Elections

LETTER: Town Does Not Need CPA, Should Be Able to Pay for Projects With Budget

By |

Dear Watertown Friends and Neighbors,

Watertown is a well-run Town which is financially on stable ground with a 130 MILLION DOLLAR ANNUAL BUDGET to operate the 4.2 square miles which we call home. In the past decade we have built, or renovated, most our public buildings including the Police, Fire, DPW and Library. Our bond rating is among the best in the State of Massachusetts which allows our Town to borrow money at the lowest interest rates available. There is a lot to be happy about from a fiscal viewpoint and I applaud the elected officials and Town Employees who are responsible for that outcome. Unfortunately, proponents of the CPA, including five of our Town Councilors (Palomba, Dushku, Feltner, Falkoff and Woodland) don’t think that is good enough.

Community Preservation Act

LETTER: Resident Concerned With Incivility of Debate Over the CPA

By |

To the Editor:

Though reasonable people can disagree on the CPA, I urge my Watertown neighbors to exercise their civic pride and vote “Yes” on Question 5. Let’s give CPA a try and see what we can accomplish together to better our community. We can withdraw from the program if the results aren’t satisfactory. Presently Watertown is at a critical juncture when the physical landscape of our community is changing drastically. A strategic investment in preservation and open space will help us pass on a more livable town to those who follow.

Campaign Finance

Groups Opposing the CPA May Have Missed Campaign Finance Reporting Deadline

By |

It appears two groups opposing the Community Preservation Act may have violated the state’s campaign finance laws by missing the first deadline to report campaign contributions, but the law is long and confusing. 

For candidates for elected office – local or state – the reporting times are eight days before the election, eight days after, 30 days following the election and Jan. 20 of the next year. For political committees there are different reporting days. However, neither the Concerned Watertown Homeowners nor the Watertown Strong Schools group are political committees, since they did not form to support or oppose a candidate or ballot measure. They appear to fit under the Section 22 of the law applying to individuals or corporations making contributions.

Community Preservation Act

LETTER: Watertown Has Lost Out on CPA Money Since Rejecting It in 2005

By |

To the Editor,

In 2005 I worked to pass the Community Preservation Act (CPA) for Watertown—a small surcharge on real estate tax bills that releases matching CPA funds from the state. These funds can support Watertown’s affordable housing, open space, historic preservation, and recreation projects. It was defeated and we have paid a steep price. Watertown residents, like all Massachusetts residents, have indirectly paid into the CPA trust fund with fees on real estate transactions and additional general revenue contributions since its start in 2000. For 16 years we have funded these same projects in 161 other Massachusetts communities.

Elections

UPDATED: See Where the Money is Coming From for the Pro & Con CPA Campaigns

By |

Signs have popped up around Watertown this fall, literature has arrived in the mail, and ads have appeared in newspapers and online, all regarding Watertown’s Question 5 – whether the town should adopt the Community Preservation Act. The CPA would add a 2 percent surcharge to local property taxes, both residential and commercial, to create a fund for affordable housing, open space and recreation, and historic preservation and the town would receive some matching fund from the state. (See more information here.)

Like most town elections, the majority of the funding comes from people and groups in Watertown, but some has come from groups based out of town and even out of state. In the campaign finance report filed by Invest in Watertown, the backers of the Yes on 5 campaign, 26 Watertown residents contributed along with Newton-based Metro West Collaborative Development (which gave $500), whose executive director lives in Watertown and works to build and create affordable housing in communities west of Boston. In total, the group raised $9,822.

Community Preservation Act

LETTER: Resident Opposes Town Purchasing House & Question 5

By |

To the Editor,

If your wondering if the CPA money will be spent responsibly, just look at what the Town Council just approved. In a 7 to 2 vote on Tuesday October 25 they voted to spend $800,000 to take a home on Winter Street, across from the old police station. Why is the town buying this house? To extend a bicycle path!! Is this responsible use of taxpayer’s dollars?

Elections

LETTER: Watertown Can Benefit from CPA, Like Its Neighbors Have

By |

To the Editor:

I hope Watertown voters will vote yes on Question Five to join the 161 other Massachusetts Communities, including our abutting neighbors in Waltham, Belmont, Newton and Cambridge, that have adopted the CPA. Watertown residents have contributed over $2 million to this fund for more than the past 12 years and have helped lots of other communities. While I like these other towns and cities, and in fact I represented all or part of every one of the above listed communities in the legislature, I would like to see Watertown benefit like other communities have! In fact, the CPA has been so successful that NOT ONE community out of 161 has ever repealed it. There is a cost of approximately ten dollars per month for the average homeowner, with exemptions for low and moderate income folks, but the state provides matching fund of varying percentages thereby making it a good deal for communities.