Hatfield Open Space Ballot Question: Election Day Preview

HATFIELD, PA — Midterm election ballots will look a little bit different for residents of Hatfield this year.

Residents will decide via a referendum question whether they want to preserve the township's open spaces for future generations.

The proposal, if approved, would provide dedicated funding to the open space program in perpetuity. It would lead to a small tax increase.

The question has led to intense debate from both sides, with opponents excoriating the proposal as another tax raise.

Advocates point to the recent development of a community landmark, Freddy Hill Farms, into a slew of townhomes.

"This is what 'no plan' looks like," Hatfield Democrats shared. "For 53 years, Freddy Hill Farm was part of our community: field trips, homemade ice cream, mini golf, first summer jobs. When the Seipt family retired, the land went to a developer for $26 million, and up to 220 homes are now proposed for the site...Once open space is gone, it’s gone forever."

The exact question as it appears on the ballot is below:

“Do you favor the imposition of an additional Earned Income Tax at the rate of twenty-five one hundredths of one percent (0.25%) to be used by the Township of Hatfield for the purposes of preserving undeveloped land and expanding opportunities for outdoor recreation; and to retire indebtedness incurred in purchasing interests in or acquisition of real property for the expenditure of funds for any purpose relating to the acquisition, planning for acquisition, preservation, improvement, and maintenance of open space or for an open space benefit?”

Residents on fixed incomes would not be impacted. The earned income tax would rise from 0.5 to 0.75 percent. Workers making $50,000 per year would pay $125 more across the year, while residents making $150,000 would pay $375.