West Orange council debates pausing open‑space tax; members ask for Cresmont bond details before acting

Councilman Koviaak proposed on June 30 that West Orange suspend collection of the municipal open‑space tax for 2026, saying the open‑space trust had a balance of about $3.45 million and only one anticipated draw this year (a final Borg Park payment of roughly $52,500). Koviaak said pausing the levy this year could save taxpayers roughly $548,000 without impairing current open‑space needs, and asked the council to send the question to the township attorney to determine the legal steps needed to suspend collection.

Legal and procedural questions quickly followed. Members and the township attorney discussed whether the open‑space levy had been established by ordinance or by referendum and whether rescinding or pausing collection would itself require an ordinance plus a public referendum. Members also raised the question of whether Green Acres or other grant rules limit how trust funds may be used and whether reserve rules in the original 2002 ordinance constrain a temporary pause.

Several council members said they were sympathetic to tax relief but wanted concrete facts before asking voters or changing the code. Councilwoman Castalina and Councilwoman Ruden emphasized the town’s need to preserve capital resources for parks and to confirm whether the Cresmont acquisition bond had been fully repaid; council members said that information matters to whether the trust should instead be used to retire outstanding debt.

On a preliminary roll call to advance research into legal options, the council recorded: Castellino — no; Koviaak — yes; Ruden — no; Williams — yes; Scarpa — no. With a 3–2 negative, the chair interpreted the result as a direction to hold off and to have the administration provide documentation on Cresmont (bond authorization and payoff status), the open‑space ordinance language, and any planned draws from the trust. Several members said they would revisit the idea once those facts were verified and legal options clarified.

Next steps: the council asked the township attorney to review the authorizing documents and state law and told staff to report back with (1) the status of the Cresmont acquisition and any outstanding bond, (2) the open‑space ordinance text and whether it was adopted by referendum, and (3) any limitations tied to grants or outside funding programs. No ordinance or formal change to tax collection was enacted at the June 30 hearing.