Community Preservation for Brookline

On May 4th, please join me and vote YES to Question 2 and adopt Brookline’s Community Preservation Act.

The Community Preservation Act (CPA) provides valuable funding for land acquisition, parks and recreation, community-led affordable housing and historic preservation. Already, 186 Massachusetts communities have adopted the CPA, and Brookline should also.

Using CPA funds for eligible community improvements allows important town initiatives to move forward, even during an economic downturn. This is EXACTLY the right time to pass the Community Preservation Act.

How does the CPA work? A 1% surcharge on property tax bills raises a local contribution which is matched by a state contribution. For example, if your property tax is $8,000, then the 1% would be an additional $80. Everyone's small contribution adds up and will support projects for Brookline that otherwise would not be possible. Importantly, there is exemption for low-income residents and low- and moderate-income senior citizens.

Right now Brookline is walking away from State, Federal, and private funding that will be available to us once we pass the Community Preservation Act. For example, if the Town raises $2.3 million from the surcharge, the State would provide a $670K match for a total of almost $3 million. These funds then attract additional State, Federal, and private matches, benefiting Brookline even more.

The CPA would make important projects possible such as community-driven affordable housing proposals; funding for recreation, parks, and open space; and preservation of Brookline’s historic treasures.

On May 4th, vote yes on question 2 to make the benefits of the Community Preservation Act available to Brookline.

For More Information:

http://brooklinecommunityact.org

David Lescohier

TMM Pct 11