Supervisors Vote To Place Referendum On EIT Increase On May Ballot In Whitpain Township

Press release from the Whitpain Township:

January 19, 2022

The Board of Supervisors last night voted to place a referendum on an increase to the current Earned Income Tax (EIT) on the May 17, 2022 election ballot. If approved by voters, the increase would be 0.06% and would go into effect in 2023. The proposed increase would add $40 to the typical person’s EIT payment.

The additional EIT revenue would be used to help pay down debt from open space acquisition and for open space maintenance.

This approach would have the least possible impact on families and would not impact citizens on a fixed income.

The Township has held the line on taxes since 2010. In the 12 years since, the Township has made a number of open space acquisitions and improvements, including purchasing Mermaid Park, partnering with the county and Wissahickon Trails to preserve the Cheston property, investing in planned improvements at Wissahickon Park, and upgrading Erbs Mill Park, while also partnering with our youth sports associations to build restroom facilities at Centre Square Park and Stony Creek Sports Park.

“The Township has done a wonderful job of purchasing parkland and open space which provides additional recreational opportunities for residents and environmental benefits for our larger community,” said Board Chair Kimberly Koch. “Purchasing, preserving, and developing parks in Whitpain Township is an expensive endeavor, and we believe a modest adjustment to the earned income tax offers a very viable solution to pay down debt incurred from open space purchases.”

Click here to view a presentation on the proposed increase

This press release was produced by the Whitpain Township. The views expressed here are the author’s own.