New law is the result of Local Services Function Task Force

WILMINGTON, Del. – Governor John Carney on Tuesday signed into law House Bill 11, sponsored by Representative Paul Baumbach and Senate President Pro Tem David Sokola. The legislation, based on recommendations of the Local Service Functions Task Force, more fairly allocates the costs of service delivery across local governments in New Castle County.

“This legislation is the result of a lot of hard work by Representative Baumbach, Senator Sokola, the City of Newark, New Castle County and many others,” said Governor Carney. “I’m pleased to help get it across the finish line and sign this bill into law.”

“Two years ago, we discovered a serious problem in the Delaware laws. This problem was so severe that it led to a lawsuit between New Castle County and a municipality. We saw that we had a lot of work to do, so Senator Sokola and I helped create a broad task force of stakeholders. And 17 meetings later, we had created the necessary rewrite, based on fairness, transparency, and due process,” said Representative Paul Baumbach.  “This required dedication and hard work by many individuals, most notably New Castle County Solicitor Karen Sullivan and Legislative Counsel Deborah Gottschalk. Together, we built the relationships and trust needed to tackle such a big challenge.”

“This new law is the result of a commitment between city and county governments working together for the benefit of all of their citizens,” said Senator David Sokola. “All parties have worked together to ensure that residents have more fairness and equity in their tax structure so that costs are spread evenly. I am proud of the work the task force produced and I am glad we were able to reach consensus.”

“Representative Baumbach and Senator Sokola brought together state, county, and municipal leaders to improve the local service function calculations,” said New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer. “HB 11 is yet another example of the progress we can make when we all work together.”

“I’m grateful for Representative Baumbach, Senator Sokola, representatives from New Castle County, and members of the task force for working collectively over the past year to modernize the outdated process and improve transparency among all stakeholders,” said Newark City Manager Tom Coleman. “In a time when so many are negatively impacted financially by COVID-19, this bill is an example of legislation that will positively impact Newark residents.”

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