Upper Allen Township is currently reviewing the possibility of placing a land preservation referendum on the November 2026 ballot. If approved by voters, the referendum could allow the Township to raise additional tax revenue for the purpose of preserving land.

At the May 20, 2026 Board of Commissioners meeting, the Board approved hiring two consultants to assist with this process: Natural Lands and Grow Conservation. Their work includes gathering information, preparing public outreach materials, reviewing mapping and land preservation options, and helping the Township evaluate possible referendum language.

The Board’s current goal is to explore placing a referendum question on the November 2026 ballot. Because referendum questions must be submitted to the County Bureau of Elections 13 Tuesdays before the general election, the tentative submission deadline would be August 4, 2026.

Township staff and consultants have begun preliminary information gathering, including mapping, data collection, survey preparation, and planning for a small focus group scheduled for June 24, 2026. The consultants also recommended creating a dedicated section of the Township website for land preservation materials.

A tentative timeline discussed during the meeting includes:

• June 17, 2026 — Further Board discussion

• June 22, 2026 — Possible special meeting to introduce the referendum, explain land preservation, and hold a question-and-answer period

• July 1, 2026 — Introduction of proposed open space referendum language

• July 15, 2026 — Advertisement of the referendum ordinance

• July 29 or August 3, 2026 — Possible meeting to adopt the referendum language before submission to the County

A key question for residents is whether they support a tax increase to preserve land, especially land that may not be used by the general public in the same way as a public park, playground, walking trail, or recreation area.

The Board indicated that public comment would be accepted as the process continues. This survey is intended to gather resident feedback before any final decision is made.

Upper Allen’s current Township EIT rate is 0.50%. A 1/10th of 1% increase means adding 0.10%, which would take the Township portion from: 0.50% → 0.60%

Because 0.10% is 20% of 0.50%, the estimated increase using the Township budget number is:

$3,558,845.12 × 20% = $711,769.02

Bottom line: Yes, this would be a tax increase, specifically an earned income tax increase, and based on the Township budget it would be roughly $711,769.02

The most significant line item for comparison is the total millage rate. Based on the county data, Upper Allen Township currently has one of the highest total millage rates among municipalities in Cumberland County.

For context, Township discussions have referenced Silver Spring Township’s conservation fee structure. However, according to the same county dataset, Silver Spring’s total millage rate is approximately 27% lower than Upper Allen’s at this time.

Source:
https://cumberlandcountypa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/54757/2026-Tax-Rates

As conversations continue around potential conservation or open space funding, it may be helpful for residents to understand how any new initiative would be structured and how it compares with existing tax and fee levels.

Key questions for public consideration include:

• Whether any existing township programs or priorities would be adjusted or replaced to accommodate new conservation funding.

• How conservation efforts would be integrated into long-term planning, such as through a Comprehensive Plan update, which typically includes structured public input and review.

These questions are intended to support transparency and informed public discussion around budgeting, planning, and land conservation approaches.