Adam Hogue's opposition to a proposed regional real estate transfer fee drove him to run for the open seat on the Barnstable County Board of Regional Commissioners, he said.
Hogue, a 20-year Army veteran from West Hyannisport, believes Cape Cod faces a housing crisis but that decisions about housing policy should be decided by individual towns rather than county government, he said.
Housing policy and affordability are among the issues he sees as important, alongside economic development, safe communities, government transparency and fiscal responsibility.
"I do believe we have a housing issue down here," Hogue said.
Hogue, a Republican, is running against Democrats Ronald Bergstrom, the incumbent, Eric Schwaab and Daniel Gessen. The primary is Sept. 1 and the general election is Nov. 3. The last day to register to vote in the primary is Saturday, Aug. 22.
Hogue believes the proposed transfer fee would make it more difficult for residents to buy and sell property, he said. While supporters may have had good intentions, he believes the proposal was the wrong approach.
A graduate of University of Massachusetts Lowell, Hogue said his military service and work with veterans and education nonprofits prepared him for a role on the Board of Regional Commissioners by giving him leadership experience and the opportunity to work with people from different backgrounds.
"If you want to make change, you have to get involved," Hogue said.
The three-member Board of Regional Commissioners holds the executive powers of Cape Cod's county government, which comprises all 15 towns. The Barnstable County Assembly of Delegates adopts new legislation and maintains checks and balances over the executive branch.
The Board of Regional Commissioners is a partisan office, and it will appear on the Sept. 1 primary ballot so parties can nominate candidates, according to Debra O'Malley, director of communications for the Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
If elected, Hogue said one of his first priorities would be opposing the regional transfer fee proposal.
Hogue identified housing as one of Cape Cod's biggest challenges. He also pointed to aging infrastructure, saying the Cape's infrastructure has "fallen behind" as communities such as Barnstable have grown. He said the county should work with state and federal partners to secure grants for sewer systems, road improvements, and other projects.
He said the county should support towns through regional planning and infrastructure funding but leave decisions about housing policy and zoning to local governments.
"While Barnstable County is one region, the towns are also unique," he said. "The issues in Barnstable are way different than the issues down in Provincetown or Chatham."
He also said he supports expanding year-round commuter rail service to Cape Cod, improving public transportation and pursuing improvements to infrastructure, including the Cape Cod bridges.
On government transparency, Hogue said he would support holding the Board of Regional Commissioners meetings in the evening so more residents could attend, continuing to rotate meetings among Cape towns and using social media to better communicate the county's work.
"A lot of people hear county government and say, 'I have no idea what you do,'" he said.
Hogue said he wants county government to work more closely with local officials and residents.
"I want to work with the towns and actually engage with them, be their representatives, and be their voice," said Hogue. "That's kind of my mantra: I want to be the towns' voice, not just say, well, we're doing this whether you like it or not."
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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Hogue seeks election to Barnstable County Regional Commissioners board