The two men who each want to represent Ward Seven on the Biddeford City Council have been regularly attending city council meetings over the last few months.
And, once again, a former councilor is running against a political newcomer.
The bulk of Ward Seven features working-class neighborhoods and includes the city’s industrial parks and the municipal airport.
Brad Cote, 44, is a Biddeford native who previously served on the city council, representing Ward Three from 2012 to 2015.
Sam Pecor, 30, is a real estate agent who moved to Biddeford four years ago.
Pecor says he applied to serve on the city’s Zoning Board of Appeals, the Policy Committee, the Planning Board, and the Citizens Advisory Committee earlier this year but has received “no response” from city officials.
Cote says making “data-driven decisions” that benefit the largest amount of Biddeford residents should be the council’s priority.
He also said the city needs to “improve its transparency to rebuild faith in city government.”
“We need to be realistic that in today’s fiscal environment, prices are going to increase due to inflation,” Cote said. “Costs are going up everywhere, so it is crucial to create an updated plan to determine what expenses are on the horizon and how we can best prepare for them.”
Pecor said the city needs to face a “fiscal reality.”
“Biddeford’s growth is running into a hard math problem,” Pecor said. “We have capital plans without committed funding,” he added, pointing to the city’s long-range goals for sewer separation projects across the city.
“A 2018 internal estimate put combined sewer -related needs around $100 million. In today’s dollars that’s plausibly between $150 million and $170 million.”
“The longer we delay, the more it costs,” Pecor said, pointing out that the upcoming sewer bond only covers a thin slice of the total need.
“We need a transparent, multi-year financing plan that pairs phased bonds with a predictable sewer rate path.”
“Biddeford’s growth is running
— Sam Pecor
into a hard math problem,”
Cote also expressed financial concerns for the city.
“Nobody likes tax increases,” he said. “But at the same time, it is not feasible to freeze taxes either. All this does is kick the can down the road and delay necessary expenses until things are falling apart and cost a lot more to repair or replace.”
Cote also said Biddeford has changed a lot since he last served on the council. He said the city no longer needs to offer “handouts” to developers.
“When I was on the council, we were able to get the votes to close MERC. That decision helped turn Biddeford from “Trashtown USA” to a city that has flourishing businesses and a variety of economic drivers.” Cote said.
“To get development started then, we used tax incremented financing (TIFs) and credit enhancement agreements to give developers incentives to redevelop older mill buildings. This was necessary to begin Biddeford’s renaissance, but we’re in a different place today,” Cote said.
“Occasionally, there are instances where perks make sense if data and other information prove it is ultimately a wise investment for the city,” Cote added. “But in most instances, it is not fair that encouraging new development results in the regular taxpayers shouldering that additional tax burden.”
“I like to be helpful, and I have a variety
–– Brad Cote
of skill sets that I learned from
my previous experience on the council”
If elected, Pecor says he will make trust and clarity in government one of his top priorities.
“People will fund real needs if they believe the plan is honest and the dollars lead to outcomes,” Pecor said. “Right now, trust is shattered. Let’s fix that with clear budgets; quarterly dashboards on sewer progress, costs, and timelines; and routine two-way communication via representative office hours, social media updates, and partnerships with local journalists.
“If we square up to the fiscal reality, streamline what we control in housing, and rebuild trust through consistent transparency, Biddeford can keep growing without pricing out the people who make it work,” Pecor said.
Cote said he is excited about the prospect of using his prior council experience to help Biddeford move confidently into the future.
“I like to be helpful, and I have a variety of skill sets that I learned from my previous experience on the council,” Cote said. “I will be a good steward of tax money and will work hard to pursue alternate funding streams to take a bit of the emphasis off property taxes.”
Pecor said his lifetime interest in history, government and politics has left him increasingly frustrated and disillusioned, citing “divisiveness, a lack of imagination, and a system that can feel both too present in daily life and yet ineffective at governing.”
“I’m running to replace cynicism with participation and make engagement the norm again,” Pecor said. “My goal is a local government that’s approachable and easy to understand, responsive to questions, and clear about tradeoffs.”
To learn more about the candidates, please visit their websites:
________________________
Randy Seaver is the editor and founder of the Biddeford Gazette. He may be reached by email: randy@randyseaver.com
c.) 2025 All Rights Reserved
Never miss another update! Subscribe for free today!
THE BIDDEFORD GAZETTE 