Boston and LaBelle vie for Ward 1 Biddeford City Council seat

A former city councilor and the former Chamber of Commerce director are competing for the Biddeford Ward 1 City Council seat.

The candidates, in alphabetical order:

Patricia Boston, 71, is married with two adult sons. She is a retired registered nurse.

Boston served two years on the School Committee and four years on the City Council. She has served on the Easter Fire/EMS substation and J. Richard Martin Community Center ad hoc committees, the Biddeford Public Access Committee, and is treasurer of Age Friendly Biddeford.

“Biddeford is my hometown, and I care about its future,” said Boston. “I believe that, particularly at this point in time, serving on the council and applying my skills and experience will assist in moving Biddeford forward.”

She said if elected, one of her top priorities would be “renewing trust and confidence in local government. This would be done, she said, by “exercising fiscal responsibility and prioritizing spending; addressing issues identified in the city’s recent financial audit; advocating and responding promptly to constituents; and promoting transparency and citizen engagement.”

Another top priority would be housing, said Boston. This would include addressing the unhoused and the need for more workforce housing; promoting Smart Growth, restraining the property tax rate, and providing for future development. Some of these issues could be addressed through local funding, policies, and ordinances, while others would require assistance from other local and state entities, she said.

Another top priority would be preserving the natural environment, including beaches and the river, where recent storms took their toll, said Boston. She would also prioritize continuing implementation of the recommendations of the Sustainability Commission, as well as increasing walkability and the use of alternate forms of transportation.

James LaBelle, 61, is married with two adult children. LaBelle retired in June after seven years as the Executive Director of the Biddeford + Saco Chamber of Commerce + Industry. His prior work experience was in finance, marketing and business leadership roles.

LaBelle is the Biddeford commissioner for the Saco River Corridor Commission.

“I am running for office because I am passionate about Biddeford and its can-do residents. I would be honored to serve the community and work for more progress and opportunity for everyone,” said LaBelle.

LaBelle said if elected, one of his top priorities would be addressing the high cost of living for residents and keeping property taxes stable.

“In my experience in business leadership and non-profit management, constrained resources have been the norm, requiring prioritization.For the City, this will require limited spending growth, creative sourcing of alternative funding, and continued business growth to expand and diversify the tax base,” said LaBelle.

Addressing housing market challenges would be another priority for LaBelle if elected. Demand growth has outstripped supply growth, causing housing prices and apartment rentals to skyrocket, he said. To help balance the market and stabilize housing prices, continued creativity in building more housing supply across all housing sectors must be prioritized, said LaBelle.

Labelle said if elected he would also prioritize partnering with local and regional community organizations to expand solutions towards a future where none of the city’s residents are unhoused.

Publisher Liz Gotthelf can be reached at newsdesk@sacobaynews.com.