Notice is hereby given pursuant to Sections 709 of the Pennsylvania Sunshine Act and 1601 of the Second Class Township Code that the Board of Supervisors of Upper Saucon Township will hold a public meeting on Friday, July 30, 2021, commencing at 1:30 PM at the Township Municipal Building located at 5500 Camp Meeting Road, Center Valley, Pennsylvania, for the purpose of considering and possibly enacting proposed Ordinance No. 173. The proposed Ordinance provides for a referendum at the General Election of November 2, 2021, concerning the imposition of an additional Earned Income Tax at the rate of 0.10% to be used for financing the preservation of land in, or the acquisition of land for, open space uses as authorized by law.
The following constitutes the full text version of proposed Ordinance No. 173:
UPPER SAUCON TOWNSHIP
LEHIGH COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
ORDINANCE NO. 173
AN ORDINANCE OF UPPER SAUCON TOWNSHIP PROVIDING FOR A QUESTION TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE ELECTORS OF UPPER SAUCON TOWNSHIP BY REFERENDUM AT THE GENERAL ELECTION OF NOVEMBER 2, 2021, ASKING WHETHER THE ELECTORS FAVOR THE IMPOSITION OF AN ADDITIONAL EARNED INCOME TAX AT THE RATE OF 0.10% TO BE USED FOR FINANCING THE PRESERVATION OF LAND IN, OR THE ACQUISITION OF LAND FOR, OPEN SPACE USES AS AUTHORIZED BY THE OPEN SPACE LANDS ACQUISITION AND PRESERVATION ACT
WHEREAS, Upper Saucon Township (hereinafter, “Township”) is a Township of the Second Class, located in Lehigh County; and
WHEREAS, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania adopted the Open Space Lands Acquisition and Preservation Act, 32 P.S. Section 5001, et seq., as amended (hereinafter “Act”); and
WHEREAS, it is the purpose of the Act to authorize local government units, including the Township, to preserve land in, or acquire land for, open space uses; and
WHEREAS, the Act provides for the acquisition of certain interests in real property including, without limitation, fee simple interests, easements, leases and restrictive covenants; and
WHEREAS, Section 5007.1 of the Act authorizes the Township to enact an ordinance authorizing a referendum on the question of the imposition of a specific rate of additional tax to, among other things, retire debt or otherwise pay for interests in real property acquired for purposes authorized by the Act; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Supervisors of Upper Saucon Township (hereinafter, “Supervisors”) concurs with the legislative intent and findings described in the Act; and
WHEREAS, the Supervisors desire to submit to the electors of Upper Saucon Township a referendum on the question of the imposition of a 0.10% additional tax to generate funds to be used in accordance with the purposes authorized by the Act; which tax shall remain in effect unless repealed in accordance with the Act no earlier than five (5) years from the date of imposition of the tax.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED AND ENACTED by the Board of Supervisors of Upper Saucon Township, Lehigh County, as follows:
Article I. Question to be Posed
The following question will be posed:
Do you favor the imposition of an additional Earned Income Tax at the rate of 0.10% by Upper Saucon Township to be used to finance the acquisition of real property or interests in real property to preserve open space?
YES or NO
Article II. Repealer
All ordinances, resolutions, or parts thereof which are inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed to the extent of such inconsistency.
Article III. Effective Date
This Ordinance shall be effective five (5) days after adoption in accordance with the Second Class Township Code.
DULY ENACTED AND ORDAINED this 30th day of July, 2021, by the Board of Supervisors of the Township of Upper Saucon, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in lawful session duly assembled.
UPPER SAUCON TOWNSHIP
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
BRIAN FARRELL, CHAIRMAN
