Letter: Vote Yes on Pittsfield's Question 5Letters to the Editor,
01:35PM / Wednesday, November 02, 2016 | |
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To the Editor:
I'm a local real estate broker/owner of Gile Real Estate. As a broker, I see the money that we've given to other [Community Preservation Act] communities for the past 16 years in real estate document recording fees ($170 every time a property is purchased.)
Only the communities that have adopted CPA can access this state-matched fund that they're already paying into. In 2015, we estimate that 1,702 properties were sold in Pittsfield. At $170 each in document recording fees, that comes to $289,340 that was given away. And that is only properties that sold through the Berkshire Board of Realtors.
Based on last year's data, if we already had CPA, the local fund for Pittsfield would've generated approximately $497,546 for 2015 ($383,613 from local taxpayers plus the state match of $113,933; totaling $497,546). This doesn't include funds that come from larger grants and use CPA funds as the city's matching portion. Also the first $100,000 of assessed value is exempt for everyone, as are low-moderate income seniors, low-income residents.
Third quarter residential property sales are already up from what they were at this time in 2015. It isn't logical for us to keep losing money like this with every single transaction. When you see what the Community Preservation Act has done for other communities that adopt it, you realize the potential that it has for Pittsfield. A yes vote on Question 5 truly is a no-brainer.
CPA will help clean up blight in local neighborhoods which lessens crime activity and can keep our kids in school. You don't see nearly as much crime in safe, vibrant neighborhoods. CPA can rehab unused buildings and bring them back to life. More people will come to Pittsfield to live, and it will encourage others to stay. We can build new housing for seniors, veterans and low to moderate income families.
We can finally use the millions that we have been giving away since 2000, when CPA began. The use of this locally controlled money is a fair and transparent process! Please vote yes on Question 5 in November and visit www.preservepittsfield.org to learn more and to see actual ballot language.
Beth VanNess
Broker/Owner Gile Real Estate
Pittsfield, Mass.
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