WHITEHALL TWP., Pa. — Whitehall Township residents may see a small increase in their property tax millage rate come 2025 if a referendum to help preserve and support open spaces and area amenities makes it to the 2024 primary ballot.
The township Board of Commissioners at its workshop meeting Monday introduced an ordinance for a referendum on an additional 0.05 mill of real estate tax to be used as authorized by the Open Space Lands Acquisition and Preservation Act.
Whitehall's proposed 2024 budget sets a millage rate of 3.80, with no increase from last year’s budget.
But the slight increase could provide up to about $150,000 in additional funding per year, commissioners said.
“South Whitehall was caught off guard with all the new land development, and their residents were in an uproar about ‘We're losing all this open space.’ East Allen Township, they got alarmed when they started seeing warehouses popping up everywhere, so they had passed the referendum with strong public support. We're running out of open space in Whitehall. We can't preserve it all, but then again, we don't want to develop every square inch of green if we can prevent it. Otherwise, we’ll become a city."Whitehall Township Commissioner Jeffrey J. Warren
Board President Joseph J. Marx Jr. expressed a desire to explain the potential increase and its need, as even a small increase in taxes could cause discontent with residents — especially if they were not well-informed as to vital the funds are for maintaining green space, farms and public amenities.
“We have to explain to the general public exactly why this initiative is taking place,” Marx said.
'We have to scrape money'
Commissioner Jeffrey J. Warren said some of the funding could go to farmland preservation, but perhaps more importantly, 25% of the total fund balance per year could be allotted for maintenance of existing facilities such as parks and trails.
“And our trails, all of our recreational amenities need a source of funding, and so this could be one avenue to get that funding,” Warren said.
Warren said East Allen Township recently passed a similar referendum with more than 80% of the vote, and South Whitehall Township is looking at another referendum with similar language.
"A tax is a tax and people don't like paying them, but this is something that's low enough that maybe we can build this up, get it to where we need it, and then go on from there, like Jeff [Warren] said about what we can do with the park system and recreation areas."Whitehall Township Commissioner Thomas Slonaker
But because Whitehall residents are, as Warren said, "demanding certain things done," and, "we're only to do so much with the budget," the increase may be needed for maintenance and preservation efforts.
“Other communities take it from their general fund, and they put money aside every year," Warren said. "We have three pools, and two of them aren’t functional, and so we have to scrape money from other sources to fix those amenities.”
Township solicitor Jack Gross said if the board approves the referendum in their next session, the increase in millage would show up on the April 2024 primary ballot. If approved there, it would go into effect in 2025.
'We actually want you to understand what this is going to be used for'
Commissioner Thomas Slonaker said he welcomes the public to come to the next commissioners meeting to ask questions about the potential increase in millage, and that he, his fellow board members, of Gross would do their best to answer.
“We actually want you to understand what this is going to be used for and that it is low enough that it shouldn't impact people to where they're [saying], ‘Oh no, where am I going to get that extra money?’" Slonaker said.
"A tax is a tax and people don't like paying them, but this is something that's low enough that maybe we can build this up, get it to where we need it, and then go on from there, like Jeff [Warren] said about what we can do with the park system and recreation areas."
"We're running out of open space in Whitehall. We can't preserve it all, but then again, we don't want to develop every square inch of green if we can prevent it. Otherwise, we’ll become a city."Whitehall Township Commissioner Jeffrey J. Warren
The commissioners also discussed using Environmental Advisory Council funds, or other township funds, to promote the measure throughout the area prior to the measure appearing on the April ballot.
“Certainly, you all are permitted to advocate," Gross said. "If you wanted, you could advocate for it through any means. I would need to investigate further whether using EAC or other township funds to do that is permissible. I'm just not certain."
Warren said maintaining funds to preserve green space in the township was an important mission, as it would keep the area from becoming overdeveloped.
“South Whitehall was caught off guard with all the new land development, and their residents were in an uproar about, ‘We're losing all this open space,’" Warren said.
"East Allen Township, they got alarmed when they started seeing warehouses popping up everywhere, so they had passed the referendum with strong public support.
"We're running out of open space in Whitehall. We can't preserve it all, but then again, we don't want to develop every square inch of green if we can prevent it. Otherwise, we’ll become a city."
Whitehall Township’s next board of commissioners meeting is set for 7 p.m. Dec. 11 at the municipal building, located at 3219 MacArthur Road.
