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Strong Support for CPA Adoption Campaign in Brookline

Posted on: April 23, 2021 - 2:19pm

Brookline CPA Campaign SiteOn the heels of last year's clean sweep of ten new communities adopting the Community Preservation Act, local advocates are now working hard to have the town of Brookline become the first new CPA community in 2021.

Last December, Brookline's town meeting voted to place the question of CPA adoption on the spring ballot, scheduled for May 4th, 2021. With CPA now on the ballot, voters in Brookline will be deciding whether or not to adopt a 1% CPA surcharge with exemptions for low income and low & moderate income senior homeowners. With a 1% CPA surcharge and the aforementioned exemption, the town is expected to raise approximately $2.6 million in local CPA revenues annually for outdoor recreation, historic preservation, affordable housing, and open space projects. Adopting CPA would also make the town 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.

With only a few weeks until voters weigh in, local advocates are running an active campaign including launching a website to promote their adoption efforts. To educate residents about the benefits that CPA could have in the town, the campaign site includes a collage of example CPA projects completed by neighboring communities, as well as an extensive Q&A section detailing the proposal in Brookline.

Support for adoption within the community stems from not just residents, but from local and state legislators as well. First, an inspiring letter to the editor was published in the Brookline TAB, titled "The Time is Right for Brookline to Adopt CPA". David Lescohier's letter encourages his neighbors to "vote for hope, the promise of a better Brookline, and for dreams achieved" by voting Yes on CPA Adoption. And just this week, State Representative Tommy Vitolo co-signed a letter with local candidates in Brookline, simply titled “Yes on Q2, support CPA” – the letter acknowledges that while there are many differing approaches to Brookline’s future plans, “CPA is a rare issue that transcends these differences, gaining support across geography, demographics, interests, and the political spectrum."

Brookline CPA Campaign SignWith enthusiasm building towards Brookline's election, it's very possible that the town officially becomes the 187th CPA community in just a few short weeks.

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