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Commissioners authorize advertisement of land‑preservation referendum for November 2026 ballot
Summary
The board authorized advertising an enabling ordinance that would put a land‑preservation question on the November 2026 ballot asking voters to approve an additional earned income tax of 0.05% and a real property tax increase not to exceed 0.20 mills to fund open‑space purchases and agricultural easements; commissioners debated funding mix, governance and implementation steps and agreed the advertised draft will be posted online and finalized for consideration on Aug. 3.
Solicitor and staff presented a draft enabling ordinance to place a land‑preservation referendum on the November 2026 ballot. The ordinance, as drafted, would authorize an additional earned income tax at a rate of 0.05 percent and an increase in real property tax not to exceed 0.20 mills to raise revenue for acquiring open space, agricultural conservation easements, development rights and recreational lands. "I moved to authorize the advertisement of the land preservation ordinance...authorizing a referendum pursuant to the Open Space Lands Acquisition Preservation Act," a commissioner said while moving the item.
Commissioners debated which funding mechanism was most equitable—earned income tax, property tax or a combination—and discussed whether implementation details and a review/administration board should be specified in the ordinance or handled after voter approval. The solicitor explained that the referendum language is prescribed by statute but that the enabling ordinance language (which governs administration if approved) must be finalized to meet advertising deadlines; the board voted to authorize advertisement and staff said the advertised draft would be posted on the township website with survey results to be presented at the Aug. 3 meeting.
