 Hello, everyone. Welcome. I'm James Milan and this is part of our election 2021 coverage as the debate for the Board of Assessors. I am joined by just one of three candidates for the seat, and so we are going to proceed with an unorthodox, but nonetheless, by the rules, debate with Guillermo Hamlin who is joining me now. And I'll just explain quickly Guillermo, you and I have gone over this, but I'll explain for our audience that it's going to be a very simple proceeding here. Guillermo will take up to two minutes for an opening statement, and then I will ask him a series of questions as I would if the other candidates were here as well, and he will have up to two minutes to answer each of those. Of course, what we'll be missing is any opportunity for interaction with other candidates and rebuttals, etc. So we will just go with Guillermo's answers and the proceedings will conclude with a one minute closing statement from Guillermo. So welcome and without further ado, please up to two minutes for your opening statement. Thank you, James. For all of the viewers at home in Arlington, my name is Guillermo S. Hamlin, that's how it's going to be on the ballot. But you can just call me Guillermo, and I'm running to be your next Board of Assessors, ultimately because I believe that there's a disparity in outreach. And that was my slogan prior to this debate, and it's self-evident that I'm taking it to heart tonight. I am here because I believe that outreach to taxpayers, homeowners, in particular the senior citizens in our town who are themselves our homeowners. Some of them who have been enjoying their retirement or on a fixed income and have found themselves in the category of a low-income homeowner. As a result, we got to figure out ways to work with them precedent in town council, as well as with the Select Board to really reinvigorate state leadership to take the lead on expanding these financial hardship exemptions and to make sure we get enough relief for homeowners in Arlington. I myself am a tenant, and I want to build that full disclosure because I believe that it's very clear that I'm pursuing in part some impartiality. I think it's good to communicate as to what we're doing when it comes to our tax rates, our fiduciary responsibilities to the town of Arlington, and overall just being able to speak to our neighbors about what's happening in town government in general. I'm looking to be a part of a greater inclusion into town government, but overall I would appreciate for you to consider my candidacy because I myself have a background in government access television. I have a background in housing nonprofits, and for the last year or so I was elected to town meeting, and I look forward to explaining and expanding this as we move forward. Thank you very much. Thank you. And we will get right into the questions. The first one is, what is the primary work and mission of the board as you see it? And then how do you see yourself fitting into that? My understanding of the board as it's constituted is that it is a historically advisory board looking to follow through with state procedure and statutory perfunctory duties. We have to make sure that the tax rates get certified. We have to make sure that we do our due diligence to make sure that when it comes to our triennial tax reporting with the Department of Revenue and overall just regular upkeep reporting public records. I think it's good to be able to explain what's going on to our town residents simply about the day to day and what's going on. Now, I fully understand that some information could be sensitive, privileged and altogether not meant for public consumption. I'm fully aware of that in my primary job as a government access technician in the city of Malden. I have to make sure that I honor executive sessions. I have to make sure that I honor the difference between a public records request and what is contracted to make sure that the school committee, the city council, board of appeal on the planning board are regularly accessible to the city of Malden. I know that the city and the town of Arlington differ and I learned that in a substantial effect serving on town meeting as of last year and participating in the series of virtual town meetings, a historic virtual town meeting that I had the privilege of beta testing. And as a later, later in the forum, I suppose, I'm going to expand on how that really informed me about what it means to do outreach, not only to my fellow colleagues and town meeting, but to the town overall. Okay, thank you. So, next question is, what do you see as the biggest challenges that face the board as it is currently constituted? Thank you, James. The way that I see an issue with the board as currently constituted is not overall the lack of talent we have on the board, but just simply outreach. Getting the word out about what it is that we're doing if I were to be on the board of assessors and just get ahead of relief, making sure that low income homeowners, seniors on a fixed income who are themselves homeowners, have the opportunity to know what's ahead and seek relief whenever possible. I believe that an aggravating continuous incident amongst a great many number of residents is that they're hit with a tax bill and they can't, it's almost too late to seek the relief that they're looking for. So, the way I see it, we just instituted very simple media promotion via through ACMI, your Arlington, even simple leaflets and flyers and we can work with the council of aging to distribute to seniors and just start there, seek a feedback loop and see how we can get the word out better. Okay. And you've made it clear, you know, obviously to this point, you're concerned for our senior population. Everybody, all property owners here, you know, are subject to the assessment process. And some people have charged that the assessment process in town is opaque and inconsistent. And they raise questions about inequity. How do you see the current process? And if it needs improvement, what would you do to make that happen? Thank you for asking me that question because it took a great deal to study what it is that I was doing before I set forth this candidacy. I agree. It's confusing. There's no continuity and it varies substantially to have any sort of real mathematical understanding. I had the privilege of attending the fiscal resource task group as part of Envision Arlington and it's been a privilege to see Gordon Jamison and the rest of the members really dig into the numbers. Now, I'm a layman. I have some mathematical understanding, but I was relieved to see that they brought, you know, some visualization with a box and whisker plot that I was able to reminisce using a T9 graph and calculator in high school. And one of the things that I found is that, yeah, it's very, it varies. It's a variant process. The way I see it, it's best to still get the information out there. So if there are any, if there's anything that we need to reform, change, make clear, I believe that it's best to just get it out there, demystify it for people. And I understand that again, I'm not looking to kick the doors down of executive session. I'm not looking to foment some sort of disunity. I'm looking to work with the Board of Assessors, the Assessors office. I'm looking to work with my colleagues to be an effective vote, being the one of three votes to make sure that we make some effective change towards relief, broadening financial relief. I understand that financial hardship is an area where there is sole discretion. And I believe that I'd like to press state leadership. I'd like to work with the select board and ultimately work to make sure we have something to present at town meet so we can adopt more relief to our residents. Okay, you have mentioned relief on a number of occasions during the debate. And of course, that is another major duty and responsibility of the Assessors office is to provide release. Often it is through the abatement process. How do you see, you know, we just talked, I asked you about the assessment, how do you see the abatement process as it currently stands? Is it fine as is? Does it need improvement? If so, again, what would you do to make those improvements? Thank you for asking that. Again, I'd like to remind the viewers at home that a lot of the duties are very perfunctory, meaning that it's very limited. The way that I see it regarding the abatement process is thus far given how perfunctory it is, I think that I don't really know how else to gauge how fine it is. I would like more information. I think that the town would like more information. As if I were to be elected, I would work as is and be constituted and then learn more about the process to see what can be changed. And I would communicate regularly with the voters about an update on that process. I would direct them to the division of local services YouTube page so we can learn together about tax levies, the abatement process assessments, and then foster a common language where we can then make new adoptions, press state leadership and work with select boards so we can have something to adopt in town meeting. I myself am a town meeting member, and I had the privilege being in precinct 14 to adopt the abilities called the gold star family tax exemption. And it was something that benefited very few families. I've heard to I've heard on the record being just one, but nobody wants to be a gold star family member. And I believe that that was a very good measure to take it. I was very proud to take that measure and to vote to adopt it. And whenever possible, such as areas such as these where it's already within precedent with veterans seniors and those who happen to find themselves suddenly on a fixed income, still owning their home and eating some relief to get by. I believe that we should be able to communicate to them, fairly in a head of schedule ahead of tax season to make sure that they know what they can do to seek relief. And I believe that that's fair to the residents of Arlington. Thank you very much. One final question. And that is, for some in town, the current makeup of the board of assessors represents a wealth of experience and professionalism. And for others, it is in desperate need of an infusion of new blood and fresh perspectives. Where do you stand on this issue, and why. Thank you, James. Overall, I'm, I have to be frank in that I appreciate the work that they've done. I appreciate how the town of Arlington punches above its weight in its services. And yet, overall, while there are cases where different neighbors and residents don't feel it. This is overall comparatively to Belmont, Winchester, Medford, Somerville, in terms of what they're paying an affordable place to live. But at the same time, there is, you know, a rapid cost of living that is tied to housing. And when it comes to these drivers, when it comes to the tax assessment process. I resonate and I feel for these residents, because my parents themselves were first time home buyers that were looking for relief. And it was informative of my upbringing, where initially I was raised and or the first housing I can remember in the United States was a high rise in Somerville, not Massachusetts, but Somerville, New Jersey. And then it went from going to a condo to a first time home. And it was something where the makeup of this board could benefit if someone could speak to people like my, my mother and my father during that time, who had a command of English that they didn't feel strongly using it, at least to ease the anxiety. And I believe that that's something that could be helpful. I want to thank the Board of Assessors for their service. I have no animosity. I have no gripe as I'd like to remind the viewers at home. I'm a tenant. And I'm looking to just reinforce good work and work with them to get the word out about the work that they're doing, the good work that they're doing. And then to stand by their sides of the boat and do what is necessary to make sure we meet our fiduciary responsibility to the state as the town of Arlington. Thank you. All right. And thank you. Now, we are left with just your closing statement. And I do want to just give you a little reminder because you've had two minutes for each of your responses so far. And this will be just one minute. All right, thank you. So I respectfully ask for your vote before and on Saturday, April 10 for annual town election because I believe that when it comes to running a campaign such as this, it's good to have the form delected by your side. I respectfully ask for your vote because I would love the opportunity to be able to tell a story about being a former Paraguayan who's a proud naturalized citizen who took the citizens of and had the privilege of moving here at 18 from New Jersey and seeking opportunity by being a camera operator at Harvard University, eventually earning an evening bachelor's and then being able to work on so many political campaigns that informed my views and allowed me to really get back to the town of Arlington in service. Beginning as a town meeting member and at this year I'm asking you to consider me for Board of Assessors. I look forward to bringing my experience from my housing nonprofit days to really inform my views and to provide relief to the town overall. Thank you. Thank you very much. And that concludes this debate for the Board of Assessors, a seat on the Board of Assessors. I thank our guest and candidate, Guillermo Hamlin, and wish him and the other candidates the best. I urge you to, as Guillermo mentioned, vote for the candidate of your choice before and up to and through April 10 election day. Vote for ACMI. And on behalf of the candidates for the Board of Assessors, I'm James Milan. Thanks for joining us. We'll see you next time.