Council OKs Open Space Ballot Measure

The Oakland Council unanimously approved an ordinance Wednesday night to put a ten-year renewal of the open space levy on the ballot for borough voters in November.

The fund has been approved by voters twice for five-year runs, once in 2003 and again in 2008, but after weighing the options officials opted for a longer extension of the tax levy, citing commitments of the fund that would reach beyond a five-year expiration date.

The borough's chief financial officer, James Mangin, has previously said that Oakland still has more than $1 million left in obligations financing two purchases already made with the fund, the Pleasureland property and a tract off Breakneck Road, that will require servicing until 2019.

Currently the tax amounts to a penny on each $100 of a home's assessed value. Councilman Chris Visconti said at the meeting Wednesday night that revisions to the language would give the borough flexibility to reduce the tax to as little as a half cent should the municipality's needs change.

Besides that, he said, "It's basically the same thing we have [now]."

If the borough runs out of available open space, the referendum would allow the fund to be used for passive recreation, conservation, and historic preservation projects.

Given the financial obligations that would be transfered to the borough's regular operating budget should the referendum fail, council members have previously discussed a public education campaign running up to November.