The Somerville-Tufts Partnership

The following letter to the editor from Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone and President Bacow appeared in The Somerville Journal on June 2, 2009, under the headline, "Mayor, University President Proud of Somerville-Tufts Partnership."

June 2, 2009

We are proud of the partnership that we have created between the city of Somerville and Tufts University. We share a commitment to a vibrant city and robust neighborhoods. We agreed a number of years ago that working together would make both Somerville and Tufts stronger.

In 2004, we memorialized our partnership in an agreement in which Tufts committed to pay Somerville $1.25 million over 10 years. This agreement was later amended, when Tufts agreed to forgive $500,000 in planned rent payments by the city for space in Tufts-owned property, bringing Tufts' total contributions under the agreement to $1.75 million. Tufts offered this financial support to help the city make progress in difficult budgetary times. In turn, Somerville agreed to work with Tufts to achieve its future plans.

In the agreement, Tufts also committed to a number of programs and practices that benefit Somerville, including waiver of rental fees for use of facilities, financial support for local children in Tufts early childhood education programs, and a reduced charge for course audits.

Tufts also committed to invest at least $300,000 in need-based grant aid each year for undergraduate students from Somerville. This spring, 20 students from Somerville were enrolled as undergraduates at Tufts, receiving a total of $466,000 in direct financial aid. Six more Somerville students will be joining the freshman class in the fall.

Tufts has upheld its side of the bargain. In fact, it has gone beyond the agreement through programs that help students at Somerville High School prepare for college; Shape Up Somerville, a complete health and nutrition program; and the Tufts Neighborhood Service Fund, which has awarded $80,000 in grants to Somerville nonprofit organizations since 1996.

Tufts pays taxes on properties it owns around the campus that are not used as dormitories, offices or classrooms. The university owns 43 such taxable properties in Somerville, and pays annual property taxes on them of $305,131. Far from avoiding its tax obligations on these properties, in fact, the university improves the properties it owns to the benefit of its neighborhood.

We both admit that there are times when we have differences. But we have taken the route of communicating our concerns in a transparent fashion - not for political gain but to resolve the issues that inevitably arise when two complex entities live side-by-side in a densely populated community.

The result is a model for town-gown relations. We know it is far from perfect. But we are working together and determined to make it successful. What do we get in return? Tufts is proud to play a key role in the economy and social fabric of Somerville. The essence of a Tufts education is a commitment to active citizenship; working with Somerville, the university has an opportunity to practice what it preaches. And Somerville is proud to have a world-class institution of higher education within its city boundaries. It is an engine for the local economy as the students, faculty, staff and visitors to the campus frequent the local businesses.

It's a winning partnership for both of us.

Joseph A. Curtatone
Mayor, City of Somerville

Lawrence S. Bacow
President, Tufts University