Parks, development and property taxes

I’m often asked if it wouldn’t be better for us financially to add more taxable property to the tax rolls by developing property rather than protecting undeveloped land as parks. It would not.

Studies have shown that the additional public expenses created by development (police, fire, roads, etc.) are actually more than the taxes collected on the developed property. The figure I've seen for Geauga County, is that it costs us $1.37 to provide services for developed property for every $1.00 of tax collected.

So development increases our tax burden. Add to that the fact that being near a park increases property values for all of us, and we're each better off economically here in Russell Township having more parks.