In 2001, Southampton became one of the first towns in the commonwealth to adopt the Community Preservation Act.

This act has allowed our community, along with many others, to complete important local projects. While we have completed a variety of projects within the proscribed areas of the act, one recent one stands out.

Working cooperatively with neighboring Easthampton, also a Community Preservation Act community, to purchase land over a major aquifer. This will continue to supply clean water for both communities.

Other uses have allowed for new playing fields, preservation of important documents that include a 1740s Record Book of the births and deaths in town, cleaning and repairing gravestones of the veterans dating from the French and Indian War to more recent wars.

However, CPA has been adopted by more cities and towns statewide with the state grant funds now stretched across 175 cities and towns. The 100 percent matching grants received a few years ago that enabled more and larger projects disappeared. The state grant for some communities this past year was about 11 percent. So much more could be achieved.

One reason for the drop in state funds is that the funding mechanism has not been updated in the almost 20 years of the act.

It’s clear something needed to be done, and thanks to our own Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa, the much-needed tune up is on track. Sabadosa co-sponsored a House bill that will preserve and strengthen the revenue stream for CPA in the future. To provide for this year, the Legislature is currently debating transferring $20 million to the CPA Trust Fund in the supplementary budget.

This will help avoid a record-low match rate for 2019. We thank Rep. Sabadosa and her colleagues for advocating for the modernization of CPA that will ensure the program remains successful and viable in the future.

With the passage of this legislation and the increase in the state matching funds, Southampton and other towns and cities here in the Valley will be able to continue the preservation of open space, affordable housing and historic preservation of their artifacts.

Virginia Ahart

Southampton

The writer is chair of Community Preservation in Southampton.