By CHRIS COLLINS
(Greenfield, MA) — Greenfield residents will be voting on the Community Preservation Act this November.
The Greenfield City Council has approved the wording of a CPA ballot question, which asks the city to adopt a section of Mass. General Law which allows communities to add a surcharge to each property tax bill, money from which would be set aside and used for specific purposes including historic preservation and housing creation, among others.
The vote, however, was far from unanimous. A number of councilors either voted no or abstained. Among those voting no was Precinct 1 Councilor Ed Jarvis, who said the taxpayers of Greenfield have been burdened enough.
“I’ve got a lot of people in my precinct that are squaking about this, because they just can’t afford it,” Jarvis said.
Precinct 6 Councilor Sheila Gilmour reminded members that the vote was on the wording of the question, not the CPA itself, which the council already voted 7 to 5 to send to the ballot. City Clerk Kathy Scott said the question was crafted by the city’s attorney at the urging of the state.
If approved, the CPA would add a one percent surcharge to each property tax bill. The money raised would go to fund qualified projects which would be vetted by an independent appointed committee, which would make recommendations to the city council, which would have the power to release the funds.
Voting no on the motion was Jarvis, and fellow councilors Virginia Desorgher, Penny Ricketts, and Chris Forgey. Councilor Dan Guin abstained.