In This Issue
CPA 15th Anniversary Celebration
CPA Adoption Update
Trust Fund Update
Coalition News
Featured Project: Gay Head Light
Partner Organizations 

CPA Update

October 19, 2015

 

 

Lots of news to report in this issue of CPA Update...

 

We have video clips, photos and coverage of our recent CPA 15th Anniversary Celebration at the State House. Thanks to the 200+ CPA advocates who attended this wonderful event!

 

We'll also tell you about three cities that are voting to adopt CPA in early November, provide news on the upcoming CPA Trust Fund distribution and our featured CPA project - the story of how the historic Gay Head Lighthouse was saved just before it tumbled off the cliffs on Martha's Vineyard. 


 All that in this issue of CPA Update...

CPA 15th Anniversary Celebration - A Huge Success
Photo from @MassGovernor Twitter feed.
Over 200 advocates, legislators, and friends of CPA gathered at the State House recently to celebrate the 15th Anniversary of the Community Preservation Act (CPA).

The celebration included remarks from Governor Charlie Baker, Speaker of the House Robert DeLeo and Senate President Stanley Rosenberg. The 4th Kuehn Community Preservation Awards were also held, to honor 10 individuals who have been significant contributors to the success of CPA in their communities. Attendees representing CPA communities from Truro to Agawam came out in support of award recipients and to help demonstrate the importance of CPA to state legislators. 

For the first time ever, we have video of all the speeches at the event, including the Governor's remarks, plus video of all 10 award ceremonies!  Plus photos and extensive coverage of the event.

Adoption Update: Malden, Medford and Woburn
vote button
After gathering signatures of more than 5% of their registered voters, Malden and Medford will now be voting to adopt CPA on Election Day, Tuesday November 15th.  They join the city of Woburn, who will also be voting on CPA that day.  We'll have the results of all three elections on our website that night - www.communitypreservation.org.

All three communities have put together campaign websites that we are highlighting here:


 

CPA Trust Fund Shows Increase in Collections
money falling smaller
After suffering declines in revenue the last few years, the Massachusetts Community Preservation Trust Fund has made a comeback, posting six straight months of increased CPA collections at the state's Registries of Deeds. So far this year, the Trust Fund has collected an additional $1.63 million as compared to last year. 

Unfortunately, this increased revenue alone will only raise the percentage match for CPA communities about two percentage points higher than DOR's earlier estimate of an 18% first round distribution. 

But there's good news!  The state legislature and the Baker Administration have both committed to transferring $10 million in state budget surplus funds to the CPA Trust Fund. We'll know if the surplus is sufficient to support this transfer when the state closes its books on October 31, 2015. The Coalition will send a bulletin to all communities as soon as the distribution amounts are finalized.

In order to increase revenue for the CPA Trust Fund in the future, the Coalition is working on legislation, Act to Sustain Community Preservation Revenue, which would stabilize the Trust Fund through an adjustment in the current funding source.  The Joint Committee on Revenue recently issued a favorable recommedation on the bill, and it now advances to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
Coalition News

To give our staff a well deserved vacation, the Community Preservation Coalition will be closed for technical assistance from Wednesday, October 21 to Tuesday, October 27. We will be back in the office to answer your calls on Wednesday, October 28.  Our Technical Assistance Hotline:  617-367-8998


 

New at the Coalition:  Meet Kara Campbell
We are pleased to introduce you to our new Kuehn Fellow, Kara Campbell. Kara hails from North Reading and is a recent graduate of the University of Massachusetts - Amherst. At UMass Amherst Kara received her Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Conservation. She also has a certificate in Public Policy & Administration. She was awarded the UMass Amherst Outstanding Senior in Environmental Conservation Award.  

Kara will be working with the Coalition on a variety of research-oriented tasks for at least the next year, and there's a good chance you'll hear from Kara as she digs into the success stories of CPA.  Welcome Kara! 

FEATURED PROJECT: Moving the Gay Head Light
A beloved landmark for the island communities of Martha's Vineyard, the iconic Gay Head Light was dangerously close to the edge of the eroding cliff it has stood on for 158 years. Sitting only 43 feet from the edge of the bluff, the lighthouse was listed as one of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places in 2013. Now it has been saved through the hard work of residents and a unique case of Island-wide CPA collaboration. 
 

VISIT WWW.COMMUNITYPRESERVATION.ORG 

To unsubscribe from this newsletter, click on the "Safe Unsubscribe" link below. We will immediately remove your email address and you will no longer receive CPA Updates.

For any other changes, such as updating your email address or adding additional recipients, reply to this email and let us know what changes you'd like to make.