This just came in from the Community Preservation Coalition:
“An Act to Sustain Community Preservation” filed on Beacon Hill
The new legislative session began last week, and state Senator Cynthia Stone Creem (D-Newton) has re-filed CPA legislation that seeks to stabilize the statewide CPA Trust Fund and make other improvements to the Act. This time around, Representative Stephen Kulik (D-Worthington) has signed on as lead sponsor in the House. For more information, read the bill summary and text of the legislation.
The proposed changes are:
- Increase minimum state match to 75%
- Allow local funds to come from other sources than real estate tax surcharges. Meaning that after a 1% surcharge, the remaining local contribution (up to 2%) could come from other revenue sources.
- Allow for CPA monies to be spent on existing recreational facilities.
These are great changes – which strenghthens my belief that futher changes to the CPA will be improvements not the legislative equivalent of pulling the rug out from us.
The CPC is asking that you contact your state reps and senator:
Rep.ThomasCalter@Hou.State.MA.US
Rep.StephenCanessa@Hou.State.MA.US
Rep.WilliamStraus@Hou.State.MA.US
Marc.Pacheco@state.ma.us
Text of the proposed changes can be seen here