Yes, sort of. An article appears in the September 2 Sunday Republican regarding the impacts of the Community Preservation Act on poorer communities. Political action doesn’t always originate with politicians however. As with any campaign hard work and diligence is required along with ample resolve. It can be argued that communities that haven’t passed the act suffer from both a lack of effort on the part of their political leadership as well as their citizenry. After all it is not politically expedient to ask for more money from voters I suppose.

Signed into law by a Republican governor, the act was passed in Northampton due to the initiative of citizens and stemmed from the grass roots. I was part of the original steering committee that organized the effort. Others who worked from the outset included John Body, Chris Kennedy, George Kohout, Lilly Lombard, Joanne Montgomery and Fran Volkmann. Many others joined the initiative along the way and contributed greatly to its winning narrow approval. My first recollection of the successful initiative was from an entry posted by John Sinton on the nonpartisan Paradise City Forum in the spring of 2005. Our first meeting was held at the home of Lilly Lombard on Orchard Street soon after.

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In a 4-4 vote Northampton’s city council decided not to place the measure before the electorate in 2001. At that time Mayor Mary Clare Higgins was cool to the idea as well. Had the Act been adopted in 2001 Northampton would have had ample funds to save the Main building on the former Northampton State Hospital grounds. This was a building Higgins was trying to demolish as chair of the Citizens Advisory Committee and she implored preservationists to, "show me the money" in order to save it. The council refused again in 2005 leading to the citizen initiative to collect signatures from 5% of the registered voters. This was a daunting task as the community had just defeated a Higgins sponsored Proposition 2 1/2 override by a mere 8 votes in 2004. The CPA measure passed by 175 votes.

Our first installment of matching funds is due in October at about $700,000. Northampton adopted a 3% surcharge with exemptions for senior citizens, low income property owners and the first $100,000 in the value of all properties. As a committee we felt people who couldn’t afford the surcharge shouldn’t have to pay it so we adopted these measures early on. People exempt from paying are not exempt from enjoying the benefits these new public dollars will bring to their communities however.

Additionally, several people have mentioned electing planning board members. In a rare move Northampton will be electing two of its nine CPC members this fall. If the committee functions productively under these terms perhaps this will serve as a precursor to electing members of other boards as well. Up to four members of the CPC may be elected per state law.

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Law benefits wealthier towns

Sunday, September 02, 2007

By DAN RING

dring@repub.com

BOSTON – Many cities and less affluent communities are being dramatically shortchanged by a 7-year-old state law that provides money for communities to protect open space, preserve history and provide affordable housing and recreational opportunities, according to a study by a think tank at Harvard University.

The Community Preservation Act is largely funneling money away from urban centers such as Chicopee, Holyoke and Springfield and sending the cash to wealthier communities, the groundbreaking study by the Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston concludes.

For the rest of the story and analysis click on the link:

http://www.masslive.com/news/topstories/index.ssf?/base/news-2/118871742341690.xml&coll=1