Congratulations Upper Mt. Bethel!

We know that we have said this before, but we remain amazed that elected officials in communities surrounding our borders respect their citizens enough to formally ask their opinion on important topics. In this latest example (see below) Upper Mount Bethel Supervisors want their citizens to cast their vote on a crucial issue for their community.

Though the topics have varied, besides Upper Mount Bethel, similar action by elected leaders have been undertaken in Lower Mount Bethel, Plainfield Township and Upper Saucon Township to name just a few.

Like you, we too dream of the day when we have Board of Supervisors in Forks Township that allows the residents to decide their fate on major issues at the ballot box.

Thank goodness that there are two seats up on the Forks Board of Supervisors in 2007! Hopefully this election will mark the end of the 3-D’s era (Hoff, Miller and Howell) in Forks Township and that more Supervisors like Bonnie Nicholas will be elected!
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Upper Mount Bethel to vote on open space

By Fred Walter Special to The Morning Call

Upper Mount Bethel voters next year can say whether they want to pay more earned income tax so the township can use the money to buy and preserve undeveloped land.

The township joins a growing number of municipalities to ask voters to increase the earned income tax from 0.5 to 0.75 percent to set aside money for land purchases.

Several municipalities have approved the tax increase but a few have not. For example, Lower Mount Bethel voters in the spring approved increasing the tax while Plainfield voters rejected the idea.

On Tuesday, Upper Mount Bethel supervisors voted 4-1 to place an earned income tax referendum on the May 2007 primary ballot.

Supervisor Jerry Geake initiated the action, which was recommended by the township Environmental Advisory Committee earlier this year. Supervisor Ed Nelson was the only supervisor to vote no. He said the item was not on the agenda and therefore failed to give the public advance notice and allow more public discussion.

Judy Henkel, environmental committee co-chairwoman, urged supervisors to begin funding measures at the township level to encourage property owners to sell open space land or development rights. She said Northampton County and the state are providing more funds for open space and farmland preservation.

''We can sit here and be left in the dust,'' she said, or the township can be part of the county-state program.