The big question about the Watertown CPA

Warren Tolman, one of the co-chairs of the Watertown Committee for Community PreservationWatertown Committee for Community Preservation, makes this claim

Since the town spends more on average than the proposed surcharge of $800,000, adopting the CPA in Watertown could shift items from the town’s capital budget to the community preservation fund, thus freeing up money for education, public works, and so on.

I recently discussed this with Jonathan Hecht as well. The important question for me is what is the net effect on taxes over the next few years? I can handle a tax increase now if it means less of an increase (or even a decrease) later. But I don’t think we’re talking about that.

Projects that Tolman mentioned that can use the CPA funds include converting Victory Field to turf, rebuilding the Grove Street entrance to Fillipello Park after the recycling center is moved, restoring the Edmund Fowle House, building a regulation Little League field or helping seniors and town employees remain in Watertown.

But that assumes that we would spend money on the proposed CPA-fundable projects even if it meant not spending the money necessary for “education, public works, and so on.” I don’t think the town would ever convert Victory Field to turf or build a Little League field  before it hires enough teachers and makes sure the trash gets picked up. At least I hope not.

So we’re not really talking about “freeing up” money from the budget. We’re talking about adding money to the budget so that we can do more.

The $10 return on every $3 that residential property owners will pay additionally with the CPA is a great deal but I also don’t think that’s so simple either. If business owners have to pay the 2% surcharge as well then they will pass their higher expenses on to their customers or tenants. I suppose most businesses in Watertown also serve lots of customers outside of Watertown so the higher costs would get distributed more broadly. But it still represents a hidden cost for Watertown residents. Extending that thinking, are the projects proposed for CPA funds going to improve the opportunities for businesses to open and expand in Watertown. What do the business owners think?