WeConservePA: Voters Approved 3 Local Ballot Measures Resulting In $182 Million In New Open Space Investments

WeConservePA reports on November 3 voters in three Pennsylvania localities approved open space ballot measures which will result in roughly $182 million in new open space investments in their communities:

Delaware County voters--with 76% voting in favor--granted the county the power to borrow $120 million to purchase, preserve, and improve open space--protecting drinking water sources, preserving wildlife habitat, providing trails and parks and protecting natural areas.

Hatfield Township (Montgomery County) passed a measure with 54% voter support a dedicated open space earned income tax of 0.25% to be used for the purposes of preserving undeveloped land and expanding opportunities for outdoor recreation.

North Whitehall Township (Lehigh County) approved a measure by voters (50+% approval) created a 0.15% earned income tax for open space protection. The township already benefited from a dedicated open space tax on real estate, but the measure's proponents made the case that the existing tax didn't generate sufficient funding to meet the township's substantial open space protection needs.

A fourth referendum that would have established dedicated open space taxes on both earned income and real estate failed in Upper Allen Township (Cumberland County) with 68% of voters saying "no." 

This is only the fourth time that a dual tax has been put to voters in PA; the approach has now won twice and lost twice at the ballot.

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The 2027 PA Land Conservation Conference will be held April 14-16 in Gettysburg.

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[Posted: November 5, 2026]  PA Environment Digest