CANTON — State Rep. Richard Pickett, R-Dixfield, assured selectmen Thursday that he would “start digging” into the issue of helping small towns take advantage of tax-increment financing programs.

TIF programs allow municipalities to create special districts to promote economic development. Officials can reallocate any increase in property taxes to encourage investment and promote development in the district. 

A tax consultant who researched the program discovered this fall that Canton would capture only 5 percent of the town’s value through the economic development program — a little over $2.3 million — and selectmen decided that the TIF process was not a worthwhile investment without revisions.

“So the big cities do the TIF financing and they continue to grow and prosper,” Selectman Don Hutchins said, while little towns such as Canton that look at the ratios involved find “it looks like it’s so much more advantageous for the larger cities.”

Pickett replied that he understood the town’s desire to “play on the same level playing field” as larger towns and cities. He also suggested that the selectmen contact the Maine Municipal Association for ideas. 

Pickett said he plans to attend the selectmen meeting Jan. 25 to give the panel any information he discovers.

In other business:

* A security camera is being installed at the highway garage on Jewett Hill Road, Selectman Brian Keene said. The goal is to have security cameras at all of the town buildings.

“The highway garage has had a lot of issues with sand and other things like scrap metal being taken,” Keene said.

Selectman Rob Walker added that vehicles have been seen parked at the highway garage at all times of the night and “we just don’t know what people are doing back there.”

* Selectman Russell Adams reported that Tessier Road is rutted by logging trucks working in the area and the town is unable to plow because of the ruts. The board will send Road Foreman Paul McKenna to look into it.

* A rabies clinic will be held at the Town Office meeting room on Jan. 6 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. The fee for the rabies shot is $10.

* The select board held a moment of silence at the beginning of its meeting for Doleen Goodrow-Boyce, who died Dec. 6. Goodrow-Boyce was a member of the town Planning Board and served as the fire/rescue chief in the 1980s and ’90s.

[email protected]

State Rep. Richard Pickett, R-Dixfield, right front, attended the Canton selectmen meeting Thursday at the request of the selectmen because they want legislation that would enable small towns to take advantage of tax-increment financing programs. (Marianne Hutchinson/Rumford Falls Times)