This campaign is for the 2025 Town of Rochester NY Ballot Initiative to set-up a town-wide Community Preservation Fund.
The Town of Rochester Community Preservation Fund (CPF) provides local funding to protect the town’s water, farms, and historic places — ensuring clean water, local food, scenic beauty, and community character are preserved for future generations, without raising property taxes.
Proposition 2 is on the ballot this November, so Vote Yes! on November 4th or in early voting from October 25th to November 2nd.
All funds will be used for education of voters and promotion of the volunteer campaign.
Proposition 2 gives voters a chance to adopt a sustainable funding source that can be used for protecting our water, farmland, historic places, open spaces and the community character that we love.
Benefits for the Town of Rochester
- Protects farmland so farming remains viable forever.
- Ensures clean drinking water and healthy streams.
- Preserves scenic trails, forests, and recreation areas.
- Safeguards historic buildings and sites.
- Attracts grants from county, state, and federal sources.
- Creates a sustainable source of funding that can be used to protect the very things that make Rochester special.
Safeguards
- Citizen oversight through a Community Preservation Committee.
- Town Board approval at public hearings.
- State law restrictions on fund use.
- Community Preservation Plan must be updated every 5 years to reflect community priorities.
What the CPF does NOT do
- It does not raise annual property taxes.
- It does not force anyone to sell land.
- It does not allow government seizure of property.
- It does not permit spending outside of preservation purposes.
Funding Without New Local Taxes
- Funded by a 1% Real Estate Transfer Tax, paid only by the buyer in a property transaction.
- Exemption for affordability: The first $425,000 (Ulster County’s median price) is exempt.
- Example: On a $500,000 home, tax applies only to $75,000 (≈ $750).
- Funds go into a restricted account, used only for purposes set by state law and the Town’s Plan.
Thank you for your support of our campaign!
This campaign is for the 2025 Town of Rochester NY Ballot Initiative to set-up a town-wide Community Preservation Fund.
The Town of Rochester Community Preservation Fund (CPF) provides local funding to protect the town’s water, farms, and historic places — ensuring clean water, local food, scenic beauty, and community character are preserved for future generations, without raising property taxes.
Proposition 2 is on the ballot this November, so Vote Yes! on November 4th or in early voting from October 25th to November 2nd.
All funds will be used for education of voters and promotion of the volunteer campaign.
Proposition 2 gives voters a chance to adopt a sustainable funding source that can be used for protecting our water, farmland, historic places, open spaces and the community character that we love.
Benefits for the Town of Rochester
- Protects farmland so farming remains viable forever.
- Ensures clean drinking water and healthy streams.
- Preserves scenic trails, forests, and recreation areas.
- Safeguards historic buildings and sites.
- Attracts grants from county, state, and federal sources.
- Creates a sustainable source of funding that can be used to protect the very things that make Rochester special.
Safeguards
- Citizen oversight through a Community Preservation Committee.
- Town Board approval at public hearings.
- State law restrictions on fund use.
- Community Preservation Plan must be updated every 5 years to reflect community priorities.
What the CPF does NOT do
- It does not raise annual property taxes.
- It does not force anyone to sell land.
- It does not allow government seizure of property.
- It does not permit spending outside of preservation purposes.
Funding Without New Local Taxes
- Funded by a 1% Real Estate Transfer Tax, paid only by the buyer in a property transaction.
- Exemption for affordability: The first $425,000 (Ulster County’s median price) is exempt.
- Example: On a $500,000 home, tax applies only to $75,000 (≈ $750).
- Funds go into a restricted account, used only for purposes set by state law and the Town’s Plan.
Thank you for your support of our campaign!
