Voting Yes Will Provide Orangetown With A Dedicated Funding Source For Preserving Open Space, Historic Properties, and Parks
To the Editor:
I am writing to ask Orangetown residents to vote YES on Ballot Proposition #2 in this upcoming election. If approved, Proposition #2 would authorize Orangetown to collect a one-time fee from the buyer at the time of a real estate closing, with the funds placed into a dedicated account to provide the Town with a source of funding for preservation efforts, including open space, historic properties, and parks.
Under the proposal, the first $100,000 of the sale price would be excluded, and 0.3%—three tenths of one percent—of the remaining purchase price would be paid into the preservation fund.
The fund would give Orangetown an important tool for identifying and protecting properties and resources that have lasting value to the community. Important to note, the use of the funds would be governed by specific legal requirements. Decisions regarding how the funds are spent and what properties would qualify would be subject to those requirements, and any acquisition of property would be transparent and subject to both a public hearing and a permissive referendum.
As a practicing real estate attorney for more than 35 years, I can speak from experience when it comes to the effect of preservation-related fees on real estate purchases. In my experience, such a fee does not deter people from buying into a community that has one. In many cases, the opposite can be true. Buyers want to contribute to preserving and enhancing the community in which they are choosing to live.
Preservation is ultimately about the choices we make about the future of our town. I encourage Orangetown residents to learn the details of Proposition #2, consider both its potential benefits and its costs, and participate in the public discussion. For more information, please visit our website at www.orangetown.com or consider attending our Proposition #2 Workshop on October 15th at Town Hall from 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm.
Orangetown has remarkable parks, historic properties, and other community resources that contribute to the character of our town and help define what makes it a special place to live.
I believe Proposition #2 provides Orangetown with an additional opportunity to protect the places and resources that make our community unique, and I urge residents to vote YES.
Teresa M. Kenny
Town Supervisor
Town of Orangetown
