Aquinnah votes affordable housing land, tax amnesty

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The thirty-ninth registered voter arrived at Aquinnah’s special town meeting at 7:40 pm Tuesday evening, completing the necessary quorum to act on nine warrant articles.

Voters approved all nine, according to the town’s new administrator, Adam Wilson.

The most expensive article approved appropriated $240,000 in Community Preservation Act funds to buy a 6.3-acre parcel of land at 45 State Road. The town is working with the Island Housing Trust to create affordable housing on the land.

Another article transferred a one-acre parcel at 20 State Road to the Island Housing Trust for $20,000. That land will also be used for community housing.

Voters approved a limited property tax amnesty program, effective until June 30, 2011. For any taxes owed from fiscal 2006 to the present, the town will waive 75 percent of accrued interest, collection costs, and penalties. Property owners will still owe the entire amount of tax. The measure reduces only the penalties.

Voters also authorized: $10,200 for temporary disability payments to injured town employees not covered by worker’s compensation; $5,100 to replenish the reserve fund for money already used for disability payments; $2,600 for fire truck repairs; $3,165 to fund the town’s one-third share of prior year bills for the Tri-Town Ambulance; $4,000 for the town’s share of Cable Advisory Board legal costs to negotiate a new cable contract; and $7,000 to replace an emergency generator at town hall.