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Economic issues are key, including ways to boost the town's revenue and hold down the tax rate.

By RAY ROUTHIER, Staff Writer June 6, 2009

Could a town raise money by building an endowment fund?

That's one thing that Stephen Woods would like to try if he's elected to the Yarmouth Town Council on Tuesday.

Woods, the only one of three candidates who has not served on the council, wants to start an endowment – similar to a college endowment – to help support town services and programs. Woods argues that when times are tight, town officials shouldn't see raising taxes or cutting services as the only options.

"The town is a $31 million business, and businesses can't just make some cuts to the budget and hope for things to get better next year," Woods said. "People with an emotional connection to the town could donate. And I think people would."

Woods' opponents, Carl Winslow and Erving Bickford, have both been councilors. Both say that when it comes to raising money to support services, property and excise taxes are really the only options.

"That's pretty well dictated by the state Legislature. They tell us what we can do to raise money," said Bickford, who has been on the council for 21 years.

The town's excise taxes could be reduced significantly, if a measure to lower excise taxes passes in a statewide vote in November.

Woods, Bickford and Winslow are running for two seats on the council. Bickford's term is expiring, and another seat is being vacated by Karl Steinbach, who chose not to seek re-election. The top two in Tuesday's voting will win seats.

Winslow, who has served for six years on the council, also pointed to excise taxes and property taxes as the major sources of revenue. He said he's generally opposed to increasing fees for services, or adding fees.

Woods said the annual Yarmouth Clam Festival could generate more income for the town if it were run differently and if more sponsorships of the festival were sold. Woods owns an event management company.

"The fair and festival business is huge right now. I think the clam fest could bring in $500,000," Woods said.

Bickford, who agrees that economic issues should be a council priority, says his focus will be on maintaining the balance between services that residents want and need, and making sure taxes don't make it difficult or impossible to live in town.

"In tough times it might be easy for people to say 'Cut back on the library,' but that's a service that gets a lot of use during difficult times," Bickford said.

Winslow, who was an administrator in Yarmouth schools and chief of the volunteer fire department, says he would also work to keep the tax rate down, while trying to promote more affordable housing and senior housing in town.

"We've changed zoning to allow for smaller lots, or we might look at donating a piece of land to someone like Habitat for Humanity," Winslow said.

Also Tuesday, voters will be asked to give final approval to the $19.4 million school budget. The budget, which would increase spending by 1.85 percent over this year, was approved at town meeting June 2 by a vote of 86 to 7.

The school budget, if approved, will produce an overall town budget that increases property taxes by 1.87 percent – an additional $107 per year in taxes for the owner of a home with an assessed value of $300,000.

Staff Writer Ray Routhier can be contacted at 791-6454 or at:

rrouthier@pressherald.com