squirrelitude | Boston: Did you know there's a Question 5 on the ballot this year? (Reply)

You probably know about the 4 ballot questions for Massachusetts this upcoming election (slot machines, charter schools, animal cruelty, marijuana) -- did you know that Boston will have a 5th Question? It hasn't been talked about much!

It's about the Community Preservation Act, which would establish funding for affordable housing, parks, and preservation projects out of a 1% increase in property tax (with certain exemptions) plus matching state funds. Below I've copied the text from page 5 of the Boston ballot questions PDF:

QUESTION #5
Shall Boston accept sections 3 to 7 inclusive, of Chapter 44B of the General Laws, as approved by the City Council, a summary of which appears below?
SUMMARY
Sections 3 to 7 of Chapter 44B of the General Laws of Massachusetts, also known as the Community Preservation Act (Act), establish a dedicated funding source to enable the City of Boston to (1) help meet affordable housing needs; (2) create and rehabilitate parks, playgrounds and athletic fields; (3) preserve land for outdoor recreational uses and conservation areas; and (4) preserve and rehabilitate historic buildings and resources.
In Boston, the funding source for these community preservation purposes will be a surcharge of 1% on the annual property tax assessed on real property beginning in Fiscal Year 2018; plus other funds that may be committed by the City for community preservation purposes pursuant to Section 3(b) 1/2 of Chapter 44B; and annual distributions made by the state from a trust fund created by the Act. The Commonwealth provides funds only to communities adopting the Act.
If approved, the following will be exempt from the surcharge: (1) property owned and occupied as a domicile by any person who qualifies for low income housing or low or moderate income senior housing as defined in Section 2 of the Act; (2) $100,000 of the value of each taxable parcel of residential real property; and (3) $100,000 of the value of each taxable parcel of class three, commercial property and class four, industrial property as defined in Section 2A of Chapter 59. A taxpayer whose tax is reduced by an abatement or exemption will receive a reduction in their surcharge in proportion to the reduction.
Upon acceptance of the Act by the voters, a Community Preservation Committee will be established to study community preservation needs, possibilities and resources, and to make annual recommendations on spending the funds.

And here are some resources and articles I dug up, since I don't know much about it myself:

CPA tax calculator to see what the additional surcharge would be. (For the 3-story house I live in in Lower Allston, the additional yearly tax would be about $70.)
There's an editorial in the Boston Globe arguing for it. Apparently 160 other towns have already opted in to the CPA.
Marty Walsh supports it
Wikipedia

...and that's all I've found so far, although I need to check in with one of housemates who I think has more details.