To the editor:
In a letter to the editor last week, Susan Bachelder says I worked successfully to derail adoption of the Community Preservation Act in Egremont. If adopted by a town, the CPA adds a surtax to property taxes to create a fund to pay for projects deemed worthy by an appointed board. Susan bemoans the consequences of my ill-advised obstinance, namely that proponents for spending taxpayer money on the school, the church and other pet projects have to convince the voters to go along, rather than just giving the proponents the power to act for us (after all they know what’s best). I plead guilty.
While not a great believer in historic preservation, I’m not opposed to it. I’m opposed to forcing those who don’t believe in it to pay for the nostalgia of those who do. If something is worth saving, it should be saved through voluntary contributions, not involuntary taxation.
Richard Allen
North Egremont
