More than a generation ago, Westwood citizens and leaders made sensible investments in streets, sidewalks, curbs and guttering, and storm water systems. Streets and storm drains aren’t exciting, but reliable infrastructure supports good housing and vibrant neighborhoods, and draws people to our school and our businesses. Infrastructure is the key to the high quality of life we expect and enjoy in Westwood.
Now Westwood faces a common challenge: streets and storm systems built in the 1960s and 1970s have reached - or gone past - their lifespans. While we continued to maintain year over year, we now have a backlog of major projects. We can’t fix it all in one year, but we can start a plan to get the job done.
The responsible time to invest in Westwood is now when we’re growing, not later when costs are
higher and our streets and storm water systems have declined. So in February, the City Council decided to ask Westwood voters to make an important decision: whether or not to increase our retail sales tax by 1/2-cent to create a new way to fund critical infrastructure projects.
Increasing the retail sales tax means that everyone who makes purchases in Westwood and uses our infrastructure will help pay, not just residents and property owners. By law, revenue from the new sales tax can only be spent on our infrastructure projects, and the sales tax ends after 10 years.
This once in a generation change to our city sales tax will help address our once in a generation need.