Hilltown Township supervisors are considering reviving a suspended open space preservation program, funded by a 0.25% earned income tax that voters approved in an earlier referendum. The tax has sat inactive since 2016. Supervisor Joseph Metzinger argued that rising development pressure and land values make it increasingly urgent to protect the township's rural character, farmland and natural resources before more opportunities are lost. Township officials, including the solicitor, are now reviewing whether restarting the tax requires a new voter referendum — potentially as soon as this November — or whether supervisors could reinstate it without another public vote. Metzinger spoke in favor of a fresh referendum regardless to ensure the decision reflects community will, especially since the program's roughly $2.1 million fund would need significant replenishment to make meaningful land purchases at today's prices.
Source: Bucks County Herald; 7/31/2026