To paraphrase Sir Paul McCartney: Someone’s knocking at the door, somebody’s ringing the bell – do yourself a favor, ask them some hard questions, and don’t let the CPA in.
Over the past few weeks CPA (Question #5) proponents have been knocking on our doors, dropping their expensive literature, and trying to persuade us to adopt an unwarranted 2% surcharge tax to fund yet to be determined projects.
I’ve received several phone calls and emails questioning the “information” being disseminated. Sadly, the said information is deceptive, distorted, laden with half-truths, and even outright bold faced lies.
So when CPA Proponents knock at your door ask them the following.
Can this surcharge tax be passed on to renters? I’ve had several reports of tenants being told the surcharge tax won’t affect them.
And commercial properties, like stores and restaurants will also pay this surcharge. In fact since they’re taxed at a higher rate, they will pay even more!
What specific projects will the money be spent on in the first 5 years? Don’t settle for we could do this or we could do that. Demand that the door knocker tell you exactly what projects they intend to spend the money on?
Ask them how much will each project cost? How many estimates did they get for each project? How long will each project take? How does each project benefit ALL Watertown residents?
These questions just scratch the surface in comparison to the scrutiny all other projects undergo during the normal appropriation process for a municipal budget. But I’ll guarantee you the friendly sweat-talking door-knocker won’t answer these questions – because he or she CAN’T! Why? Because the CPA doesn’t work that way. If Question #5 passes, special interests get to TAX FIRST and answer these questions later!
Here is a question they can and should answer: What’s your full name and where do you live?
Why ask that question?
Well because Watertown CPA may be importing experienced and possible expensive operatives to supplement their operation.
A Newton-based corporation has thus far sent out two very, very, expensive, high gloss, multi-colored, professional mailings to Watertown voters. I’ve seen the third that should be in mailboxes soon. These mailers probably range in cost from $5,000 on the lowest end to more than $10,000 (depending on the size of the mailing list). EACH!!! So where is this money, at least $15,000 – possibly $30,000 – or more coming from and why?
With the money being spent on mailers, here is another question your door-knocker should be able to answer:
Ask him or her if they’re being paid directly to knock on your door? And then ask them if they get a paycheck from an organization that promotes the CPA? After all, a Newton-based special interest, has been lobbying Watertown voters heavily. This corporation goes by the name Metro West CD Inc. The question needs to be posed to the alleged volunteer when he or she comes a knocking.
Who does Metro West CD Inc. or any other group involved represent? Where do they get their money?
Well, let me tell you what we do know. The executive director of Metro West DC Inc. is a one of the most active CPA peddlers in Watertown. Her name is Jennifer Van Campen and she is a Watertown resident but it’s pretty obvious that since she draws an executive salary from this corporation she stands to benefit personally. You see this is a development firm that specializes in publicly subsidized housing. In fact they’ve purchased and now rent out at least two properties in Watertown.
With time so short before the election, I was unable to do more research or get more answers. But trust me, these special interests will be fully exposed sooner or later. I will not let this go!
Folks there is lot of money to be made from CPA contracts. Reasonable people ought to be seriously concerned, anytime such massive amounts of money is being spent on local ballot measure that involves raising taxes. Especially when the proponents have not been forthcoming with reasonable answers to reasonable questions.
Someone’s knocking at your door… they’re not political activists promoting a cause. They may be salesmen and women selling the CPA. Do yourself a favor, don’t let the CPA in. Vote No on Question #5 November 8, conveniently hidden on the back and bottom of the ballot!
John DiMascio
Copeland St.
I just received a mailer paid for by the Trust for Public Land. They are a Boston based group that makes money developing open space, etc, etc, etc.
Now they are a non-profit. But they are paying premium rent at 10 Milk Street Boston. That means their executives are also getting handsome compensation and gain personally if the CPA passes in Watertown.
Here is more on Trust for Public Land…. It is based out of San Francisco .. it is a Foreign meaning out of state. When a company is out of state, it’s called foreign…. when it’s out of Country, it’s called Alien… So why does an out of state firm, want to pass a tax increase in Watertown.
http://corp.sec.state.ma.us/…/CorpS…/CorpSummary.aspx
And the intrigue continues…. it looks like we have a bunch of shell companies… here
The agent for Trust for Public Land is CT CORPORATION SYSTEM, organized under the Jurisdiction of Deleware!
Here are their officers, as you can see they are based all over the country.
PRESIDENT JOHN WEBER 111 EIGHTH AVE 13TH FL NEW YORK, NY 10011 USA
TREASURER PAUL C KUHN 6815 SAUKVIEW DRIVE ST CLOUD, MN 56303
SECRETARY DEIDRA D GOLD 2700 LAKE COOK ROAD RIVERWOODS, IL
VICE PRESIDENT PETER F HEALY 2700 LAKE COOK ROAD RIVERWOODS, IL
DIRECTOR JOHN WEBER 111 EIGHTH AVE 13TH FL NEW YORK, NY 10011 USA
DIRECTOR RICHARD FLYNN 111 EIGHTH AVE 13TH FLOOR NEW YORK, NY
DIRECTOR PAUL C KUHN 6815 SAUKVIEW DRIVE ST CLOUD, MN 56303 USA
This is very biased and dishonest piece in itself. Mr. DiMascio insinuates all sorts of things based on incomplete information. This does not meet the standard for an Op Ed which, while opinion, must be factually complete and correct. Putting forth shady and incomplete facts and insinuating corruption does not qualify. This is a textbook case of what is referred to as yellow journalism. I am deeply disappointed that the Watertown MA News would publish it.
Mr. DiMascio has spent weeks “swiftboating” his neighbors, using scare tactics and making unsubstantiated accusations and insinuations. This behavior has disgraced our community and cheapened our politics. It is possible to make reasonable arguments without attacking the reputations of good people, questioning their motives or intelligence, or misrepresenting organizations and their purposes based on little or no information. Mr. DiMascio does not seem to understand this. Instead, he seems intent on bringing Trump style politics to Watertown.
FYI, CT Corporation System is a company in the business of accepting service of documents for corporations. Hundreds if not thousands of organizations incorporated in Massachusetts (yes, especially those whose principle place of business is out of state) utilize their services.
Mr. DiMascios article may be biased but everything put out by the supporters of the CPA is as well. So please get off of your high horse and accept that bias is everywhere. Now for As fas as truth I myself have been asking the CPA supporters for 3 days now if they had received any financial contributions or support from out of town corporations or organizations. I asked this question because of the flyers delivered to my house with postage marks titled Metro West CD and the The Trust for Public Land which raised my concern. I wrote an article on this and John DiMascio read it, researched it, and it was found out that outside organizations were contributing in one way or another. The CPA supporters have not yet provided any information on outside contributions so what was figured out was placed in his article. I will add one more piece of information to this article, which is that both of these outside organizations are in the business of building affordable housing or recreational areas. Does anyone think that they are just trying to get Watertown voters to vote for the CPA because they have nothing else to do with their money, or are they expecting something in return? I believe it is the latter as I stated in another article earlier today.
VOTE NO ON QUESTION 5. (back side of ballot)