Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Wilmington public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
3 issues in taxes budget with high priority
Permanent COLA for City Pension Retirees
Property taxes stay flat for FY2027, and retirees retired before 2020 get a $1,000 one-time stipend instead of a COLA — a compromise forced by tight city finances.
Council attendance and quorum failure
Eight of thirteen council members were absent from a meeting the public called critical. Speakers demanded accountability, and the President noted all had asked to be excused.
Charter reform and home rule
After Council Member Spadola switched from Republican to Democrat, council voted 9-1 to ask the General Assembly to bar a minority-party at-large member from switching parties mid-term. Spadola and many residents argue the charter's nomination cap — not the switch — is the real problem, and favor letting voters pick all four at-large seats.