By Chris Ryan and Taylor Yates A common concern we hear from Belmontonians is that town government seems to be reacting to events, rather than planning ahead. That may or may not be true, but what is absolutely true is that Belmont lacks an important tool to let it do much more: a 10-year comprehensive plan. A comprehensive plan is a common tool that communities across the country use to establish a vision for the future and set goals and establish action items to achieve that vision. Like a corporate strategy document, it ties together the functions of government and [READ MORE]
Select Board Candidates Answer BCF Questions
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Each year, the Belmont Citizens Forum asks Select Board candidates questions about issues facing our town. This year, Paul Joy and Taylor Yates provided answers. They were limited to 1,000 words. BCF About 95% of the property tax levy in Belmont comes from homeowners and 5% from business owners, a ratio that has varied little in decades. a) Is the development of more business space a realistic solution to Belmont’s financial challenges, with much of the existing commercial space empty or underutilized? Taylor Yates There’s meaningful revenue potential in rezoning our business districts, but we must be realistic about the [READ MORE]
Vision for a Better Belmont: Julie Wu
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This article is the seventh installment in a series of interviews with Belmont leaders about their vision for Belmont’s future. Jeffrey North conducted this interview. It has been edited for length and clarity. – Ed. Julie Wu is president of the Belmont Pan-Asian Coalition, co-chair of Belmont’s Diversity Equity and Inclusion Implementation Committee, and was a member of the MBTA Communities Advisory Committee. She is also a founder of Belmont Composts! and a member of the town’s Solid Waste and Recycling Committee. Diversity, as measured by ethnicity, race, language, gender, age, income, disability, and country of origin, has increased in [READ MORE]