Preserving open space falls into the same category as ensuring clean air and clean drinking water—most people favor it, even if there are differences of opinion on how to achieve it.

Yorktown and Somers are two of the many municipalities that will be asking voters in two weeks to support referendums mandating each property owner pay a certain amount annually to allow the town to purchase land to keep it from being developed.

Cortlandt has opted to go a different route by agreeing to set aside 10 percent of the surplus in its General Fund each year for the same purpose.

Over the last nine years, Cortlandt has had an average surplus of approximately $500,000, which at that rate would put about $50,000 each year into a capital reserve fund.

Yorktown has estimated with its current number of parcel owners, approximately $400,000 would be raised annually, while Somers is asking residents to give town officials the power to borrow $2 million and pay it back annually at about $30 per property owner.

Of course, when it comes to open space preservation, Cortlandt officials are right when they say neighboring communities are following their lead.

This year alone, with a joint effort spearheaded by the town that also included state, Westchester County, environmental advocacy group and grassroots assistance, Cortlandt was able to prevent more than 450 acres from being built on.

With the horrendous traffic conditions today on the major roadways in Cortlandt and surrounding towns, Cortlandt’s achievements are significant and worthy of being emulated.

Cortlandt also had a head start on others by establishing an open space inventory several years ago and making it a priority to secure parcels, specifically large ones, whenever an opportunity presented itself.

Yorktown and Somers are doing the right thing and voters in those towns should wholeheartedly approve the referendums. It’s certainly a small price to pay to hold on to the still somewhat rural character of those towns.

Town officials in Yorktown and Somers should also not hesitate to contact Cortlandt officials to get some pointers on how best to approach open space land acquisitions.

There’s nothing wrong with copying a successful formula.

It happens in professional sports, it happens in business and it happens in politics.

Local governments shouldn’t be any different, and acquiring open space for residents of today and tomorrow is something all municipalities should strive for.