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| John and Barbara Stoffa. Stoffa proposed 1/2 mill for open space. "They elected me anyway," he says. |
In 2002, Northampton County voters approved a non-binding referendum that authorized the County to borrow up to $37 million for open space projects. Council never borrowed the money. That changed in 2006, when Council approved a John Stoffa-proposed 1/2 mill tax hike (around $3.7 million) for farmland preservation, environmentally sensitive land and municipal parks.
Don Moore, a member of Plainfield township's Environmental Advisory Council, was highly critical of the Brown cuts. He pointed out there is money for 17 of 19 farmland preservation applications, but that's only because that money was approved in last year's budget. The remaining two farms are large ones located in Lehigh Tp, and Moore argued money should be placed in the budget for them. "What are you going to tell these Lehigh Township people?" he asked.
How Farmland Preservation Works
Here's how farmland preservation works. Farmers send in applications for preservation, under which they agree to sell their development rights to the County, in perpetuity, in exchange for a cash payment. An agricultural conservation easement is then placed in record, which limits nearly all but agricultural uses.
The program is seeded with money collected from that half mill tax, usually at about $1 million. But that's only the start.
In addition to that pot, the Farmland Preservation Administrator can use another source of money - taxes imposed on larger landowners who break a promise not to develop land in exchange for a preferential assessment. That can come in at another $30,000.
She can also mix in the EIT taxes collected by a local municipality that has approved a tax for that purpose.
She then notifies the state of the local monies being contributed and asks for a state match, which is paid from both the Environmental Stewardship Fund ans well as cigarette taxes. There's a pot of about $23 million.
The larger the county contribution, the larger the state match.
In 2012, Northampton County was able to get $6.6 million from the state for farmland preservation, which enabled it to preserve 30 farms. It beat Lancaster County in funds received from the state.
Director of Administration Luis Campos disingenuously told Council yesterday that the County has already met its commitment to farmland preservation. There was no value fixed in either the 2002 referendum or the 2006 half mill tax hike. Thus, his statement is necessarily false.
Northampton County has about 900 farms, and Bentzoni would like to preserve 25% of them. Though times are tough, now is the time to buy because property values are low. Incidentally, one of every seven jobs in Northampton County is either in agriculture or agricultural-related.
Council's Criticism
Lamont McClure, Bob Werner and Scott Parsons all criticized these cuts. Werner stated he'd move some money from the near $3 million table games slush fund to support farmland preservation. McClure, referring to the PennEast Pipeline projected to come through Northampton County, had the mist caustic remark.
"With a pipeline about to put a big scar through Northampton county, I'm not sure this is a good time to be abandoning open space."
20 comments:
Abandon "open space?"
A resounding NO!
There is no dedicated open space tax, period!
The Stoffa tax joke was corny at the time and it hasn't improved with age.
Preserving environmentally unsound farmland is ridiculous. Land should only be preserved if it is going to be returned to its original condition before it was clear cut and plowed under. The state is called Penn's Woods, not Penn's Farm. And save the food lecture. We pay farmers not to farm and prop up prices with Dustbowl-era programs as we pour milk into the ground. Jaindl doesn't need the subsidies it gets. This program is welfare for wealthy land owners. The rich get richer, thanks to misguided politicians. Open space sounds like mom and apple pie until you look at the details and follow the money.
The pipeline project will provide good paying blue collar jobs which many liberal snobs look down upon. Better to produce our own energy here in PA than buy it from the Middle East. Wind and solar alone don't cut it.
Anyway moving Act 13 and/or table games money is a good idea. Losing the state match is foolish. Farming and agriculture is a business. Thank you Mr. Werner.
Lamont's statement is as ridiculous as most of Lamont's statements. Please show me a pipeline scar. They're buried underground and PA's reclamation/restoration requirements (to return excavated land to its original condition) are some of the strictest in the country. NorCo has several underground lines already and most people have no idea the lines are just beneath their feet and have been there for generations.
What a travesty. Public education and local government is operating on a shoestring and we are pissing money away on empty farms. This world has become insane.
Bernie - I wish to clarify my remarks, so as to be clear (I understand reading the proposed budget is a bit like reading Chinese - even council was having trouble, as Phillips asked if the $3.887m was new funds - it is the exact opposite, 100% old encumbered funds).
Each year, $3.7m is paid by taxpayers for Open Space (0.5 mill). That happens every year. It is for Open Space, in 4 different categories - County Parks, Muni Parks, Farmland Preservation, Environmentally Sensitive areas.
That money is for Open Space, period. Brown has proposed taking $2.7m to use for who knows what - Campos did not respond to Werner's direct question "what happened to the 0.5 mill"? The only reason Brown did not also take the $1m is ordinance currently requires Muni Parks to be funded.
Correct, in 2014 17 farms were declared eligible, but only the top 15 can be funded by $2.9m of new funds in this year. These new funds were $1m from the $3.7m, which was matched by $1.8m from the state. In 2015, the state would give us $0 because Brown's budget reduces $1m to $0. This is not evident in the proposed budget - there is a totally nonsense number of $3.8887m shown as a "Budgetary Balance". This number should be $0, because as you state all of that are 2014 funds, which will be spent on this year's projects according to director Maria Bentzoni's comments last night. And, 2 of those - farms in Lehigh Twp - are 133 acres and can't be funded. Even if a farm or two above on the list pulls out, these two farms would be attempted to be purchased, leaving close to $0 carry over. Very different than $3.887m.
These Lehigh Twp farms and all the other new and previous applicants would normally apply beginning in the next month for the 2015 program. But, there will be $0 for farmland preservation under Brown's plan, so why bother?
Whoever commented above, "NO" appears to conveniently be ignoring the fact that the $3.7m collected from taxpayers annually, like God collects death, is to fund Farmland Preservation and 3 other open space areas. Brown has proposed a 100% cut in the funding, even though it is funded!. The point about the Lehigh Twp farms was what does Northampton County tell these farm owners, when they ask "what did you do with my 0.5 mill of taxes for Open Space this year?"
The ethical and moral thing to do is not steal Open Space revenue and use it for anything else. The fiscally responsible thing to do is claim a 178% return on funds sent to the state for matching. How can they justify cutting $1m, and in the process losing $1.8m? (assuming 2014 figures) Hopefully Council and the Executive will realize this proposal is totally irresponsible, will gut one of the most successful preservation programs in the state of PA, and agree to fund at least Farmland Preservation with our Open Space tax dollars. Environmentally Sensitive and County Parks should be funded as well, but there isn't as compelling a reason as being given $1.78 simply for showing you have $1 in hand.
If Brown wants to open a line of credit, add $2.7m to it instead of using Open Space receipts as a slush fund. Doesn't it make a lot more sense to borrow at 2 or 3%, and get $178% on the same principal paid by the state? That is economics 101, in the words of Councilman Phillips.
Thank you for covering this, Bernie. A quick Google search shows the same malfeasance was objected to in 2011 - Sarah Cassi wrote an article on it. As a result of the backlash of open space advocates, funding was restored. Incidentally, in 2009 through 2011, $4.9m was stolen from Open Space. In 2014, $1.2m was taken. Brown proposes taking $2.7m in 2015. So when Campos claims $3.7m has been collected a year, he is ignoring the fact that $8.8m of that will have been stolen in 6 years time to use for non Open Space uses.
"Each year, $3.7m is paid by taxpayers for Open Space (0.5 mill). That happens every year. It is for Open Space, in 4 different categories - County Parks, Muni Parks, Farmland Preservation, Environmentally Sensitive areas."
No it isn't. Read the county laws.
Hello McFly there is no dedicated open space tax! Get that through your cranium. That was Stoffa's program and the new administration is not bound by it. We cannot afford to be purchasing swampland when the nursing home is losing $7.7 million.
People in Lehigh Township should stop complaining and put in some of their own EIT money like several other municipalities do.
Don, My own take on Campos' remarks is that he is being dishonest or is more uninformed than I had thought. Take your pick.
"we are pissing money away on empty farms. This world has become insane. "
These are not empty farms. This a hand up to those who work and would like to continue feeding the world. The real insanity is balking at this while hiring idiots for hundreds of thousands of dollars to give bad advice.
Bernie, I enjoy your Blog daily. However, through no fault of your own, I was upset over this article on your Blog and in the Express Times. You see, when the Window opens to apply Nov 1 for 2015, our small farm in UMBT would be, and still will be applying, although it seems Brown has slammed that Window shut. We aren't any big Jaindl type operation, just a centuries old family operation. Thanks Mr. Brown.
"most people have no idea the lines are just beneath their feet and have been there for generations."
Until they go Ka-BOOM! This is a GAS pipeline. It is not carrying your poo-poo.
"Bernie, I enjoy your Blog daily. However, through no fault of your own, I was upset over this article on your Blog and in the Express Times. You see, when the Window opens to apply Nov 1 for 2015, our small farm in UMBT would be, and still will be applying, although it seems Brown has slammed that Window shut. We aren't any big Jaindl type operation, just a centuries old family operation. Thanks Mr. Brown."
Another example how Brown is hurting real working people and an American way of life.
"Preserving environmentally unsound farmland is ridiculous. Land should only be preserved if it is going to be returned to its original condition before it was clear cut and plowed under."
That debate has been over for years. You lost.
"The Stoffa tax joke was corny at the time and it hasn't improved with age"
So says someone who is remarkable for her own lack of humor.
Pave Green Pond
Bernard, You failed to mention the TAX BREAK they get. You own more then 10 acres and your "tractor" is the size of what you bought at home depot? You pay 40 cents on the dollar where the rest of us pay 100 cents on the dollar. Just ask Mr. Angle. This is a total rape of the taxpayer.... we pay way over what the property is worth if you were to outright buy it and then they pay 40 cents on the dollar of its value.
Sincerely,
Just a barely making retiree
These are not empty farms. This a hand up to those who work and would like to continue feeding the world. The real insanity is balking at this while hiring idiots for hundreds of thousands of dollars to give bad advice.
The produce in your grocery store comes from giant corporate agribusiness farms not local farms. I mentioned giving that money to places that need them - like schools, county workers, infrastructure needs. The Lehigh Valley is not a farming village any longer. Stop fooling yourself.
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