sus·tain·a·ble (sə-stā’nə-bəl) adj. of sustain; 1. to keep in existence; maintain.
We have a beautiful and wonderous small town here in Amherst, Massachusetts! How can we sustain our quality of life? How do we strengthen the things we love about Amherst?
- strong public schools
- green open space
- diversity
- a family-friendly, small-town feel
- not soaking the taxpayer
You say it’s impossible to provide all these services while not soaking the taxpayer? We don’t think so. But it will require a strong local economy to create sustainable revenue growth for the town.
We believe that fiscal sustainability, driven by a strong economic base, is the key to achieving these goals. But Amherst’s economic base has not kept up with inflation and state budget cuts. For years, new town revenue lagged, Amherst lost tax-paying companies due to its reputation as being unfriendly to business, and we did not have mutually beneficial relationships with our local colleges. As a result we have been regularly cutting funding to our schools and other town services while simultaneously raising taxes on homeowners and businesses.
Things have begun to change for the better. There are new partnerships with the colleges. The Master Plan is finished (although the zoning changes that make it real have not yet been adopted by Town Meeting). New, green development is taking place downtown and in our professional research park, and exciting new projects are being considered. But we will continue to need leadership in Amherst that will move us forward, so we are not continually stuck cutting services and waiting in vain for the state to bail us out. Leadership, in Town Meeting, the Select Board, and on town committees to make the tough choices.
Fiscal sustainability can be achieved through long-term, strategic planning and zoning that broadens our town’s tax-base. Actively promoting green, sustainable economic development that architecturally befits Amherst; actively marketing our town to attract new knowledge-based businesses; engaging our local colleges & universities in joint programs and projects that benefit them and the town; as well as creating efficiencies in our town government and spending wisely.
Our Mission
Protect and enhance Amherst’s quality of life by creating a more fiscally sustainable town that can support strong schools and services, open space, diversity, and a family-friendly, small town feel, without overburdening the taxpayers.
Our Action Plan
- Communicate information on Amherst’s fiscal sustainability to residents.
- Propose legislation and strategies to Town Meeting, the Select Board, and other town committees to improve Amherst’s fiscal sustainability.
- Monitor town boards and committees and the legislation that passes through them that impacts Amherst’s fiscal sustainability.
- Support candidates for Town Meeting, Select Board, and other town committees and boards, who support the SustainableAmherst agenda.
Clare Bertrand
Andy Churchill
Baer Tierkel
