Houlton Council Candidate Puts Property Tax Relief Atop Agenda

Houlton Town Councilor John "J.J." Schools said on October 12 that lowering the property tax load on residents is the town's most pressing problem as he seeks a three-year council term in the November 2026 election, the Bangor Daily News reported.

Schools, 55, told the newspaper that higher fuel prices, school spending and county assessments combine to make any increase in local taxes hard on households. He said a councilor should act as a "practical steward of your tax dollars," and argued for scrutinizing department budgets to find inefficiencies rather than reducing services.

He was appointed to the council in October 2025 after several members stepped down following the arrest of the town's former manager. Schools, who retired from the U.S. Navy, listed stable property taxes, repairs to deteriorating streets and expansion of the downtown commercial base as his three main priorities.

Seven candidates are running for five open seats in the Aroostook County town of about 6,000. Three three-year terms are on the ballot, along with one two-year term and one one-year term.

This story was first reported by Bangor Daily News.