EASTHAMPTON — If he wins another term on the City Council, longtime Councilor Daniel Rist hopes to increase the senior tax rebate and continue his work to make Easthampton a “destination city.” Rist recently announced he is running for reelection in Precinct 5 in November.
Rist counts 11 terms on the City Council, ever since Easthampton replaced its board of selectmen with a City Council and mayor when it became a city in 1996.
He is the third candidate to announce a bid for reelection, following Thomas Peake of Precinct 3 and At-Large Councilor Owen Zaret.
“I have unfinished business — I have things I want to see accomplished,” Rist said Wednesday. “I want to make sure our community stays safe.”
Rist said he hopes to increase the existing $1,000 tax rebate for low-income senior citizens and change some eligibility requirements. Senior citizens are on track to make up more than a third of the city’s population within the next 16 years, according to a report by the Council on Aging.
According to the same report, senior citizens, on average, make around $10,000 less than the average median income in the city. Changing requirements for the tax rebate or additional programs could help seniors stay financially stable and in their homes amid the rising cost of living, he said.
Rist said he’s enjoyed serving as chairman of the Community Preservation Act Committee, which makes recommendations to the City Council regarding preservation, recreation and affordable housing. Money for these projects come from a 3 percent surcharge on property taxes.
He pointed to improvements the city has made to the rail trail and the downtown boardwalk in the past few years as examples of his work as chairman, and he has set his sights on renovating the second floor of Old Town Hall into a performance venue.
Improvements like these could encourage economic development and make Easthampton a “destination city” for people looking to enjoy life, he said.
“It’s very important to me that we continue to use the CPA funds in a good way,” Rist said.
Rist said one of the main reasons he decided to run for reelection was the encouragement of his colleagues and his institutional knowledge of city government. City Council President Joe McCoy’s decision to not run for reelection also pushed him to seek reelection, he said.
Rist said he would not actively seek out that role since those in that position can not lead committees.
“I would do it if I’m asked,” Rist said.
Rist, who also is chairman of the finance subcommittee, said making sure the planned consolidated school did not go over budget and is completed on schedule was a main priority. Work on the school, which will serve prekindergarten through eighth grade students, will begin during the next term. The $109 million project, approved by voters in a 2018 special election, is personal to him, he said, as he will have six grandchildren in the system by the project’s completion.
“It’s not so much oversight as it is advocacy [for taxpayers],” Rist said.
Rist also serves as clerk on the rules and governmental affairs subcommittee.