Opinion: Open letter regarding Question 3 to adopt the Community Preservation Act (CPA) this fall

Submitted By Rachel Pozzar

Hi,

As the parents of young children, we are writing to urge a “yes” vote on Question 3 to adopt the Community Preservation Act (CPA) this fall. We are proud to live in a community with plentiful open space and opportunities for outdoor recreation. Nevertheless, efforts to improve our parks, playgrounds, and athletic fields have historically been limited by a lack of dedicated funds.

In recent years, groups of Milton residents have rallied to fill the gaps in the town’s budget. The accomplishments of the Milton Playground Planners and the C+C Green Space Committee illustrate the willingness of private citizens to invest in the public good. At the same time, we are intimately familiar with the amount of labor involved in these fundraising efforts. Our town needs a way to support public amenities that is not contingent upon grassroots campaigns led by parent volunteers.

Adoption of the CPA will allow the town to establish a fund that is dedicated, in part, to improving the parks, playgrounds, and athletic fields that local children, families, and seniors depend on for recreation and fitness. Moreover, adoption of the CPA will ensure Milton receives the state matching funds it has been missing out on for the last two decades. To date, our neighboring communities have used CPA funds to build outdoor classrooms, bike paths, bocce courts, splash pads, walking paths, boat ramps, and outdoor athletic facilities. CPA funds have also been used to bring existing facilities into compliance with the ADA.

We encourage all residents to commit to a future in which our open spaces and outdoor recreational facilities are given the funding and attention they deserve. We invite you to imagine the possibilities for improving spaces like Pope’s Pond, Milton Landing, the deck in East Milton Square, and the athletic fields throughout town. The CPA will allow us to support these spaces without imposing an additional tax burden on our town’s most vulnerable households. Join us as we vote “yes” on Question 3 to ensure future generations of children will enjoy being outdoors as much as we do.

Regards,

Rachel Pozzar, Cunningham Parent, C+C Green Space Committee Member, TMM Precinct 8
Kelley Balestracci, Glover Parent, Board Member Milton Playground Planners
Elaine Benson, Collicott Parent, Personnel Board, TMM Precinct 7, East Milton Working Group
Lauren Brown, Tucker Parent
Larry Johnson, TMM precinct 4, Sign Review Committee Member, Tucker and Pierce Parent
Deb Lynch, Cunningham Parent, TMM precinct 8, Co-Chair C+C Green Space Project, Milton
Playground Planners committee member
Carolynn MacKay, Milton Academy Parent, Board Member of Milton Playground Planners
Regina Malley, Cunningham Parent, TMM Precinct 8, Park Commissioner
Scott Matthews, TMM precinct 10, Tucker Parent
Timoria McQueen Saba, Tucker Parent
Christine Morrow, Collicot Parent, Collicot PTO President, Co-Chair C&C Green Space Project,
Vice-President East Milton Neighborhood Association
Megan Pallai, Cunningham Parent, Cunningham PTO Co-President, TMM Precinct 9