WOODLAND – After some public outcry last month regarding certain aspects of the proposed emergency and municipal services tax, the Bradford Township Supervisors approved an ordinance approving a $52 a year tax to be used for road maintenance Tuesday night.
The tax is retroactive to Jan. 1, 2006 and will only affect those who earn $1,000 or more who work within Bradford Township. Since the township has already collected a $10 occupational privilege tax for this year, those within the parameters of the tax will be required to pay $42.
The tax would bring in an additional $125,000 of tax revenue. That amount would have equaled about a 6-mil increase according to Bradford Township Chairman Supervisor Charles Read.
Township resident and business owner Sam Lansberry argued against making the tax retroactive at August’s meeting. In a letter to the editor to GantDaily on Aug. 10, Lansberry said that he had 76 people employed who do not live in the township who would receive no benefit from the tax.
Township resident Pam Peters disagreed, and noted that they too use roads in Bradford Township to get to and from work. Peters expressed her disappointment in the supervisors for not passing the tax.
“You guys need all the money you can get,” said Peters.
By passing the ordinance as it was originally prepared, the supervisors saved money on solicitor and advertising fees.