Local Funding Programs
Locally Funded Open Space Programs Map
(updated 11/06) [.pdf | 1.09M]
Since the late 1980s, efforts to buy up remaining open space as a means
of protecting natural resources, providing for recreation and shaping
local development have escalated among the counties and municipalities
in the region.
Currently, 6 of the 9 counties have dedicated funds for
open space preservation through bond referendums and special taxes. Additionally,
2 counties receive annual allocations of the general budget, which change
from year to year, but provide substantial funding for open space preservation
and acquisition.
As of November 2007, 106 of the 352 municipalities in
the region have active locally-funded open space programs. In addition,
many other municipalities previously issued open space bonds over the
last two decades and have since exhausted the funds for purchases.
DVRPC
began tracking locally funded open space programs after the April 1999
elections. The inventory of locally funded open space programs, which
follows below, is updated after primary and general elections.
Locally Funded Open Space Programs
- Updated to
November 2007-
NEW JERSEY
| Local Government |
Bond 1 |
Current Tax Rate 2 |
Estimated Tax Revenue
3 |
Year Approved |
| Burlington County |
|
$0.04 |
$16,500,000 |
1996=.02; 1998=.04; 2006=.04 |
| Bordentown Township |
|
$0.03 |
$203,000 |
1999 |
| Cinnaminson Township |
|
$0.0175 |
$160,000 |
2004 |
| Delanco Township |
|
$0.02 |
$43,000 |
2004 |
| Delran Township |
Yearly budget allocation |
$325,000 |
2004 |
| Eastampton Township 4 |
|
$0.08 |
$427,000 |
1998=.03; 2001=.20 |
| Edgewater Park Township |
|
$0.01 |
$31,000 |
2000 |
| Evesham Township |
|
$0.03 |
$842,000 |
1998=.01; 2000=.03 |
| Hainesport Township |
|
$0.03 |
$212,000 |
2001=.01; 2004=.03 |
| Lumberton Township 5 |
|
$0.01 |
$222,000 |
2000=.01; 2003=.03; 2005=.01 |
| MedfordTownship |
|
$0.03 |
$530,000 |
1998=.02; 2000=.03 |
| Moorestown Township |
|
$0.06 |
$1,159,000 |
1998=.02; 2001=.06; 2007=.06 |
| Mount Laurel Township 6 |
|
$0.08 |
$2,658,000 |
1998=.02; 2001=.04; 2002=.08; 2007=.08 |
| North Hanover Township |
|
$0.11 |
$246,000 |
1999=.02; 2003=.04; 2004=.11 |
| Shamong Township |
|
$0.02 |
$75,000 |
2004 |
| SouthamptonTownship |
|
$0.02 |
$145,000 |
2001 |
| Springfield |
|
$0.02 |
$86,000 |
2001 |
| Westampton Township |
|
$0.02 |
$176,000 |
1999=.02; 2005=.02 |
| Totals |
|
|
$24,040,000 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| Camden County 7 |
$28,000,000 |
|
|
2003 |
| |
$0.02 |
$6,000,000 |
1998=.01; 2005=.02 |
| Berlin Borough |
$2,600,000 |
|
|
2007 |
| Berlin Township |
|
$0.04 |
$132,000 |
1999 |
| Cherry Hill Township |
|
$0.01 |
$460,000 |
2000 |
| Clementon Borough |
|
$0.03 |
$34,000 |
2000 |
| Gibbsboro Borough |
|
$0.02 |
$47,000 |
2001 |
| Gloucester Township |
|
$0.02 |
$488,000 |
2001 |
| Haddonfield Borough 5 |
|
$0.01 |
$200,000 |
2006=.02 |
| Voorhees Township |
|
$0.04 |
$775,000 |
2003 |
| Totals |
$30,600,000 |
|
$8,136,000 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| Gloucester County |
|
$0.04 |
$7,500,000 |
1993=.01; 2000=.02; 2004=.04 |
| East Greenwich Township |
|
$0.03 |
$137,000 |
1998=.01; 2003=.03 |
| Elk Township |
|
$0.01 |
$20,000 |
2002 |
| Franklin Township |
|
$0.01 |
$63,000 |
1999 |
| Harrison Township 5, 8 |
|
$0.03
$0.03 |
$215,000
$215,000 |
1999=.01; 2002=.01; 2004=.05 |
| Logan Township |
|
$0.01 |
$50,000 |
1999=.01; 2005=.05 |
| Mantua Township |
|
$0.02 |
$147,000 |
1999 |
| Monroe Township |
|
$0.02 |
$242,000 |
2000=.01; 2004=.02 |
| Washington Township |
|
$0.02 |
$509,000 |
2003 |
| West Deptford Township |
|
$0.01 |
$280,000 |
2000 |
| Woolwich Township |
|
$0.03 |
$255,000 |
2001=.01; 2005=.02 |
| Totals |
$0 |
|
$9,633,000 |
1998=.01; 2002=.02; 2004=.03 |
| |
|
|
|
|
| Mercer County |
|
$0.03 |
$9,310,000 |
1989=.01; 1998=.02; 2004=.03 |
| East Windsor Township 9 |
Yearly Budget Allocation |
$325,000 |
No referendum |
| Hamilton Township 10 |
Dedicated surplus |
$900,000 |
2001 |
| Hopewell Borough |
|
$0.01 |
$36,000 |
2000 |
| Hopewell Township |
|
$0.04 |
$1,837,000 |
1998=.02; 2002=.03; 2004=.04 |
| Lawrence Township |
|
$0.03 |
$805,000 |
1999=.01; 2001=.03 |
| Pennington Borough |
|
$0.01 |
$51,000 |
1998 |
| Princeton Borough |
|
$0.01 |
$100,000 |
2000 |
| Princeton Township |
|
$0.02 |
$479,000 |
1997=.01; 2000=.02 |
| Robbinsville (Washington) Township |
|
$0.05 |
$482,000 |
1998=.01; 2000=.05 |
| West Windsor Township 11 |
|
$0.05 |
$3,153,000 |
1993=.01; 1995=.02; 1998=.07; 2005=.05 |
| Totals |
$0 |
|
$17,478,000 |
|
New Jersey Footnotes:
1 These figures indicate totals for the current county
or municipal bond program. However, these numbers must be interpreted
with caution because bonds are typically non-binding, and a portion of
the money from many of these bonds has already been spent, so totals
do not represent remaining funds available.
2 These taxes are dedicated to a county or municipal Open
Space Trust Fund or pay debt service related to bonds previously issued
for open space preservation. These taxes can be one of the following:
property taxes ($ per $100 assessed property value); earned income tax;
budget allocation or dedication; or another type of tax (i.e. realty
transfer tax).
3 Tax Revenue is confirmed with municipal officials for
CY 2007 and/or CY 2008, estimated based on known property values, or,
in New Jersey, substantiated by CY 2007 Municipal Information Sheets,
which municipalities are required to file with the New Jersey Division
of Local Government Services.
4 The approved referendum allows the municipality to tax
at a higher rate. The Current Tax Rate reflects the rate at which the
municipality levied for CY 2007 or CY 2008.
5 In November 2005, Lumberton voters approved a referendum
to not reinstate a 2-cent increase in the property tax rate. The tax
rate reverted to the original $.01 property tax rate.
6 In Mount Laurel, the first three referendum measures,
passed in three separate elections, authorized the township to tax up
to $.08. All three taxes were in place for twenty years, respective to
time of enactment. In November 2007, voters approved two separate ballot
measures to extend the first two taxes for an additional 20 years. In
2007, Mount Laurel collected a levy of $.06.
7 In 2003, Camden County Freeholders issued a bond for
$28 million for open space acquisitions.
8 Harrison Township levies two open space taxes; one solely
for farmland preservation and the other for open space acquisition and
recreation. In 2004, voters approved a measure to increase the open space
tax to $.05. In 2005, voters approved a measure to increase the farmland
preservation tax to $.05, as well. In CY 2007, the township levied a
tax equal to $.06.
9 East Windsor Township dedicates a portion of its property
tax revenue to open space but does not have a voter-approved tax levy.
10 Hamilton Township dedicates the surplus of its property
tax revenue to open space, which was approved by voter referendum. The
amount of this dedication changes every year; therefore tax revenue was
estimated using $.01 as a probable and equivalent rate.
11 In a 2005 election, West Windsor voters approved
a referendum to reduce the municipal open space tax rate from $.07 to
$.05 per $100 assessed property value. The township projected that open
space tax payments would double after a revaluation of properties.
PENNSYLVANIA
| Local Government |
Bond 1 |
Current Tax Rate 2 |
Estimated Tax Revenue
3 |
Year Approved |
| Bucks County 5 |
$87,000,000 |
|
|
2007 |
| Bedminster Township |
$2,500,000 |
|
|
2005 |
| |
$0.0475 |
$367,000 |
2002=.0575; 2005=.0475 |
| |
0.250% |
$280,000 |
2005 |
| Buckingham Township 6 |
|
$0.0050 |
$190,000 |
No referendum |
| East Rockhill Township |
|
0.250% |
$240,000 |
1999=.125%; 2006=.250% |
| Hilltown Township |
|
0.250% |
$600,000 |
2000 |
| Milford Township 4 |
|
$0.0050 |
$58,000 |
1997=.02 |
| |
0.250% |
|
2007 |
| $5,000,000 |
|
|
2007 |
| New Britain Township |
|
0.125% |
$382,000 |
2000 |
| |
$0.0088 |
$141,000 |
1997 |
| Nockamixon Township |
|
0.250% |
$190,000 |
2004 |
| Plumstead Township |
$10,000,000 |
|
|
2005 |
| Richland Township |
|
0.100% |
$200,000 |
2002 |
| $4,000,000 |
|
|
2002 |
| Solebury Township |
$18,000,000 |
|
|
2005 |
| Springfield Township |
|
0.250% |
$232,000 |
2000 |
| $5,000,000 |
|
|
2006 |
| Tinicum Township |
|
0.250% |
$250,000 |
2002 |
| |
$0.0050 |
$35,000 |
2003 |
| $5,000,000 |
|
|
2002 |
| Upper Makefield Township 7 |
$10,000,000 |
|
|
2005 |
| |
$0.1075 |
$2,440,000 |
No referendum |
| Upper Southampton Township |
$2,000,000 |
|
|
2002 |
| |
$0.0075 |
$144,000 |
No referendum |
| Warwick Township |
$7,000,000 |
|
|
2006 |
| West Rockhill Township |
|
0.250% |
$250,000 |
2000=.125%; 2004=.25% |
| Wrightstown Township 4, 8 |
|
0.150% |
$142,000 |
2002=.25% |
| |
$0.0175 |
$108,000 |
No referendum |
| $1,500,000 |
|
|
2006 |
| Totals |
$157,000,000 |
|
$6,249,000 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| Chester County 9 |
Yearly budget allocation |
$26,700,000 |
No referendum |
| Charlestown Township |
$2,100,000 |
|
|
2000 |
| |
0.50% |
$600,000 |
2003 |
East Bradford Township |
|
0.250% |
$700,000 |
1998=.0125%; 2000=.25% |
East Brandywine Township |
|
0.125% |
$175,000 |
2002 |
East Marlborough Township |
|
$0.02 |
$95,000 |
1999 |
East Nantmeal Township |
|
0.250% |
$100,000 |
2003 |
East Nottingham Township |
|
0.50% |
$440,000 |
2003=.25%; 2004=.50% |
East Pikeland Township |
|
0.25% |
$250,000 |
2006 |
East Vincent Township |
|
0.325% |
$379,000 |
2002=.125%; 2006=.20% |
Elk Township |
|
0.50% |
$125,000 |
2006 |
Franklin Township |
|
$0.05 |
$120,000 |
2002 |
Highland Township |
|
0.50% |
$100,000 |
2004 |
Honey Brook Township
|
|
0.50% |
$500,000 |
2005 |
| Kennett Township |
|
0.25% |
$263,000 |
2005 |
| |
$0.02 |
$177,000 |
2005 |
| London Britain Township |
|
$0.02 |
$36,000 |
2000 |
| |
0.25% |
$275,000 |
2006 |
London Grove Township |
|
0.25% |
$275,000 |
2006 |
Londonderry Township |
|
0.25% |
$67,000 |
2003 |
Lower Oxford Township |
|
0.50% |
$300,000 |
2003 |
New Garden Township |
|
0.125% |
$308,000 |
2005 |
North Coventry Township |
|
0.25% |
$400,000 |
2002 |
| Pennsbury Township |
|
0.188% |
$320,000 |
2003 |
| |
$0.045 |
$30,000 |
2003 |
| Pocopson Township |
|
$0.01 |
$275,000 |
2006 |
| |
0.25% |
$900,000 |
2006 |
| Schuylkill Township |
|
0.25% |
$900,000 |
2006 |
| Upper Oxford Township |
|
0.50% |
$171,000 |
2003 |
| Warwick Township |
|
0.25% |
$95,000 |
2003 |
| West Brandywine Township |
|
0.125% |
$200,000 |
2003 |
| West Pikeland Township |
|
0.25% |
$550,000 |
2007 |
| West Sadsbury Township |
|
0.70% |
$71,000 |
1993=.50%; 2003=.70% |
| West Vincent Township |
|
$0.049 |
$145,000 |
2002 |
|
0.25% |
$185,000 |
2006 |
| West Whiteland Township |
|
$0.00250 |
$400,000 |
No referendum |
| Willistown Township |
|
0.125% |
$564,000 |
1999 |
| Totals |
$2,100,000 |
|
$37,191,000 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| Delaware County |
|
|
|
|
| Chadds Ford Township |
|
$0.0028 |
$125,000 |
2005 |
| Concord Township |
|
$0.00329 |
$300,000 |
2004 |
| $6,000,000 |
|
|
2004 |
| Middletown Township |
$8,500,000 |
|
|
2005 |
| Radnor Township |
$20,000,000 |
|
|
2006 |
| |
.25% 11 |
$825,000 |
1994 |
| Upper Providence Township |
$6,000,000 |
|
|
2003 |
| Totals |
$40,500,000 |
|
$1,250,000 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| Montgomery County 11 |
$150,000,000 |
|
|
2003 |
| Franconia Township |
|
0.25% |
$425,000 |
2001 |
| New Hanover Township |
|
0.15% |
$150,000 |
2006 |
| Perkiomen Township |
|
0.125% |
$250,000 |
2004 |
| Skippack Township |
|
0.25% |
$448,000 |
2001 |
| Upper Dublin Township |
$30,000,000 |
|
|
2006 |
| Upper Merion Township |
$5,000,000 |
|
|
2006 |
| |
$0.00095 |
$320,000 |
2005 |
| Upper Pottsgrove Township |
|
0.25% |
$136,000 |
2006 |
| Whitemarsh Township |
|
0.25% |
$1,000,000 |
2006 |
| Totals |
$185,000,000 |
|
$2,729,000 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| Philadelphia County 12 |
Yearly budget allocation |
$1,600,000 |
No referendum |
| Totals |
$0 |
$1,600,000 |
|
Pennsylvania Footnotes:
1 These figures indicate totals for the current county
or municipal bond program. However, these numbers must be interpreted with
caution because bonds are typically non-binding, and a portion of the money
from many of these bonds has already been spent, so totals do not represent
remaining funds available.
2 These taxes are dedicated to a county or municipal Open
Space Trust Fund or pay debt service related to bonds previously issued
for open space preservation. These taxes can be one of the following:
property taxes ($ per $100 assessed property value); earned income tax;
budget allocation or dedication; or another type of tax (i.e. realty
transfer tax).
3 Tax Revenue is confirmed with municipal officials for
CY 2007 and/or CY 2008, estimated based on known property values, or,
in New Jersey, substantiated by CY 2007 Municipal Information Sheets,
which municipalities are required to file with the New Jersey Division
of Local Government Services.
4 The approved referendum allows the municipality to tax
at a higher rate. The Current Tax Rate reflects the rate at which the
municipality levied for CY 2007 or CY 2008.
5 In 2007, voters approved a binding referendum for $87
million to fund Bucks County's open space initiative for ten years.
6 Buckingham Township dedicates one half mill ($.005) of
property tax to service its open space bond. The tax generates about
$190,000 annually. The bond was approved by voter referendum.
7 Upper Makefield's millage rate varies year to year based
on debt service.
8 Wrightstown Township has two dedicated taxes - property
tax and EIT - for debt service on past bonds. The township also has the
power to increase its EIT from .15% to .25%, but chose not to in CY 2007.
The municipal supervisors have yet to issue a bond for $1.5 million,
which was approved by referendum in 2006; the supervisors have 9 years
in which to issue the bond.
9 Chester County Commissioners appropriate funding from
the general budget for open space preservation on an annual basis. In
FY 2007, the commissioners appropriated $26.7 million.
10 Percent of realty transfer tax dedicated to parks
and open space
11
In November of 2003, Montgomery County voters approved a $150 million
bond issue to fund open space, farmland, natural resources, parks and
historic sites over the next 10 years. According to the Green Fields
and Green Towns Plan, $75 million will be available for county open space
projects, $67 million in matching funds for municipal projects, and $8 million
in matching funds for non-profits. Money for debt service on the bond will
be generated through an increase in property taxes, costing the average county
homeowner about $23 a year for 33 years.
12 According to Philadelphia's FY 2007 Capital Budget, over
$75 million was allocated to the Recreation Department and Fairmount
Park. These budget line items included recreation development, facilities
improvement, bike/ped paths, and land acquisition. Included in the table
are the line items for land acquisition, specifically land acquisition and
remediation related to the Schuylkill Riverfront Park and the North Delaware
Waterfront.
2007 Highlights and Trends:
Referendums 1988-2007:
Referendums proposing additional taxes, bond
levies or other dedications are a political measure of public support
for public expenditures. Referendums can be binding or non-binding, therefore
some referendums passed in the DVRPC region may not be enacted as of
January 2008. Additionally, municipal and county elected governments
have the authority to dedicate portions of annual budgets, issue bonds,
and levy additional taxes (in many cases to pay debt service on open
space bonds) without voter approval.
- In the DVRPC Region, voters voted on 363 local referendums between
1988 and 2007. Voters approved 310 referendums (85%) authorizing counties
and municipalities to levy additional taxes or issue bonds dedicated
to open space preservation.
- All 8 of the suburban counties (4 in New Jersey and 4 in Pennsylvania)
and 121 of the region's 352 municipalities (34%) have submitted open
space funding referendums to voters.
- Referendums proposed in 2007 proved to be the least successful in
the last 20 years. Only 80% of all local initiatives passed last year.
- Over the last 20 years, voters in the DVRPC Region have approved
over $673 million in bonds and $125 million in annual tax revenue and
appropriations dedicated to open space preservation.
- Most referendums are proposed on General election ballots held
in November. There seems to be no difference in the probability of
a referendum passing if it appears on the Primary or General election
ballot; 86% pass in Primary elections compared to 85% in General elections.
- Over the time period of 1988 to 2007, 85% of all open space referendums
issued in New Jersey were approved. In Pennsylvania, 90% of all referendums
were approved.
2007 Active Funding Programs:
Every year, multiple municipalities and
counties pass binding and non-binding referendums to establish open space
trust funds (which are funded via a dedicated tax) or issue a bond dedicated
to open space preservation. Referendum initiatives represent "direct
democracy" - voters demonstrating their "willingness to pay" for open
space preservation. Municipal and county elected governing bodies can
also raise taxes, allocate funding from the annual budget, and issue
bonds without voter referendums. This is "representative democracy" -
elected officials taking action on behalf of their constituents for open
space preservation. Moreover, municipalities can have approved non-binding
referendums passed and have yet to establish trust funds or issue bonds.
Additionally, several municipalities have the ability to tax at a higher
rate but determined a lower tax rate may be more suitable for their budgetary
needs in 2007.
In an effort to capture up-to-date funding, Active Funding Programs
is a catalogue of local governments that may have remaining bond funds,
levy taxes, or dedicate a yearly budget allocation for open space preservation.
Local governments were considered to have an active program if they received
or will receive allocations in 2007 or 2008, collected or planned to
collect a tax in 2007 or 2008, or issued a bond within the last 7 years.
- In the DVRPC Region, 8 of 9 counties received dedicated funds for
open space in 2007. Two of those counties receive annual allocations
of the general budget, which change from year to year.
- Two Pennsylvania counties have active bond measures totaling approximately
$237 million issued between 2000 and 2007. One county in New Jersey
(Camden) has an active bond measure of $28 million, issued in 2003
by County Freeholders.
- In the DVRPC Region, 106 of 352 (30%) municipalities dedicated
or allocated funds for open space in 2007. In New Jersey, 46 of 114
(40%) municipalities have active funding programs. In Pennsylvania,
60 of 238 (25%) municipalities have active programs.
- In 2007, 5 municipalities levied a tax lower than the amount they
are authorized to levy. Those include: Eastampton (Burlington); Harrison
(Gloucester); and Milford and Wrightstown (Bucks). Haddonfield (Camden)
plans to levy a lower tax in 2008 than what was proposed in a 2006
approved referendum. In the case of the Pennsylvania municipalities,
a lower tax was levied because of decreased debt service. In the New
Jersey municipalities, property tax relief and community-wide reassessment
are cited as reasons not to tax as high.
- One municipality, Tabernacle (Burlington), has an approved referendum
but has not established an open space trust fund or issued a bond.
- As whole, Pennsylvania municipalities prefer to levy Earned Income
Taxes or to issue bonds rather than increase residents' property taxes.
- Over the last 20 years, 121 municipalities have submitted referendums
for voter approval. Of those, voters in 119 municipalities have approved
at least one referendum for dedicated open space funding. In 2007,
104 of those municipalities continue to levy authorized taxes or have
remaining funds in authorized bonds. Two municipalities, East Windsor
(Mercer) and West Whiteland (Bucks), levy taxes without authorized
referendums.
- DVRPC classifies the 9-county region's municipalities into four
density and development categories - core city, developed community,
growing suburb, and rural township - for the purposes of long range
planning. Within the DVRPC region, most (61 of 106) active open space
programs are in growing suburbs. In fact over 51% of all growing suburbs
have established an open space trust fund or issued a bond. 11% of
the region's 168 developed communities, nearly all in New Jersey, have
active funding programs; and 48% of the region's 61 rural areas have
active programs. This may suggest three things:
- Growing Suburbs are under the most development pressure;
- New Jersey's
Green Acres Planning Incentive Program encourages rural, suburban
and urban communities, alike, to invest in open space; and
- Local investment in open space is important to residents
throughout our region.
2007 Referendums
New Jersey:
June 2007 Primary Election
No referendums
November 2007 General Election - Approved
State of New Jersey - Green Acres, Farmland, Blue Acres, Historic Preservation
Bond Act of 2007 $200,000,000
Moorestown Township (Burlington) - Extend
$.02 per $100 of assessed property value until 2027 for a current tax
rate of $.06 per $100 of assessed property value.
Mount Laurel Township
(Burlington) - 2 measures extending 2 tax rates of $.02 per $100 of
assessed property value until 2027 for a current tax rate of $.08 per
$100 of assessed property value.
Berlin Borough (Camden) - Issue a
bond for $2,600,000 for open space acquisition.
November 2007 General Election - Failed
Washington Township (Gloucester) - Increase property tax by $.02 tax
per $100 assessed property value
Hopewell Township (Mercer) - Increase
property tax by $.01 tax per $100 assessed property value
Pennsylvania:
May 2007 Primary Election - Approved
Milford Township (Bucks) - Issue bond for $5,000,000 and levy EIT of .25%
to repay bond
November 2007 Primary Election - Approved
Bucks County - Issue bond for $87,000,000 for 10-year open space initiative
West Pikeland (Chester) - Establish 0.25% of EIT dedicated to open space
Failed Open Space Referendums (1988 -
2007)
New Jersey:
Delanco Township (Burlington) - Establish $.025 property tax dedicated
to open space , 2002
Delran Township (Burlington) - Establish $.04 property
tax dedicated to open space, 1998
Lumberton (Burlington) - Continue $.03
property tax dedicated to open space for an additional 3 years (tax reverts
to already established $.01 property tax), 2005
North Hanover Township
(Burlington) - Establish $.02 property tax dedicated to open space, 1998
Berlin Borough (Camden) - Establish $.02 property tax dedicated to open
space, 2006
Deptford Township (Gloucester) - Establish $.02 property
tax dedicated to open space, 2004
East Greenwich Township (Gloucester)
- Increase existing property tax to $.04 dedicated to open space, 2002
Franklin Township (Gloucester) - Increase existing property tax to $.02
dedicated to open space, 2004
Washington Township (Gloucester) - Increase
existing property tax to $.04 dedicated to open space, 2007
Hamilton
Township (Mercer) - Establish $.05 property tax dedicated to open space,
1998
Hamilton Township (Mercer) - Establish $.01 property tax dedicated
to open space, 2001
Hopewell Township (Mercer) - Increase existing property
tax to $.04 dedicated to open space, 2003
Hopewell Township (Mercer)
- Increase existing property tax to $.04 dedicated to open space, 2004
Hopewell Township (Mercer) - Increase existing property tax to $.05 dedicated
to open space, 2007
Pennsylvania:
Hilltown Township (Bucks) - Issue an open space bond, 1996
Newtown Township
(Bucks) - Establish 0.10% EIT dedicated to open space 1997
Northampton
Township (Bucks) - Establish 0.15% EIT dedicated to open space 2004
Plumstead
Township (Bucks) - Establish .5% EIT dedicated to open space, 1999
Springfield
Township (Bucks) - Issue an open space bond, 2000
East Nottingham Township
(Chester) - Establish 0.50% EIT dedicated to open space, 2003
London
Grove Township (Chester) - Establish 0.25% EIT dedicated to open space,
2003
Schuylkill Township (Chester) - Issue an open space bond not to
exceed $20 million, 2005
Wallace Township (Chester) - Establish 0.25%
EIT dedicated to open space, 2005
West Vincent Township (Chester) - Establish
$.06 property tax dedicated to open space, 1999
Delaware County - Issue
an open space bond not to exceed $100 million, 1996
Exhausted Open space bond referendums (1987 - 2000):
(Many
of these bonds were designated for specific tracts of land)
Upper Makefield Township (Bucks) - $15 million, approved 2000
Mansfield
Township (Burlington) - $1 million, approved 2000
Charlestown Township
(Chester) - $2.1 million, approved 2000
Warwick Township (Bucks) - $1.5
million, approved 2000
Chester County - $75 million, approved 1999
Solebury
Township (Bucks) - $10 million approved 1999
Buckingham Township (Bucks)
- $9.5 million, approved 1999
Whitpain Township (Montgomery) - $14 million,
approved 1999
Voorhees Township (Camden) - $10 million, approved 1998
Lower Makefield Township (Bucks) - $7.5 million, approved 1998
Middletown
Township (Bucks) - $325,000, approved 1998
Newtown Township (Bucks) -
$2.75 million, approved 1998
Northampton Township (Bucks) - $5 million,
approved 1997
Bedminster Township (Bucks) - $2.5 million, approved 1997
Upper Makefield Township (Bucks) - $6 million, approved 1996
East Goshen
Township (Chester) - $3 million, approved 1996
Radnor Township (Delaware)
- $7.5 million, approved 1996
Tredyffrin Township (Chester) - $8 million,
approved 1996
Nether Providence Township (Delaware) - $2.8 million, approved
1996
New Britain Township (Bucks) - $2.5 million, approved 1996
Solebury
Township (Bucks) - $4 million, approved 1996
Plumstead Township (Bucks)
- $4 million, approved 1996
Buckingham Township (Bucks) - $4 million,
approved 1995
Warrington Township (Bucks) - $2.1 million, approved 1995
Warwick Township (Bucks) - $1.5 million, approved 1995
Wrightstown Township
(Bucks) - $1.5 million, approved 1995
Radnor Township (Delaware) - $10
million, approved 1994
Bucks County - $3.5 million, approved 1994
Lower
Providence Township (Montgomery) - $3.1 million, approved 1994
West Goshen
Township (Chester) - $3 million, approved 1994
Lower Gwynned Township
(Montgomery) - $2 million, approved 1994
Lower Merion Township (Montgomery)
– $1.9 million, approved 1994
Montgomery County - $100 million approved
in 1993 (full amount was not bonded)
Doylestown Township (Bucks) - $3.75
million, approved 1991
Chester County - $50 million, approved 1989
Middletown
Township (Delaware) - $5.4 million, approved 1987
Sources
New Jersey:
Steve Jandoli and the New Jersey Green Acres Program; Frederick Douthitt
and the New Jersey State Agriculture Development Committee; Division of
Local Government Services, New Jersey Department of Community Affairs;
Andrew du Moulin and the Trust for Public Land; The Courier-Post; The
Gloucester County Times; The Philadelphia Inquirer; Burlington County
Department of Resource Conservation; Camden County Division of Open Space
and Farmland Preservation; Gloucester County Planning Department; Mercer
County Planning Division; and New Jersey municipalities.
Pennsylvania:
Mike Frank, Sean Sullivan and the Heritage Conservancy; Andrew du Moulin
and the Trust for Public Land; The Philadelphia Inquirer; Bucks County
Planning Commission; Chester County Planning Commission; Delaware County
Planning Department; Montgomery County Planning Commission; Pennsylvania
Department of Community and Economic Development; and Pennsylvania municipalities. |
Regional Planning