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Cape Cod delegates advance home rule petition for regional transfer fee amid heated debate over regional share and safeguards
Summary
A committee of the Cape Cod Regional Government advanced a Home Rule petition allowing towns to adopt a voluntary high-value real estate transfer fee, but delegates disagreed over a 10% regional pool, thresholds, sunset language and open-space set-asides. Several amendment recommendations and votes were recorded.
The Cape Cod Regional Government Assembly of Delegates standing committee on economic affairs considered a Home Rule petition on Feb. 11 that would allow participating Cape Cod towns to impose a voluntary high‑value real‑estate transfer fee to fund year‑round and workforce housing.
Chair Tara Harter opened the virtual meeting and described the petition, calling it “authorizing the establishment of a voluntary regional high value real estate transfer fee.” Deputy speaker Delia Gessen, who led much of the drafting work, told the committee the goal was to give towns a revenue tool while preserving local control.
The committee spent more than two hours debating the structure of the program. The petition as drafted would allow a participating municipality to adopt a transfer fee with a local exemption threshold and would direct most revenue to town housing funds; the draft includes a regional option that would set aside a modest share of revenues for regionwide projects.
Debate centered on four…
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