HARTLY, De. - Farmers in Kent County are voicing their frustration over recent property tax increases, claiming they are being disproportionately impacted compared to other property owners in the area. One farmer reported that their property taxes increased by 74% in just one year.
Kent County was legally required to reassess properties, a process that not only affected county taxes but also impacted school district taxes. Katharine Parry and her husband Dennis, who own a farm in Hartly, said the new property taxes are making it even harder to make ends meet.
"They've increased by 74 percent," Katharine Parry said. "They went last year from a little over $12,000 to over $22,000 now. And we just feel that's an undue burden being put on farmers and our neighbors in this community."
Kent County Levy Court Commissioner Jody Sweeney acknowledged the concerns but noted that there are programs available to help farmers mitigate the impact.
"We do have a number of agricultural programs that they can get engaged in," Sweeney said. "They can apply not only through the county but also through the state."
According to Sweeney, the property reassessment resulted in about a third of properties increasing in value, a third decreasing, and a third staying the same.
Parry emphasized that the tax increase does not align with the financial realities farmers face. "Our buildings are constantly depreciating, our equipment that is in those buildings where we produce our product, and our cost as far as inflation-wise to replace that equipment has all gone up at least 30 to 35 percent in the last two to three years," she said.
Commissioner Sweeney noted that as part of the property reassessment, Kent County implemented a zero percent increase in revenue, which resulted in most properties seeing the same or a lower value.