Limerick Residents — Having Called for Open Space Preservation — Now Must Decide How to Pay for It

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field with tower in the distance
Image via Limerick Open Space Plan at WHYY.
Limerick residents will be deciding whether to fund open land preservation across its rapidly developing landscape.

A Nov. 8 Limerick Township ballot query will ask residents put their money where their mouths are. The question is in regard to a possible increase to the township’s earned income tax (EIT) to fund open space preservation. Emily Rizzo filled a vacant news spot at WHYY with the story.

A 2019–2021 township survey asked Limerick’s 20,000 residents about the area’s undeveloped landscapes. The 628 responses yielded 454 residents favoring preservation.

The 2022 follow-up question seeks to determine how to pay for it.

Under consideration is a proposed EIT bump to finance limitations on commercial or residential development.

The current EIT rate is about one percent, which brings in $5.4 million (half of which goes to Spring Ford Area School District). The suggested EIT increase is to 1.25 percent to generate $7.5 million — if voters agree.

Land use has risen as a neighborhood concern, concurrent with a raft of commercial and residential real estate development in the area.

Township Manager Daniel Kerr said the EIT increase would “…preserve some properties that could come under development.”

Opponents cite that Limerick already guards more than 13 percent of in-township open space.

“We’re going to find out if the voters think [that’s] enough…,” Kerr said.

Further details on Limerick Township’s land preservation EIT proposal is at WHYY.

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