The CPA was one of two items related to community preservation up for debate for the 126 members who took part in Town Meeting at the Danvers High auditorium. The other issue was the future home for an old railroad depot in town.

In order to be enacted, Article 7 (the CPA proposal), needs town-wide passage by voters to approve a property tax surcharge to collect funds that would be allocated to open space, historic preservation and community housing projects.

The CPA calls for a 1.5-percent tax surcharge, starting in fiscal 2018, on businesses and homes. Former Selectman Mike Powers, the chairman of the Community Preservation Committee, said this would not be an addition to the tax rate. He also noted the first $100,000 in value on a property would be exempt from the surcharge, as well as those who qualify for low- and moderate-income housing.

The cost would be about $42 for a $300,000 home, Powers said. 

The surcharge is estimated to generate $809,000 a year, plus the state provides a match to these funds, estimated at 19 percent to 27 percent. How the money would be spent would be decided by a Community Preservation Committee and voted on by Town Meeting.

Powers urged members to vote ‘yes’ on the article, and let the voters decide in November, noting that more than 160 communities in the state have already adopted the CPA.

Rick Bettencourt, a Town Meeting Member in Precinct 7, gave an example of how North Andover used CPA money to help provide for affordable veterans housing.

“I think it’s important each and everyone one of us invest in our community each year,” Bettencourt said.

“I am all for it, have always been,” said Precinct 2 Town Meeting Member Joseph Younger, who asked if private homeowners might be eligible to participate in the program and get funds for preservation.

Selectman Bill Clark said the town has been judicious in its spending, noting it has never overridden the levy limits of tax-limiting Proposition 21/2. He said there is little by way of discretionary funding for open space, such as the future preservation of properties such as the historic Rebecca Nurse homestead, which is owned by the Danvers Alarm List Company, should it ever come up for sale in the future.

“Our hands are tied, we have no discretionary money available,” Clark said.

Town Archivist Richard Trask, a Town Meeting member in Precinct 7, concurred, asking fellow members to consider the need to preserve at least 15 abandoned historic cemeteries in town. He also favored preservation restrictions on First Period homes or facades or the use of preservation loans.

Trask said there was no money to try and preserve the former Queen Anne Revival former Mackey funeral home on Conant Street, and it’s taken six years to raise the money to restore the urn at the Danvers library, which had been stolen and sold for scrap before it was recovered.

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