Board of Selectmen Weigh Pros and Cons of Community Preservation Act

Canton residents could be paying an extra $42 a year to preserve the town. That is, if Article 39 on the Town Meeting Warrant is passed at and is also approved at Town Election.

on Tuesday night debated the pros and cons of the article–which would adopt the Massachusetts Community Preservation Act. The board discussed whether the timing is right for the town to set aside funds to be used for community preservation–which includes historical preservation, affordable housing recreational areas and open space.

Deb Sundin, a member of the Canton Conservation Commission, and Katherine Roth, associate director of the Community Preservation Coalition, made a presentation to the board on Warrant Article 39.

Canton did see the Community Preservation Act article once before in 2006 at Annual Town Meeting. The article passed but it did not win enough votes at Town Election in order to go into effect.

Sundin said 147 communities in Massachusetts have already adopted the Community Preservation Act. If the article is passed in April, Canton could generate $425,000-$450,000 in revenue by the $42-per-household fee. Low-income households would be exempt from the tax. The fund revenue can only be used for historic preservation, open space, recreational space (such as parks and fields) and affordable housing.

The state matches funds up to 75 percent, although the matching has decreased over the years, according to Sundin. The state money is derived from fees at the Registrar of Deeds for home sales. With the crash of the housing market, state funds have declined. The Community Preservation Coalition is pushing for the passage of a bill that would require the state to maintain the matching funds of 75 percent, according to Roth.

asked if there had been a “public outcry” for the passage of the article and said the town currently has a good amount of open space and recreational facilities.  He asked if it would make sense to first study the need in town and then come back with that information before putting this before Town Meeting.

“I don’t know if there’s been an outcry,” Sundin said. “We are very fortunate in Canton to be able to (have) so much open space.”

She said the town is fortunate that there is no immediate need, but it would ensure the town had funding if a need arose, such as to purchase land or preserve a historic site.

Selectman John Connolly also expressed concerns about the $42 tax. “People can’t afford” the additional tax, he said.

Annual Town Meeting is scheduled for April 25.