Community Preservation Act 
to be on the November 4^th Ballot

At the November elections, Whately voters will have the opportunity to adopt the Community Preservation Act.  This would impose a surcharge on local property taxes which would be matched up to 100% by state funds. 

The CPA allows towns to raise money for preservation of open space and agricultural land, historic preservation, affordable housing, and recreation sites and facilities.  The state matches the local funds raised up to 100%.  

Each year the town must set aside the following from annual CPA revenues: 

• 10% for open space (including agricultural preservation)

• 10% for historic preservation (including landscapes and archives) 

• 10% for affordable housing

Of the remainder, up to 5% may be approved to pay for administrative costs of CPA projects.  The remaining funds may go in any proportion to the three uses above plus recreation sites and facilities.

The funds need not be spent in the year they are raised but may stay in a special fund and earn interest.  The town may also borrow against future CPA revenues to fund CPA projects.

The match money comes from a dedicated trust fund financed by real estate transactions, not from general revenues.  Whately now pays in but gets nothing back.  

Approval of the CPA would create a 3% surcharge on the property tax rate with an exemption for the first $100,000 of residential property values and total exemptions low income residents and moderate to low income seniors.  These are the largest exemptions allowed under the provisions of the CPA.

This would raise about $70,000 in revenue each year, plus the state match.

For homeowners, the surcharge is applied to the property tax calculated on the value after the $100,000 exemption.  For instance, on a $200,000 property, the surcharge would apply to only half the property value.  The tax increase on that property would be 1.5%.  For the town as a whole, the property tax increase for homeowners would be 1.8% or about a $34 increase in the tax bill every six months.  No homeowner would pay a 3% tax increase.  

Tax calculations and residential CPA tax payments by property value.
   
Low and moderate income exemption eligibility

Whately would get state money but Whately would control where it’s spent.  A Community Preservation Committee with representatives from the Conservation Commission, Historical Commission and Planning Board, among others, will solicit and recommend projects to the Board of Selectmen.   Every CPA project must be approved by Town Meeting.  

Possible projects for Whately CPA funds

If Whately passes the CPA, the town can decide to change the surcharge rate by ballot at any time.  The CPA can be revoked after 5 years.

Deerfield, Hatfield, Hadley, Goshen ,and Leverett have all adopted the CPA with the 3% surcharge and exemptions.  They’ve decided to invest in their towns and get the state match funds. 

Neighboring town CPA projects

Questions?  Perhaps the CPA Q&A will help.  There is also excellent information at communitypreservation.org  You may also contact Lynn Sibley (665-0054)  or any of the other members of the Implementation Committee:   Becky Jones, Kay Klippel, Judy Markland, and Paul Newlin.