JAY – Voters have a chance to elect a selectman when they go to the polls Tuesday.

Former selectman and School Committee member Alan Labbe and Stephen McCourt are both seeking to serve the remainder of Selectman Parker Kinney’s term, which runs until the 2006 annual town meeting.

Kinney resigned in September, effective Nov. 2, because of ill health.

The polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 2, at the Jay Community Building.

Alan Labbe

“I decided to run for selectman so I can be involved in a meaningful way with the community that I have lived in most of my life,” Labbe said.

Labbe had the opportunity to serve Jay for six years in the mid ’80s as a School Committee member, serving as chairman for four of those years and also as selectman for two years in the early ’90s.

“Since then I have been busy with family and work, but I now feel I have the time to commit to this position. I feel I have a lot to offer the citizens of Jay through my previous experience, my willingness to listen and my ability to express myself on controversial issues.”

Labbe said he believes property taxes need the most attention in Jay.

It is important for selectmen to continue to contain costs and it is just as important to increase the revenue side of the budget, he said.

“Attracting new businesses to Jay is one way to increase the revenue side, plus it would give citizens more employment opportunities,” Labbe said.

The tax-cap referendum is an attempt to contain the growth on property taxes, he said.

“If it passes, we will have to make some hard choices about the future of our community,” Labbe said. “If it does not pass, we still have to make some hard choices on how we will live in the future.”

Every year the voters of Jay have the chance to cap what the selectmen and School Committee members bring in front of them, Labbe pointed out, “by simply voting no.”

Meaningful dialogue while the budget is being created and good communication throughout the year would help voters have a good understanding where their money is going, he said. “This approach to creating the budget will help with getting approval because it will be created in a cooperative way with input from the citizens of Jay.”

Stephen McCourt

Parker Kinney had a lot to do with why Stephen McCourt is running.

“I’ve been interested in town politics for a number of years,” McCourt said.

He thought of running last year, but since he thinks the board in place now is a good group of people, he didn’t want to run against an incumbent.

But with Kinney resigning and the seat vacant, he has opted to seek the seat.

“The first year is a learning experience,” McCourt said. “I think I could learn a lot from the board in place.”

The most pressing issue facing the town, McCourt said, is the Palesky tax-cap initiative.

“The way I would resolve this,” he said, “is to encourage voters to vote no. If defeated, Palesky supporters would come back with a better proposal next time. If it passes, we may lose a lot of services we now have. This could have a negative impact on the town of Jay. Our public services and school system could be cut back drastically. Yes, Maine needs tax reform but this bill goes too far.”

If the tax cap passes, there will be a lot of choices to be made in Jay, he said.

“I want to be part of that,” McCourt said.

Next to the Palesky proposal, he said, the school budget is another pressing issue.

“I think there could be some trimming done,” McCourt said, but “I don’t believe in cutting teachers’ positions and adding to the top.”