Referendum planned for open space tax in Pennsbury

Posted by Rich Schwartzman on April 17, 2009

Pennsbury residents should get the chance to vote on an open space measure come November, something supervisors voted to do last year but failed to act in time.

Supervisors voted during their April 15 meeting to authorize advertising for an ordinance that would put a referendum on the ballot this November.

The question would ask whether voters want to increase property taxes by 0.34 mills to bring the open space component of property tax to 0.79 mills of the total 1.49 mill total township property tax. A mill is a tax of $1 for every $1,000 in assessed property value.

Supervisors’ Chairman Charles “Scotty” Scottoline said such a hike would increase his property taxes by about $100 per year.

The increase would bring in about $250,000 per year, Scottoline said. While the property tax would go up, he said, the earned income tax for open space -- 0.188 percent -- would go away if there was no other general fund need.

Solicitor Tom Oeste will advertise the ordinance and supervisors are to vote on the measure during their May meeting.

The open space taxes voted on by supervisors in 2003 had a sunset clause. They were to have ended at the end of 2008 unless renewed or otherwise changed. The board last year wanted to have a referendum on the ballot in November, but did not get the question to Voter Services in time. Supervisors then voted to extend the property and earned income tax for open space preservation in the same manner as the original ordinance.

Other business

The zoning hearing on the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District request for a sign variance will be May 5 at the township building. The sign, noting that Chadds Ford Elementary School was named a Blue Ribbon School in 2008, was forced down because it violated the township zoning code.

Supervisors voted to send a letter to the zoning board saying they recommend approval for the variance.

About Rich Schwartzman

Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.