A penny saved is a penny earned.

We're all familiar with that expression, but is it true? When it comes to preserving open space, we think it is. By investing a relatively small amount of money now to save some of our remaining open space, we will save money in the long run.

How?
Residential development causes the average household tax ill to rise on order to pay for additional fire, police and especially school services required by the new residents. This tax burden increases over time and remains with us permanently. By preserving land, we can begin to stabilize our taxes and preserve the special quality of life in Lower Saucon Township at the same time.

The average household in Saucon Valley has 2.63 people. The approximate cost to educate each child per year in the Saucon Valley School District is $10,000. The average school tax collected per household is $5,000. So right off the bat, for every household with at least one child, the tax dollars collected do not cover the cost of educating that child for the year.

Some say that it should average out - because not every household has children in our public schools and that we would not want a community without children. Of course we don't, but at this time we have plenty of homes in our area keeping our schools quite full. As some move out of the area others are ready to move in - keeping our school population at a status quo would eliminate the need to worry about further expanding our campus.

Others say that over time the taxes paid by a household with children will eventually more than make up for the cost of educating their children because the children grow up, graduate and the empty nesters continue to pay taxes. This may be true in some situations; however the average homeowner only remains in their home for a few years. Many move away before they reach they reach the "break even" point in taxes paid vs. cost of services for the residents.

Next there is there are many other costs associated with each resident in the township. For example, the cost of maintaining more roads. When a new development is built, new roads come with it. These are turned over to the township for them to maintain - this includes snow plowing, fixing potholes, painting lines, clearing out the gutters, etc. Then there's also the cost of having more roads for our police to patrol. More roads + more people = the need for more police.

Why is Preserving Open Space Important?

There are many economic reasons why preserving open space is important, but there are also many intangible reasons.

Mainly it is a quality of life issue. Being able to enjoy the natural beauty of the land and the wildlife it sustains is not something you can not buy back once it is gone.

Having a park to play in or take a walk in or just relax and enjoy some solitude is very important to many of us.

There are those who feel we have plenty of open space and parks now, we do not need more. But if our population continues to grow as expected, the space we have will be reduced but will need to serve more people.

According to 2002 statistics from LVPC, 47% of Lower Saucon was developed in some way and 45.7% was agricultural or open space. That seems like a lot until you look at the growth statistics.

Between 2000 to 2003 the population grew from 9884 to 10,593 - that's a 7.16% increase. That growth is projected to continue.

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Here is the ordinance which includes the Open Space Referendum which was adopted by the township following the November 2006 vote.

LOWER SAUCON TOWNSHIP
NORTHAMPTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
ORDINANCE NO. 2006-06
AN ORDINANCE OF LOWER SAUCON TOWNSHIP PROVIDING FOR A QUESTION TO BE PLACED BEFORE THE VOTERS OF LOWER SAUCON TOWNSHIP BY A REFERENDUM AT THE GENERAL ELECTION OF NOVEMBER 7, 2006, ASKING WHETHER THE ELECTORS OF LOWER SAUCON TOWNSHIP FAVOR THE IMPOSITION OF AN ADDITIONAL EARNED INCOME TAX AT THE RATE OF 0.25% (ONE QUARTER OF ONE PERCENT) ON AN ANNUAL BASIS FOR THE NEXT FIVE (5) YEARS BY LOWER SAUCON TOWNSHIP TO BE USED FOR FINANCING THE ACQUISITION OF OPEN SPACE; FOR THE PURPOSE OF ACQUIRING FOREST AND AGRICULTURAL CONSERVATION EASEMENTS; FOR THE PURPOSE OF ACQUIRING PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS; AND FOR THE PURPOSE OF ACQUIRING RECREATIONAL OR HISTORICAL LANDS

WHEREAS, Lower Saucon Township (hereinafter “Township”) is a Township of the Second Class located in Northampton County, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; and
WHEREAS, Township is authorized to acquire open space for the purpose of forest and agricultural conservation easements, development rights and recreational or historical lands pursuant to 32 P.S. §5005, et seq.; and
WHEREAS, Township is authorized to place a ballot question before the residents of Lower Saucon Township relative to the acquisition of open space pursuant to 32 P.S. §5005, et seq.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ENACTED AND ORDAINED by the Council of the Township of Lower Saucon, Northampton County, Pennsylvania, as follows:

SECTION 1.
The question to be placed before the voters of Lower Saucon Township shall read as follows:

“Do you favor the imposition of an additional Earned Income Tax at the rate of 0.25% (one quarter of one percent) on an annual basis for the next five (5) years by Lower Saucon Township to be used for financing the acquisition of open space; for the purpose of acquiring agricultural conservation and forest easements; for the purpose of acquiring recreation or historic lands and for the purpose of acquiring property development rights? YES or NO”

The plain English version of the above-listed question is as follows:
“The ballot question asks the voters of Lower Saucon Township whether the Township should impose an additional Earned Income Tax at the rate of 0.25% (one quarter of one percent) on an annual basis for the next five (5) years to purchase land or interests in land for preservation, forest, and conservation of open, undeveloped land in Lower Saucon Township.”

SECTION 2.
The Township shall use the money to do one (1) or more of the following:
(a) Acquire agricultural conservation easements. The Township could purchase agricultural conservation easements, or participate in State or County land preservation programs that acquire agricultural conservation easements, an agricultural conservation easement allows the landowner to retain his/ her land and use it for farming and other agricultural purposes.
(b) Finance the acquisition of open space. The Township could purchase undeveloped land in the Township in order to protect sensitive natural areas such as woodland, stream valleys or other unique natural resources or habitats.
(c) Finance the acquisition of recreation or historic land. The Township could purchase land in the Township for the purpose of developing additional recreational facilities for residents or for historic preservation purposes.

(d) Acquire Property Development Rights. Under this option, a landowner would sell the development rights of a property to the Township. The landowner would retain the property, but the property could not be developed.

SECTION 3.
A vote of “YES” to the aforementioned ballot question approves the imposition of an additional Earned Income Tax at the rate of 0.25% (one quarter of one percent) on an annual basis for the next five (5) years upon Township residents for the foregoing purposes.

SECTION 4. SEVERABILITY
The provisions of this ordinance are severable and if any of its sections, clauses or sentences shall be held illegal, invalid or unconstitutional, such provisions shall not affect or impair any of the remaining sections, clauses or sentences.

SECTION 5. REPEALER
All ordinances and parts of ordinances inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed.

SECTION 6. EFFECTIVE DATE
This Ordinance shall become effective five (5) days after its adoption.
ENACTED AND ORDAINED, this 21st day of June, 2006.

Fight Global Warming by Going Vegetarian

Photo courtesy of Farm Sanctuary. Chickens raised for meat are crowded by the thousands in "grower houses" where each is given approximately half a square foot of space. According to University of Chicago researchers, adopting a vegan diet makes a bigger impact in reducing global warming than does switching to a Toyota Prius hybrid car.

Global warming has been called humankind's “greatest challenge” and the world's most grave environmental threat.41 Human activities are causing large amounts of “greenhouse gases” (gases that prevent heat from escaping from the Earth's atmosphere) in the atmosphere. This then causes the air around the Earth to become hotter, which scientists say will increasingly lead to catastrophic natural disasters, such as more frequent and intense hurricanes, flooding, and drought. Many people are trying to help reduce global warming by driving more fuel-efficient cars and using less electricity, but by far, the most effective thing that you can do to fight global warming is to go vegetarian.

The billions of chickens, turkeys, pigs, and cows who are crammed into factory farms each year in the U.S. produce enormous amounts of methane, both in their digestive processes and from the feces that they excrete. Scientists report that every molecule of methane is more than 20 times as effective as carbon dioxide is at trapping heat in our atmosphere.42 Statistics from the Environmental Protection Agency show that animal agriculture is the single largest cause of methane emissions in the U.S.43 Raising animals for food is causing global warming.

A recent report by EarthSave International, based on the work of leading climate scientists, shows that adopting a vegetarian diet is far more effective at reducing global warming than is reducing emissions from cars or power plants. This finding was confirmed by a groundbreaking study at the University of Chicago, which detailed the enormous environmental advantages (as well as the personal health benefits) of adopting a vegan diet. Read an article about the University of Chicago study, or read the study in its entirety.

Although methane makes a larger impact on global warming than carbon dioxide does, curbing carbon dioxide is also important, and animal agriculture is a major source of this gas as well. A calorie of animal protein requires more than 10 times as much fossil fuel input—releasing more than 10 times as much carbon dioxide—than does a calorie of plant protein.44 Feeding massive amounts of grain and water to farmed animals and then killing them and processing, transporting, and storing their flesh is extremely energy-intensive. In addition, carbon dioxide is released from animal manure. While driving a hybrid Toyota Prius instead of a “regular” car saves the equivalent of just more than 1 ton of carbon dioxide a year, a vegan diet generates at least 1.5 fewer tons of carbon dioxide than does the average American diet.45 Adopting a vegan diet is more important than switching to a “greener” car in the fight against global warming.46

The most powerful step that we can take as individuals to avert global warming is to stop eating meat, eggs, and dairy products.