Man About Canton: Why We Should Vote for the CPA
By Joe DeFeliceDID YOU KNOW …
Let’s take another look at the Community Preservation Act (CPA) and why MAC intends to vote for it and why you should also vote for it. The Massachusetts legislature passed the Community Preservation Act in 2000 to help local communities like Canton better manage development through the use of local dedicated funds that receive annual matching funds from the state. It is estimated that if the measure is passed, Canton will generate over $450,000 each year and will receive additional funds from the state for all CPA projects. Passage of the CPA question, which is on this year’s November 6 presidential election ballot, would result in a 1 percent add-on to the tax bill for some Canton residents, but not all. Here are some additional facts about the CPA:
1. If you are over 60 and own your own home and declare less than $68,460 per year, you are exempt from the CPA.
2. If you are under 60 and own your own home and declare less than $54,768 (or $62,592 for a household of two), you are exempt from the CPA.
3. All CPA projects are voted locally at town meeting, and the town counsel reviews the projects for compliance.
4. There is no state oversight of the funds or the expenses.
5. 148 communities have adopted the CPA, which is over 50 percent of the commonwealth’s cities and towns.
6. Towns could also consider extending exemptions to commercial properties under a recent addition to the legislation of the CPA.
7. The first $100,000 of residential real property is exempt.
8. For fiscal year 2013, the legislature added $25 million to the CPA, which demonstrates their commitment to it.
Recent changes in the CPA law allow communities to rehabilitate existing outdoor recreational sites, which means we can pay for things such as new tennis courts, new bleachers, field lighting, and improvements to ball fields. Any type or upgrade is now part of the CPA. In the past ten years, more than 15,000 acres of open space have been preserved; over 2,500 appropriations have been made for historic preservation projects; and more than 700 outdoor recreation projects have been initiated. So there you have it, the reasons why you should vote for the Community Preservation Act. And one last item: The average household in Canton would pay less than $50 more per year in taxes. It’s worth your vote. Vote Yes!
The Canton Water Department is in the process of cleaning all the town’s water tanks as part of measures to lower coliform counts through the town water system.
The Community Club of Canton recently awarded four scholarships in the amount of $1,000 to Malcolm Hebb, Megan Barrera, Victoria Tondre, and Shannon Green. Over the past 10 years, the club has awarded scholarships totaling over $50,000 to deserving high school students graduating from either Canton High School or Blue Hills Regional High School.
The Messinger Street Playground will celebrate its 100th anniversary with an old-fashioned picnic from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, September 22. There will be hotdogs, hamburgers, horseback rides, games, face painting, and more. Everyone is invited to join in the celebration.
The CHS class of 1987 will hold its 25th reunion on November 24 at the Sheraton Hotel in Norwood from 7:30 to 11:30 p.m. For further information, contact Carmela Martins at P.O. Box 201, East Walpole, MA 02032.
The Boston Globe’s list of girls’ soccer players to watch for this fall included Canton High School’s Lauren Berman. A 2011 Globe All-Scholastic, the talented forward led the Hockomock League in scoring with 33 goals and 11 assists. Berman was named the league MVP and given All-New England honors last year as a junior.
The U.S. Postal Service recently reported a loss of $5.2 billion in its third quarter and may lose $15 billion in the year ending September 30. Recently, it spent $1.2 million to print one billion stamps commemorating “The Simpsons,” but sold only 318 million of them. I guess they failed to hit a “Homer” on this one.
A New Jersey teenager left brain-damaged after being struck in the chest by a line drive off a metal bat while playing in a Little League game in June 2006 will receive $14.5 million to settle his lawsuit against the Louisville Slugger bat manufacturer Hillerich and Bradsby, Little League Baseball, and Sports Authority, the sporting goods chain where the bat was purchased. The little leaguer was pitching when the batter rocketed a line drive off the metal bat, and the ball slammed into his chest, sending him into cardiac arrest.
The state Department of Public Health has designated Canton as one of the towns facing a high risk of mosquito-borne illnesses, including eastern equine encephalitis (EEE). There are currently more than 70 towns across the commonwealth with a high-risk designation and another 15 towns with a “critical” risk, including nearby Easton.
Women administrators are taking over in the Stoughton Public Schools. In addition to the school superintendent, Marguerite Rizzi, the new Stoughton High School principal is Juliette Miller, and the new assistant principal is Hope Fernandes.
The Jack Daniels Distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee, is the largest employer in Moore County, Tennessee. Ten million cases of the sour mash whiskey are sold worldwide each year, making it the number-one brand in sales globally. Ironically, Moore County is dry, meaning Jack Daniels cannot be sold legally in the country where it is produced.
It is not only what we do but also what we do not do for which we are accountable.
This is all for now folks. See you next week.
Joe DeFelice can be reached at manaboutcanton@aol.com.
Short URL: http://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=16215
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Here are more facts about the CPA:
1. If you are over 60 and own your own home and declare less than $68,460 per year, you are exempt from the CPA. So MAC won’t pay.
2. If you are under 60 and own your own home and declare less than $54,768 (or $62,592 for a household of two), you are exempt from the CPA. Low to moderate income citizens won’t pay.
3. All CPA projects are voted locally at town meeting, and the town counsel reviews the projects for compliance. Whose compliance? There is no oversight. The potential for abuse is magnified!
4. There is no oversight of the funds or the expenses!
5. 148 communities have adopted the CPA, which is over 50 percent of the commonwealth’s cities and towns. Not really. There are 351 cities and towns in Massachhusetts. 203 don’t participate. Maybe there were 296 or less when MAC was born. Like 48 stars on the flag.
6. Towns could also consider extending exemptions to commercial properties under a recent addition to the legislation of the CPA. So again the burden falls to the middle class, not MAC. He won’t pay.
7. The first $100,000 of residential real property is exempt. But for how long?
8. For fiscal year 2013, the legislature added $25 million to the CPA, which demonstrates their commitment to it. But, according to State Representative James Arciero of Westford, “As part of the Fiscal Year 2013 House Budget, we were able to allocate an additional $25 million in funding for this successful and important program. Originally, the state funding amount was a 100% matching grant to that of the local contribution. Through the years, as more and more communities adopted the CPA, the matching percentage steadily dropped, and today it is approximately 22% of local contributions. Currently, state funds collected from deed fees across the state provide approximately $26 million for the program.
Recent changes in the CPA law allow communities to rehabilitate existing outdoor recreational sites, which means we can pay for things such as new tennis courts, new bleachers, field lighting, and improvements to ball fields. Any type or upgrade is now part of the CPA. In the past ten years, more than 15,000 acres of open space have been preserved; over 2,500 appropriations have been made for historic preservation projects; and more than 700 outdoor recreation projects have been initiated. So there you have it, the reasons why you should not vote for the Community Preservation Act. And one last item: State Representative James Arciero states,” Also, we gave towns the ability to use revenue sources aside from the property taxes surcharges to fund their local community preservation contributions. Does this mean that CPA projects can potentially raid other town funds?
The average household in Canton would pay less than $50 more per year in taxes. Below average will pay nothing and above the average will foot the bill.
So the reason MAC is for it is HE WON’T PAY. Typical. Vote NO!
I will pay as I make more than $70,000 a year and if you would like to look at my tax return call me at 781-828-6886….Joe DeFelice