Do more cents make more sense?

Some Upper Freehold residents say they are willing to pay more to preserve land

By: Michelle McGuinness
   The Upper Freehold Township Committee has until Aug. 24 to decide whether the November ballot will include a question asking voters to raise the current open space tax rate by 2 cents.
   Residents called for the tax increase at the committee’s Aug. 2 meeting, saying they’d be willing to pay –2 to 4 cents more in order to preserve open space in the township. Currently, the open space tax is 4 cents per $100 valuation, according to Upper Freehold Mayor Stephen Fleischacker. The owner of the average-assessed township property ($519,800) currently pays $208 annually toward open space.
   Residents in favor of the tax increase urged the committee to act quickly to preserve the available land in the township.
   "No politician wants to raise taxes, but we’re at a crossroads," said Meirs Road resident Phil Sinicropi, who was the first to stand up during public comment and call for the tax increase.
   He said a 4-cent increase would equate to about $250 a year, or dinner out for him and his family, something he said he’s willing to sacrifice.
   "I’d be happy to throw burgers on the grill," said Mr. Sinicropi, who operates a freight transportation agency in the township.
   "I couldn’t agree more," Powderhorn Way resident and retire professional Gerald Nathanson said at the meeting.
   He said he and other seniors would be willing to support a reasonable tax increase in the name of preserving open space.
   "Land is irreplaceable," he said.
   According to Mayor Fleischacker, there are about 10,000 acres of developable land in Upper Freehold. "The municipality, county and state are in negotiations with willing sellers on more than 1,500 acres at this time," he added.
   The township currently has funds dedicated to preserving open space, so any increase in taxes would simply boost the total amount of land it could preserve, officials say.
   Mayor Fleischacker said the topic is set to be discussed at the Aug. 16 committee meeting. The county deadline for finalizing ballot questions is Aug. 24.
   Mayor Fleischacker said, "The question to be asked is: Would voters prefer to see a 2-cent increase in taxes for building new schools, roadways, etc., which will ultimately lead to future maintenance and replacement costs; or a 2-cent increase in taxes for a one-time investment in open space, which will ultimately lead to maintenance of rural character, agricultural sustainability and a higher quality of life?"
   However, some committee members cautioned that while –2 to 4 cents sounds minor now, taxes will probably go up for other things, such as the school, next year.
   "You’ve got a lot of taxes that are going to kick in and 2 cents doesn’t sound like a lot, but it is," Committeeman Bill Miscoski said at the meeting.
   He said for residents on fixed incomes a 2-cent tax, which equates to an extra $125 a year, or a 4-cent tax, which would be about $250 a year, could be a heavy burden.
   Mr. Miscoski agreed with other committee members that seniors and those who already own preserved property should be exempt from the potential tax increase.
   Mayor Fleischacker said that if land in Upper Freehold is developed rather than preserved, taxes might go up anyway because of the need for additional schools and facilities to accommodate the increase in population.
   "Every amount of ground that we preserve, it’s an amount of ground that won’t have houses," he said at the meeting. "It’s an investment."