“the benefits of the CPA — affordable housing, historical preservation and open space - are “nice to have.” But he identified other things in the city such as roads and sidewalk repairs that should be prioritized.”

That’s a false choice. CPA can’t be used for roads and bridges, but if we fund the CPA and use the funds for preservation and affordable housing, then there should be money not being spent on those things that can now be spent on roads and bridges.

The bottom line is this is a good thing to spend our money on. Lots of towns around us do it. That said, I don’t fault anyone for not trusting that the city would run it well, or for wanting to keep that $45 in their bank account.