LWVN has weighed in on EVERY application that has gone before Newton’s Community Preservation Commission since it began. We want to continue this important tradition, bringing an important voice to the decision on how to best use funds that citizens agreed should go to the CPC priorities of affordable housing, historic preservation, open space and recreation. LWVN focuses on whether or not each application fits appropriately into these priorities, benefits the entire community, and uses CPC funding as leverage for other resources (financial or otherwise).
Several long-time committee members have now moved on to elected office and so we hope to add some LWVN members who care about these issues. The committee only works on applications before the CPC (not pre-applications), so there might be 4 or 5 a year at most. The work involves reading CPC applications and filling out the LWVN form that helps provide a structure to evaluate the proposal. We as a committee then review the results from all the readers and make a recommendation (with comments) to the LWVN Board for their approval. The Board then send a letter with the approved comments and recommendation to the Newton Community Preservation Commission.
You can choose which applications to work on depending on the topic and if the time is right for you. Please consider joining the committee! If you are interested or have questions, please contact us at info@lwvnewton.org.