VOTE411 Voter Guide

Do you favor the imposition of an increase in the earned income tax at the rate of Four one- hundredths of one percent (0.0004 or .04%) to be used by the Township of Upper Frederick for the purpose of protecting the Township’s rural character, preserving clean water and wildlife habitat and expanding the Township’s existing parks; to acquire interests in real property; to secure open space benefits and for transactional fees incidental to such acquisitions; to retire indebtedness incurred in acquiring open space; and to expend funds for any purpose relating to the acquisition, planning for acquisition, preservation, improvement, and maintenance of open space or for an open space benefit?YES or NOInterpretive Statement:Pennsylvania law defines “open space benefits” as “benefits to the citizens of the Commonwealth…which result from the preservation…of undeveloped open spaces or areas.” The interest in this preservation includes, but is not limited to, the preservation of water resources, forests, and farmland, as well as the protection of scenic areas for public visual enjoyment from public rights of way.To retire indebtedness means to pay off debts already incurred by the purchase of the land in question. Upper Frederick Township does not currently have any debt related to open space.Upper Frederick Township would like to pursue the possibility of acquiring new property for new open space benefits in the future, and therefore seeks authorization for this increase in earned income tax rate to pay for such potential purchases, as well as to pay any fees and expenses incidental to the purchase which has already occurred, and those which may occur in the future.Upper Frederick Township also seeks authorization to use the revenue to develop, improve, design, engineer, or maintain such property for the continued benefit of the citizens of Upper Frederick Township, with the understanding that the Open Space Lands Act only allows up to 25% of such revenue to be used for developments, improvements, designs, engineering, or maintenance of the land, and such funds may only be used for these purposes after the annual debt service incurred by the purchase of the property has been satisfied in a given year.The revenues from this earned income tax increase could be used only for the purposes provided for in the referendum question. A vote of “YES” in this referendum approves the increase in earned income tax by (0.04%).