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CPA Adoption Update: Pittsfield on the Ballot

Posted on: May 8, 2018 - 2:11pm

Pittsfield Puts CPA on the BallotAug. 10, 2016: Pittsfield became the tenth community to advance CPA to the ballot this year after their City Council met on August 9th. With a unanimous vote from the City Council in favor of placing the question of CPA adoption on the November ballot, Pittsfield has now joined Boston, Chelsea, Holyoke, and Springfield as the fifth city that will be voting on CPA adoption later this year.

In Pittsfield, voters will decide whether or not to adopt a 1% CPA surcharge for their community, with exemptions for the first $100,000 of residential property value, the first $100,000 of commercial property value, and low income and low and moderate income senior homeowners. With a 1% CPA surcharge and the aforementioned exemptions, Pittsfield would raise approximately $384,000 in local CPA revenues annually for recreation, historic preservation, affordable housing and open space projects. Adopting CPA will also make the city eligible to receive annual distributions of funds from the statewide Community Preservation Trust Fund, monies that are available only to communities that have adopted the Act. The annual cost to the average Pittsfield homeowner would be about $14.

If Pittsfield does adopt CPA, the funds could address a number of local needs including affordable housing development, public parks, recreation sites, and historic preservation projects. Local CPA advocates have highlighted the historic St. Mary the Morning Star Church as one of the preservation projects that the city could pursue with CPA funds.

Further Resources:

  • Click here to learn more about the other communities who will be voting on CPA adoption in November.