19 Percent Tax Increase In Delco Approved

DELAWARE COUNTY, PA — Delaware County property owners are going to be paying more in taxes next year.

That's because the Delaware County Council Wednesday night voted to approve its 2026 budget that features a 19 percent real estate tax increase.

The final vote on the controversial budget was 4-1, with Councilwoman Elaine Paul Schaefer the lone abstaining vote.

Factoring in the 19 percent real estate tax increase, a home with an assessed value of $255,000 would have $188 added on to their 2026 tax bill.

The 2026 increase, the council said, are necessary to the continuation of government services and are partially attributed to years of former councils not increasing revenue for the county.

With the budget's approval, the council marks three consecutive years of tax increases. In 2025, the budget featured a 23 percent tax increase, and the 2024 budget had a 5 percent tax increase.

Before 2024, the county's last property tax increase was in 2014.