A special election for a single council seat in Hampden has drawn three candidates.
The candidates, Hugh Porter, Eric Jarvi and Perry Antone, Sr., bring different backgrounds to the race but all said Hampden’s future may be difficult as residents are facing a higher cost of living.
Hampden residents are seeing higher property taxes this year and a looming revaluation that will be finished this summer that may raise taxes even more. The candidate elected will be one of seven town councilors leading the town during a time impacted through high costs.
The election will be held on Feb. 10 and was called for after Councilor Peter Erickson resigned last year. The current tax rate for town residents is $17.65 for every $1,000 in property value. This means a property valued at $200,000 would be taxed $3,530.
The three candidates spoke about their views on the town budget being cut in the coming years to make Hampden more affordable at a League of Women Voters of Maine candidate forum on Tuesday.
Antone, the former Brewer public safety director who retired in 2016, laid out ideas of bringing in more business to raise the town’s tax base and lower residents’ cost of living.
“We can build houses all we want throughout the town of Hampden, OK? And we’re going to build a tax base, but not a tax base that can substantiate an infrastructure change that’s going to bring in viable businesses that [allows] people to shop here, live here and utilize in Hampden,” Antone said during the forum.
Throughout the event, Antone called the town staff the most important asset to guiding him through any possible changes if he were a councilor. Discussions with the staff on possible cuts or changes would be needed before any decisions would be made, he said.
Jarvi, a former Hampden councilor for six years and the only candidate with previous experience, was the sole candidate to say he supports the current town budget. The budget was created with input from the current council and staff, but changes will need to be made in the future to lower costs, he said.
“There are hard decisions that council has to make. There are hard decisions that staff have to make, but this process, I believe, is well structured and well founded to work out the kind of budgets that we need to look at in the future,” Jarvi said.
Porter, a forester and retired principal, was the most vocal about cuts being needed of the three candidates.
Town expenses and projects should be thought of on a need vs. want basis, Porter said. Residents may have to forgo projects like the proposed new community center if they want their taxes to decrease, he said.
“I believe in using common sense to make good management decisions, like how we manage our own households, especially with other people’s money,” Porter said.
A fourth candidate, David Swihart, spoke at the forum and will be on the ballot, but endorsed Porter during his closing statement. Swihart said he will run for another at-large seat in November but cannot remove his name from the ballot now.
Through the 11 questions asked, the candidates shared similar ideas and plans for how they would govern as councilors.
Jarvi, Porter and Antone said following the comprehensive plan put in place in 2024 is important to guide the town through any possible economic developments and listening to what residents want and can live without will be key for any discussions about future budgets.
Similar ideas for pursuing grants, using tax increment financing funds and developing the Coldbrook corridor, a section of town pointed out in the comprehensive plan for future economic growth, were talked about by all candidates as possible ways to bring in businesses and a larger tax base to drive down cost of living.
When the candidates were asked about possible policy changes or ways the town could improve, none offered any specific ideas. Adding a newsletter and increasing public participation were things the town should work on, Jarvi said.
In his closing statement, Porter stressed that the town needs to lower its taxes and said he will work with anyone “to further the benefits for our seniors and working families and to help continue making Hampden successful.”
Antone had a similar sentiment and spoke about wanting to ensure his neighbors are able to live in Hampden. He’d do so by holding Penobscot County commissioners to being more transparent in the county’s budget and being vocal in state government to try to bring in more funding, he said.
“I think far too long we’ve sat and we’ve watched politicians sit and do things and not apply common sense approach to things and not look for common sense answers,” Antone said.
Jarvi used his time for a closing statement to say the town is in a similar position as others across the state due to rising costs. He would be able to help guide Hampden through a time of higher costs and taxes because of his experience, he said.
“We’ve got a lot of questions that we have to address, and I think I’ve got the experience, the know-how and the ability to help address those to the best interest of the community,” Jarvi said.
