Voters turning out for Cape referendum

A steady stream of voters has come through the doors of Cape High today as voting began 10 a.m. for the district's latest referendum.

“We've had about 200 people come through so far,” said Ken McDowell, director of Sussex County Elections.

McDowell said polls at Cape High, Rehoboth Elementary and Mariner Middle will remain open until 8 p.m., even as a Nor'easter threatens the area with ice and snow.

The district is asking voters to maintain the debt service tax already approved in building referendums held in 2014 and 2016 and use the money to build a new middle school and add 20 classrooms to Cape High. Low-interest rates and construction savings have kept costs down, officials say, and the money saved could be applied to new construction. New construction is needed because of growing student enrollment, officials say.

Officials have asked voters to use $21 million already approved for past projects to now pay for the new middle school and high school expansion. The state has agreed to pay the remaining 60 percent of construction costs, about $34 million, for the $55 million project.

Voters are also asked to pay for a permanent operating expense tax increase that would be about $50 a year for the average homeowner of a $250,000 home assessed at $22,000.

The 20-cent tax increase would be broken up into two increases: 5 cents in 2019 for about $12 more a year and 15 cents in 2022 for about $35 a year more.

In 2016, Cape Henlopen voters turned out in support of a referendum to build two new elementaries and renovate two others approving it 2,947 – 1,031, nearly a 3-to-1 majority. At the time, election officials said voter turnout was steady.

In 2014, voter turnout for a referendum to approve building Love Creek Elementary school on Route 24 was higher, with 3,597 for and 2,410 against.