Cherry Hill voters are finding a new question on their mail ballots, one that could raise property taxes by a penny per $100 of assessed value.

The Camden County Open Space Trust Fund referendum asks whether to increase the county's open space and water quality tax from $0.02 to $0.03 per $100 of equalized assessed property value. Camden County said on X on Thursday, Sept. 24, that some voters had already received their Vote-by-Mail ballots containing the question.

The referendum will also appear on the Tuesday, Nov. 3 general election ballot.

What the money would fund

A "yes" vote would create a dedicated funding stream for the county's $400 million Water Quality Initiative, a plan to address flooding, sewage overflows and polluted waterways across Camden County.

The county's combined sewer and stormwater systems spill sewage into local rivers and waterways an average of 76 days per year, according to South Jersey Climate News.

Here is how the $400 million breaks down: $200 million to reduce combined sewer overflows, $75 million for dredging and sediment cleanup, and $50 million to repair leaking sewer lines. Another $50 million would restore recreational lakes, and $25 million would go toward green infrastructure including rain gardens. Projects would target the Cooper River, Kirkwood Lake, Wallworth Lake and other waterways, according to the county's Clean Water Future page.

Federal grants, state loans and other sources would also fund the initiative. The tax increase would be one piece of a larger funding mix.

What it means for your tax bill

A "no" vote keeps the current rate. The existing Open Space Trust Fund dates to a 2005 referendum that raised the levy from $0.01 to $0.02, effective in 2006.

Even at $0.03, Camden County's rate would remain below neighboring Burlington and Gloucester counties, which both charge $0.04 per $100 of assessed value, South Jersey Climate News reported.

No county source provides a specific annual dollar estimate for a typical Cherry Hill homeowner. The increase is $0.01 per $100 of equalized assessed value.

Supporters and critics

Commissioner Jeffrey Nash, liaison to the Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority, said in a July 31 statement reported by South Jersey Climate News that officials "understand the importance of balancing environmental investment with the financial pressures facing our residents."

At a July 30 event announcing the initiative, Nash told South Jersey Media that the county's goal was cleaner waterways. "Now it's our job to make sure that the water goes to the next level … That the water is cleaner than ever before," he said.

Maya K. van Rossum of the Delaware Riverkeeper Network offered a different view in a July 31 statement to South Jersey Climate News, arguing that government should strengthen environmental protections rather than ask taxpayers to fund restoration.

How to vote

The Camden County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved placing the question on the ballot at its July 16 meeting. Voters who received a mail ballot can mark and return it. Those who prefer to vote in person will see the question at their regular polling place on Election Day.