North Whitehall Township voters will decide Nov. 3 whether to approve an additional 0.15% earned income tax to fund farmland and open space preservation.

According to a press release issued by the township, the tax would generate an estimated $1 million annually to preserve undeveloped land, protect farmland and conserve natural habitats. If approved, the township would eliminate its existing 0.1-mill property tax dedicated to preservation. If the referendum fails, the property tax would remain in place.

Officials say development pressure and the loss of open space have become growing concerns in recent years. The township currently has requests from 10 property owners seeking permanent preservation of more than 312 acres. Existing property tax revenue generates about $160,000 annually, enough to preserve roughly one property each year, according to the release.

The additional funding could be used to purchase land outright or acquire development rights from willing landowners, allowing farms and open space to remain privately owned while preventing future development.

For a household earning a combined $110,000 annually, the proposed tax would cost about $165 per year, or $13.77 per month, according to township estimates.

Revenue would be placed in a separate account and could be used only for approved preservation purposes, including open space acquisition, conservation easements and certain recreational land improvements.

The referendum comes as other Lehigh Valley municipalities have also sought voter support for open space preservation funding.

Mail-in ballot correction

Lehigh County is reissuing mail-in ballots to voters who received an earlier version containing incorrect wording regarding the referendum, according to the press release.

Voters who already submitted an incorrect ballot or have questions about the replacement process should contact the Lehigh County Election Office. The corrected ballot asks whether voters favor imposing a 0.15% earned income tax to finance the acquisition of interests in real property for open space preservation. Additional information is available through the township.