When he ran for Northampton County Council, Hayden Phillips was one of very few politicians willing to speak out against open space. So it's no surprise that on Feb. 20, he would vote against four open space projects totaling $698,000. Those projects sailed through through the Open Space Committee earlier in the week, with no dissent.

Phillips was the sole No vote.

These four projects include the purchase of 94.5 acres of woodland near Route 611. The county will spend $276,867 on top of the $289,388 already approved by Upper Mount Bethel. The Nature Conservancy will own the land.

Open Space coordinator Bryan Cope said the land has been designated a "globally significant natural resource area" that includes 13 rare species, six of which are endangered.

The other projects are municipal park projects.

Palmer Township - $243,408 - for a walking trail to link the Miracle League baseball diamond to the Chrin Community Center, along with tennis and basketball courts.

Pen Argyl. - $60,372 - for improvements to miniature golf course and basketball court at Weona Park.

Upper Mount Bethel Community Park. - $112,616 for a playground with recycled products, as well as a small walking trail, and some kind of butterfly habitat.

Phillips recalled the words of other council members and even the executive, who spoke in terms of "bleeding money" at meetings just the day before. "Everyone agreed that financially, we're the Titanic.," he said. "Reject these proposals," he urged. "Put this money aside so we have it in August. You vote for this, you're voting for a future tax increase."

Other council members had different views. Peg Ferraro noted that voters overwhelming supported spending $39 million in an open space referendum eight years ago. Bob Werner called it a "core county function." Glenn Geissinger and Ken Kraft both argued that these initiatives actually attract business, which increases revenue. Scott Parsons said that, without county assistance, municipalities would have to pay for these projects themselves and would have to raise taxes even higher.

Lamont McClure, who supported these proposals, suggested it is time to stick to environmentally significant land and hybrid properties that might have aspects of farmland, sensitive land and parks.