As a long-time resident, volunteer, and fundraiser for our community I am asking for your support on November 5 with a YES vote on Question 6 on the ballot, for the Community Preservation Act (CPA). There are many reasons for supporting the CPA, the primary one is to help support efforts of many community groups to main public spaces in Townsend that all generations in town enjoy.
Here are some key points to the CPA:
If we pass the CPA, our community then becomes eligible for matching funds from the state’s Community Preservation Trust Fund. Our locally raised funds are then supplemented with additional state money, reducing the need for local community groups and non – profit organizations to rely entirely on fundraising efforts for projects like historic preservation, sports fields, the rail trail, open space acquisition, or affordable housing. The matching funds increase the available resources substantially without further burdening local residents.
The CPA allows for a relatively small surcharge (up to 3% but we are only asking for 1%) on local property taxes. The process allows exemptions for low-income households and senior citizens. This is a significant advantage of the CPA. This ensures that those who might face financial hardship do not have to contribute, making the CPA an equitable solution for the town. The opt-out provision demonstrates a commitment to protecting vulnerable populations while still ensuring sufficient revenue for important projects. Townsend can set a reasonable surcharge rate that balances generating revenue without imposing a heavy financial burden on any taxpayer.
Through open space preservation, keeping our playgrounds, ballfields, rail trail, and historic properties nice, and creating affordable housing through CPA, we can mitigate future costs. For example, improving and preserving open spaces helps keep Townsend’s rural character, preventing overdevelopment that could otherwise lead to higher infrastructure costs for roads, schools, and public services. Improving our historical sites through CPA funds can avoid more expensive emergency repairs in the future, attract more tourists (which helps other businesses), and ensuring the rail trail stays in perfect shape allows a safe space for bike riding.
CPA funding can be directed toward community-driven projects that would otherwise require constant individual or group fundraising efforts. Whether it’s improving recreational spaces, protecting natural areas, or preserving historic buildings, CPA money ensures these important initiatives can move forward without relying on constant fundraising campaigns from volunteers and nonprofits, saving time and effort. There is a small group raising money in small increments, a few hundred at a bake sale, yard sale, or community event compared to getting $190,000 in matching funds.
For each household, the impact of the CPA surcharge is fairly small. The ability to exclude the first $100,000 of residential property value from the surcharge calculation helps reduce the burden, particularly on lower- and middle-income families. For example, if a home is valued at $300,000, the CPA surcharge would only be applied to $200,000, reducing the overall cost to the taxpayer to $29/year at the present rate. With matching state funds and the collective benefit to the town, the CPA provides a high return on investment, where relatively small contributions lead to large-scale community improvements.
CPA funds are controlled by a town committee that makes recommendations that are then brought to Town Meeting. The funds are completely separate from the Town budget. They do not have to spend down each year so if there is the ability to save for a larger scale project or to fund several smaller projects.
By passing the CPA, Townsend can strengthen its funding for critical projects while reducing reliance on private fundraising, all without creating an undue tax burden on residents.
If I have not convinced you yet, let me try one final time.
To raise $190,000 in a single year, at an average of $1,000.00 per bake sale or band concert fundraiser, our community would need to hold 190 fundraising events! That is not practical or possible. Please help us keep and protect our community-based assets that support our youth through our seniors thriving by voting YES on Question 6 on Nov. 5, 2024. Thank you.
Kym Craven is a long-time resident of Townsend. Active in the community, she has served on elected and appointed town boards and is active in many nonprofit organizations. She has worked in the public safety profession for 38 years.