What Issues Are Important to Newtown Area Residents?

Residents Speak Out on the Issues

My “Issues of Importance to Newtown Township Residents” survey was active for over 4 years. As of April 1, 2021, 356 responses have been collected. See the figure below for a summary of the results.

The survey asks each respondent to rank the importance of several issues from “Very Important” to “Not Important.” Respondents are also able to add comments and name other issues that are important to them.

What About Lately?

Has there been a shift in what’s considered “Very Important” from 2017 through 2020? I think so, as shown in the following chart.

I notice a few interesting trends:

Keeping taxes low has shot up in importance in 2020, which is not surprising, since the township has raised real estate taxes by 89% in 2020 (read “Final 2021 Newtown Township Budget Approved!”);
More respondents say that the preservation of open space and curbing overdevelopment is “Very Important.” Again, not surprising (read “Another Proposed Project on Newtown Bypass” and “Newtown Residents Lash Out Against Arcadia Settlement”);
Bringing new business to the township, however, took a nose dive in terms of importance despite – or because of – the push by the newly-formed Economic Development Committee to change the zoning in certain districts to allow and entice new businesses to locate in Newtown (download “EDC Memo to BOS Re-Zoning for Businesses”).

Some Comments

Comments about these issues submitted by respondents during this period include the following. To see comments about other issues, read “Newtown Speaks Out on the Issues”.

Stop Arcadia development! ... Arcadia Green development should not happen ... Stop the over development tooo many toll house homes ruining the county side. Once developed its gone forever ... Please stop developing in and around newtown..its destroying it and once open space is gone...its gone forever ... The over development at the Village at Newtown shopping center is an outrage. It has become the new oxford valley mall. Traffic, parking and siphoning business from State Street are big problems.”

Bringing in new business is not as important as ensuring it is the right business for Newtown Township, and that it does not further compromise the quality of life that once made Newtown Township the ideal place to raise a family.

I’m a senior living on SS and fixed income so keeping my home taxes down are extremely important.

DISCLAIMER: THIS IS NOT A NEWTOWN TOWNSHIP APPROVED SURVEY. IT IS SOLELY A SURVEY POSTED BY JOHN MACK ACTING AS A PRIVATE CITIZEN. YOU MAY REMAIN ANONYMOUS - YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION IS NEVER REVEALED WITHOUT YOUR PERMISSION.

Posted on 01 Apr 2021, 11:53 - Category: Survey Results