Thursday, January 18, 2007 Older Editions

New tax for community preservation?

By Brian Messenger

Town Meeting voters will be asked to enact the Community Preservation Act, a piece of state legislation that would place a surcharge of up to 3 percent on property tax bills. The money collected would be designated specifically to pay for affordable housing, historic preservation and open space in town.

Any municipality collecting funds under the CPA becomes eligible to receive matching amounts from the state. However, the more communities that participate, the less state money there is to go around.

"I don't think we can afford not to do it. Money's tight," said Susan Stott, CPA supporter and president of the affordable home-building group called Andover Community Trust. "That's being smart."

A similar CPA article was soundly rejected by Town Meeting in 2002. First, a proposal to raise the tax levy under the CPA by 3 percent was defeated by a show of hands. A second attempt to adopt the act at 1 percent was defeated again, with 230 votes in favor and 414 against.

This year's article will use similar language to the 2002 Town Meeting article, according to Stott.

She said a number of volunteers, including School Committee member Deb Silberstein, Finance Committee member Dick Carroll, outgoing Selectman John Hess and Conservation Commission member Gail Ralston, all have been involved with preparing the article for Town Meeting.

"What we want to do is build consensus," she said. "We think there are a number of things that are different than when we went to Town Meeting in 2002."

Stott said that five years later, there is proof that towns participating in CPA get substantial financial contributions from the state.

North Andover, which adopted the CPA five years ago, has received $5 million in state money under the act, she said.

"If you can use 50 cents on the dollar to do things that the town needs to do anyway, it would be silly not to get the state funds," said Stott.

Stott expects the CPA article to be submitted today, Thursday. Residents have until tomorrow, Friday, to file private warrant articles that could be discussed at Town Meeting.

Warrant to close

Just two warrant articles had been returned to Town Offices at Townsman press time, but Town Clerk Randall Hanson expected more to be submitted in the time remaining before the Jan. 19 deadline.

Hanson said Town Manager Buzz Stapczynski typically returns the town's articles to the clerks office just before the 4:30 p.m. deadline.

To submit an article, a resident must write down what they want to be placed on the warrant and collect 10 signatures before turning it on time. "If they have 10 signatures it goes on the warrant," said Hanson, who certifies the signatures.

Youth center

Another anticipated article submission will come from the Andover Youth Foundation, according to Director Jerry Silverman.

AYF will seek the transfer of the land behind Doherty Middle School, the prospective site of a new town youth center, from the School Committee to the selectmen, and then from the selectmen to AYF.

"Just one article. Just a transfer of land," said Silverman. "Obviously, if we don't have both [boards'] support it goes nowhere."

If the article passes, Silverman anticipates, "That will lead us to the point where we're going to have to start raising money."

AYF members have said they have raised more than $3 million in cash and pledges so far, but fundraising has halted as AYF looks to change its site.

Fireworks amped up

Silverman also submitted an article seeking $11,000 from the town for the annual Fourth of July fireworks display. Last year he received $9,000.

"It was probably the best show north of Boston last year," said Silverman. "We'll do at least as much. You don't want to go backwards."