To the Editor,
I believe that we should Invest in Watertown and vote in favor of Question 5 as so many other cities and towns in Massachusetts have done before us. We would get about 27 cents in matching funds from the State for every dollar paid into the fund. That’s a lot of return for about $124 per year for a family in Watertown. And it is a Watertown community committee that makes the local choices of how to spend the money.
The issue of competition between the Community Preservation Act and any schools to be built in the future is a red herring, a diversion, with different sources of funding and many years of planning yet to come. There are School Committee members who agree, as do Councilors. They support the CPA.
It’s the principle of the thing as well as the opportunities. We all do share in the cost of creating public gathering spaces, making affordable housing possible, and historic preservation. We value the existence of a common center in every community where all the people meet to enjoy the varied gifts that we can share together. The Community Preservation Act helps us invest in what we see as good for our town. Vote YES on QUESTION 5.
Barbara Ruskin
Watertown Resident