Open space may go to vote CARMEL — Putnam County legislators are debating whether to ask voters if they want to spend an unspecified amount of tax money to purchase open space, but state election officials say that may not be possible. "You have to ask a specific question, not ask for an opinion," said Lee Daghlian, a spokesman for the state Board of Elections. Legislators originally talked about a ballot question that would ask permission to spend as much as $10 million to purchase land. Putnam County Executive Robert Bondi changed the debate last month when he suggested the county create a 50-50 financial partnership with towns to buy open space. Each proposal would be considered separately, and a referendum would not be necessary, he said. Bondi's idea seems to have taken hold with many legislators, especially after town officials told them that open space preservation is a home-rule issue. With that in mind, legislators may put a general question on the November ballot. "What we do is get a statement, a carte blanche, from our constituents," said Legislator Sam Oliverio, D-Putnam Valley, who chairs the Legislature's Health, Social, Educational and Environmental Committee. But one of the requirements for a referendum question is that a specific result has to come out of it, said Todd Valentine, special counsel with the state Board of Elections. For example, the county would set forth a specific amount of money it wants to bond. The state Clean Water-Clean Air Bond Act, which passed in 1996, called for selling $1.75 billion in bonds. People knew before they voted how many millions would go to different types of programs, but the projects were not chosen until after the referendum passed. Valentine said his agency would need more information about how the question would be worded before issuing a formal opinion. Oliverio said in response that it may be necessary to attach a maximum amount of money to the question. Legislature Chairman Robert Pozzi, R-Mahopac, said it's not clear what action legislators will take. It may not be necessary to have a referendum to go forward with a program that matches county and town funds for land acquisition. Legislator Tony Hay, R-Southeast, agreed. He said the county has purchased 1,853 acres of open space since the Legislature passed an enabling resolution in 1985. "There's no need for a referendum; we already have one," he said. County Legislator Vincent Tamagna, R-Philipstown, said there should be a ballot question, and it should be as specific as possible regarding the amount of money to be spent and the criteria to buy land. "To put one sentence on a ballot is hardly enough information for a voter," he said. Some residents at the ShopRite supermarket in Carmel yesterday had mixed reactions to spending tax dollars on open space preservation. "I have three little ones, so it could be nice to have more parks," said 35-year-old Kathy Melito of Kent, whose children are 10, 8 and 2. Jim Johnson, 75, of Lake Carmel said he is "dead set" against anything that would raise his taxes, which he believes are unreasonably high already. Carmel resident Anthony Seda, 42, said it would cost less to preserve land than to bear the costs of development and the increased demand for services it brings. He is a founding member of Concerned Citizens of Carmel and Mahopac, a group that has lobbied to maintain the county's rural and suburban character. "We came here to move up to the country, not the city," Seda said. Seda said the 246-acre Tilly Foster Farms on Route 312 in Southeast is an example of land that should be preserved, rather than developed. The farm is on the market for $4.35 million. Ann Fanizzi of Southeast, a member of the Putnam County Coalition to Preserve Open Space, said there should be a ballot question that would authorize the county to spent up to $10 million on land acquisition. |