Woodbridge referendum passes, major voter turnout

DELAWARE – The Woodbridge School District referendum passed on Wednesday, after election officials say there was a major spike in voter turnout compared to the referendum vote in March.

The referendum, which passed 1313 to 1042, means the school district will get an increase in almost $1 million for operating expenses. But it also means a tax increase.

“For the average home owner in Sussex County, it’s going to be about $70. And for the residents Kent County it’s going to cost about $85 a year, ” says Heath Chasanov, Superintendent for the Woodbridge School District.

Voters tell 47 ABC that regardless of whether they checked “yes” or “no”, their intention was to vote with the best interest of students in mind.

“It comes down to, what is going to be the best for the kids? What is going to benefit the children of today and tomorrow,” says Penny DeCarlo, who voted in the referendum.

Some voters say the tax increase is a price tag they are willing to pay. “I know it’s an increase but I don’t really feel that it’s that bad an increase. I can live with it,” says Cathy Warrington, a voter who has granddaughters in the district.

But others tell 47 ABC that they don’t think residents should be responsible for the growth that the area is seeing. “There’s a lot of money going into the school tax and it’s all by property owners and I feel that the rest of the people should share the burden with the increased population in the school systems right now,” says Jeff Osterhout, who voted in the referendum.

Then there’s those who home school their kids. They tell 47 ABC that they don’t use the resources that public schools offer, so they don’t feel the increase is fair for their families.

“I would be more than willing to vote yes for supporting the schools more if they supported us with a portion at least of our property taxes being able to use as either a voucher or some other kind of credit toward education,” says John McCullough Jr., who voted in the referendum.

Since the referendum did pass, the school district will now be able to make up for the money it has had to take from its savings which is about $400,000.

Superintendent Chasnov tells 47 ABC that he is ecstatic that the referendum passed and this means the district gets to keep its programming and school resource officers, while hopefully filling up to 20 vacant positions.

We’re told almost 700 more people voted in Wednesday’s referendum compared to March’s.