Thanks to local lawmakers for CPA support

Dear Editor:

On behalf of the Canton Community Preservation Committee, I am writing to say thank you to Representative Bill Galvin and Senator Walter Timilty for their recent actions in support of budgetary measures that would increase funding of the Community Preservation Act (CPA) Trust Fund. With their efforts to co-sponsor the legislation (Galvin) and to support the budget amendment (Timilty), both the Massachusetts House and Senate have now adopted language that would add an estimated $36 million to the CPA Trust Fund and would increase the base percentage match for all 175 CPA cities and towns to approximately 30 percent in 2020.

For those unfamiliar with CPA, the premise is simple. Municipalities raise revenue for historic resources, community housing, and open space/recreation projects through a 1 to 3 percent surcharge on local property taxes (Canton’s rate is 1 percent). The commonwealth then contributes a percentage match to each CPA community. Matching funds are collected from fees assessed by the Registry of Deeds. At its inception, CPA communities enjoyed a 100 percent match; however, these funds have failed to keep pace with the annual growth of CPA adoption across the state and matching funds have declined precipitously in recent years. Still, since adopting CPA in November of 2012, Canton has received over $600,000 in state funds to supplement the more than $3 million raised locally. These funds have been used to purchase and improve open space at the Paul Revere Heritage Site, to rehabilitate several popular playgrounds throughout the community, to preserve essential affordable housing units, and to restore unique pieces of Canton’s history. Obviously, a greater match will allow the town to fund more proposed projects for residents to enjoy now and into the future.

We hope Canton citizens will join us in thanking our legislators for their work to augment the match in 2020 and in encouraging the legislature to support a transfer from the state’s 2019 budget surplus to the CPA Trust Fund.

Sincerely,

Stacey Gorman

Chairman, Canton Community Preservation Committee

Short URL: https://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=58878

Posted by Guest on Jul 19 2019. Filed under Featured Content, From One Citizen to Another, Opinion. Both comments and pings are currently closed.