Green Township Public Question 1: Open Space Trust Fund use (non-binding referendum)

Official plain English statement

A “YES” vote will not increase the tax. This proposed revision is intended to strengthen the long-term preservation of the Township’s Open Space Trust Fund by reducing the percentage of funds that may be expended annually on construction and maintenance activities and by introducing a minimum balance requirement. By limiting withdrawals and ensuring a stable funding threshold, the Township aims to safeguard the financial sustainability of the Trust Fund while continuing to support essential stewardship and improvement of Open Space properties. Currently, the Township Code permits the use of up to 30% of Open Space Trust Fund monies for construction and maintenance purposes with no minimum balance requirement. This proposal will revise the Township’s current Open Space Ordinance, Section 2-40.1 et seq, by allowing a maximum of 10% of the balance of the Open Space Trust Fund monies each year to be utilized for costs associated with the construction and maintenance of Open Space properties, provided that the Fund maintains a minimum balance of more than $1,000,000 as of January 1 of the year in which the funds are to be used. A Yes vote on this referendum question will mean that the voters desire that up to 10% of Open Space funds [reduced from 30% of the Fund] may be utilized for construction and maintenance costs on Open Space properties, only if the balance of the Fund as of January 1 is $1,000,000.00. A “YES” vote will not increase the tax. This ballot question is non-binding.