Antrim candidates cite taxes, affordable housing as top issues

Candidates for two contested races in Antrim discussed concerns about taxes and affordable housing to an audience of about 30 residents Wednesday night at the annual Candidates Forum sponsored by Antrim Grange.

Select Board candidates Richard Smolag, who is new to running for town office, and incumbent Bob Edwards, who has served on the board for eight years, both spoke about their concerns regarding the rising tax burden in Antrim.

Each candidate made a three-minute statement about their candidacy, followed by questions from the public.

“I would like to continue working toward making Antrim a community of choice, and a community where everyone participates,” Edwards said. “We are very fortunate to with the resources we have here, which include recreational opportunities, our small businesses, our elementary and middle school, our wonderful teen center and family resource center, and many volunteer organizations. We are a community where neighbors help neighbors, and I hope we can keep it that way.”

He cited the lack of affordable housing and rising school district costs as chief concerns for Antrim.

“Our 21st century challenges include managing rising costs and rising taxes,” Edwards said.

He said he has served the community on numerous boards and in various capacities for 45 years.

“An awareness of state and federal laws and how those laws impact us, and networking with other select boards and towns to see how they manage ongoing changes are essential,” he said.

Smolag, who has lived in Antrim for 29 years, said he is running for Select Board because he “cares deeply about the town.”

“My goal is to represent people and protect the tax base,” he said. “There are a lot of issues that need to be addressed. People need to be able to talk about their concerns.”

His top concern is rising property taxes, particularly for older residents on a fixed income.

“A lot of people are moving out of town because they can’t afford the taxes,” Smolag said. “There are 500 people in Antrim who are senior citizens, and many of them are on fixed income and living off Social Security. Our Social Security had a 2.8% increase, but our taxes went up 11.4%. We’re heading in the wrong direction, and a lot of things need to be changed.”

He also said Antrim and surrounding towns are not affordable for young people.

“People age 30 to 45, people raising kids, they can’t afford to be here,” Smolag said, noting that his daughter was facing steep housing prices and taxes that may make the region unaffordable.

Edwards agreed the town “gets a lot of calls about taxes and also about the assessment process.”

“We are required to re-assess every five years, and a lot of people say they are leaving town because of taxes,” Edwards said. “The assessment process requires hours and hours of training. I sit on a board with five assessors and we try to make sure the process is fair and equitable for everyone. We need the best data available to make the accurate assessment.”

Both candidates voiced their concerns about the increasing budget of the ConVal School District.

“The state is not paying enough to the schools,” Smolag said. “We need all nine towns to be in ConVal.”

Smolag cited school district administrator salaries and smaller class sizes as part of the high cost of running the district.

“When I was in school, we had 45 kids in a class and we learned,” he said. “If we had larger classes, that would cut costs in half. I feel the schools are taking advantage of the towns.”

Both candidates for town treasurer, Helene Newbold and Diane Chauncey, have deep experience in managing finances.

Chauncey, who recently retired, worked for the town of Antrim for 20 years as Planning Department secretary and as town clerk/tax collector.

“I’ve worn many hats for the town, and while I have recently retired, I would like to continue to serve the town,” she said.

Newbold, a former math teacher, has served as treasurer for the First Presbyterian Church and the Antrim Historical Society, managed income and expenses for Antrim Home and Harvest, and is chair of Antrim Community Board.

“I would like to use my skills and experience to serve the town,” she said.

Candidates for uncontested races include Jennifer Adams and Tim Morehouse, who are both running for another term as Trustee of the Library; Annie Gilbert, who is running for town clerk; incumbent Mike Connolly, for Trustee of the Trust funds; James Panico, who is seeking a seat on the Community Board; Bruce McGuffin, who is running for Supervisor of the Checklist; and Ken Rubin, who is seeking another term on the Planning Board.

Rubin said he is proud of the Planning Board’s progress in bringing more housing options to Antrim, including the adoption of the connected village overlay district.

Rubin noted that the Planning Board currently has one open position.

“The work of the Planning Board is very important. It is value added to Antrim,” he said.

Residents may write-in candidates on the ballot on March 10.

For more information about Antrim’s elections go to www.antrimnh.org.