By Charley Falkenburg, Staff Writer
WEST WINDSOR The voters of West Windsor will have the opportunity to shave their open space tax down to 2 cents come this November’s election.
The Township Council unanimously agreed to include a ballot question asking residents to reduce the tax from 3 cents to 2 cents, which would save the taxpayers a little more than $50 a year based on an average home assessment of $523,950.
Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh said the slight decrease would save taxpayer’s money while still allowing the town’s current open space program to continue to buy, develop and maintain lands at its current level.
The 2-cent rate would bring the open space tax down to a level the town hasn’t seen since 1995 the lowest rate second only to when the tax was created three years prior based on a single penny.
The other proposed modification to the open space tax is to raise the percentage of funds that can be spent on the development and maintenance on open space.
A minimum of 65 percent of funds would go toward acquiring lands for designated conservation, farmland preservation and recreational purposes. A maximum of 35 percent the money would go toward developing and upkeep on those lands designated for conservation and recreation.
Mayor Hsueh said the proposed modifications to the open space tax have garnered the support and blessings from both the Environmental Commission and the West Windsor Friends.
Alison Miller, president of West Windsor Friends, voiced her support for the proposal at the Aug. 6 council meeting.
”The administration showed us that even with a lower tax it would still be possible to make major open space purchases should they come available in the next 15 years,” said Ms. Miller.
She added that earlier open space purchases that were bonded would soon be paid off, making more money available for future purchases.

