinson says he might have voted differently if the issues were separated. Bruce Elliot, also from Milton, says he voted yes but was second-guessing his decision.
"I don't mind paying taxes for kids, kids are going to be my neighbors someday, but the pool certainly is not an essential issue, I don't think, but it condemned the whole thing," said Elliot.
According to the district, there was a two-question referendum held back in 2006 for a pool and a new high school. The district says the pool part failed 52 percent against 46 percent, but the new high school part passed 54 percent to 46 percent.
The district says at this time, it is working with its team to come up with a new plan to move forward since the referendum did not pass.