By JON BAKER

LINCOLN — With Tuesday’s primary for town administrator looming, a trio of long-time Democrats maintain they’re putting finishing touches on their initial campaigns, and aim to gain the opportunity to run against Republican incumbent T. Joseph Almond and Independent James Spooner come November’s election.

They include former District 59 state Rep. John D. Barr II; ex-Town Solicitor Louis E. Azar; and John J. Cullen, who for years served as chairman of the Democratic Town Committee.
Barr and Cullen both include the property valuation at the Twin River casino site as a top campaign issue.
Azar believes the way the Financial Town Meeting is run needs repair.

For thumbnail sketches on each candidate (in alphabetical order), read on:
--  Louis E. Azar, a 78-year-old resident of 1069 Great Road, has been an attorney for decades, and he believes one with a law background is necessary to serve in Lincoln’s top spot.
He does have experience on his side, as he served as town solicitor from 1971-1975, and also ran against longtime administrator Burton Stallwood in five separate elections — 1977, 1979, 1989, 1991 and 1993.
Azar has chosen to run again because he has a vast understanding of the Town Charter, and would like it to be followed more closely. He has said he would like the Financial Town
See LINCOLN, Page A-2
Meeting to remain in existence, but changes in the way it is conducted are necessary. He said he was displeased at the FTM back in May, when a speaker asked that $517,000 be tacked on to the school budget, despite the Budget Board (headed by Kenneth Booth) claiming it wasn’t the right thing to do.
He stated he wanted to disallow such motions at the FTM, and that budget-altering requests should be made long before the event.
Azar also said the town’s legal expenses exceeded what he deemed appropriate, and, if elected, would spend time investigating them to save taxpayers’ money. Likewise, he noted the School Committee should utilize not attorneys but other professionals when it’s deemed appropriate, and that the town require that legal counsel reside within the town. That way, he reasons, they would also have to consider themselves and their families before recommending property-tax changes.

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—  John D. Barr II, 44, of 14 Sir Charles Road, told The Times there was nary a moment he felt he wouldn’t seek the town’s top seat, even after suffering an “aortic dissection” on July 23.
“I developed a blood blister on the aorta, and I needed surgery before it popped,” he said. “I woke up that morning with chest pains, and they were severe. The thing that saved my life was calling the rescue unit to bring me to Miriam Hospital instead of driving myself, or having my wife take me. In a matter of minutes, rescue personnel had me on nitroglycerin to lower my blood pressure.
“I later found out it was the same thing in which (actor) John Ritter had died,” he added. “Before the surgery, doctors told me I had a three-percent survival rate … Once I made it through the surgery and I was told my chances were 100 percent, I already had started thinking about the campaign. There was never a question I wouldn’t run, unless – of course – I wasn’t here.”
Barr, who is more than halfway through his eight-week recovery period, stated he knows how government works, as he spent five terms in the House of Representatives (1990-94, 1996-2002).
He maintained he wanted to address numerous issues. First and foremost: Collecting property taxes from Twin River.
“After the original purchase and the addition, that building was worth $660 million, but – last year – the Almond administration assessed it at $114 million,” he said. “I think we’re being screwed, and Joe (Almond) keeps telling me I’m wrong. I think, with all the bricks and mortar, the addition put on and the 161 prime acres of land, it would have to be worth at least $300 million. I think they’re receiving a tax break, and our town is getting jilted.
“I came out against ‘24/7’ gambling because the residents did during the referendum last Nov. 10,” he added. “I think Joe has rolled out the red carpet. (The casino) gets to do whatever it wants, whenever it wants. I’m saying it’s not paying its fair share, and the town is being shorted as much as $10 million. What we need to do is hire a company to properly assess that facility and property, though we’d probably have to go to New Jersey or Nevada to find one capable.”
If Barr was correct in his assessment of $10 million, he claimed he’d put $3.3 million into residential tax breaks; another third into infrastructure (roads, sidewalks, pumping stations); and the final third into
long-term debt relief.

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—  John J. Cullen, 62, of 99 Old River Road, has been a longtime public figure in town, from playing as a child in Parks and Recreation activities to coaching youth sports and helping with the formation of the Lincoln Youth Hockey Association.
The licensed real estate agent and owner of a self-storage complex has sought election to local and statewide posts for years, but has never held a political office. Still, he stated he’s made dozens of citizen contributions.
“There are so many issues that have been left unattended, and it’s time to do something about it,” he said. “My slogans are ‘We Can Do Better,’ and “More of the Same, or Time For Real Change.’”
He noted he’s concerned at how Twin River has affected Lincoln.
“Slowly but surely, the old track becoming a casino has crept up on us, and I think Lincoln has become a casino with a town attached to it,” he offered. “We need leadership from the administrator, the Town Council and the General Assembly; we need them to listen more to our citizens. In 1994, Lincoln said ‘No’ to a casino, and what’s happened over the last 14 years? Our local government has failed us.
“Elected officials have given up, saying nothing can be done. The town spoke during the Nov. 10 referendum against ‘24/7’ operations, and the General Assembly ignored us, and so did the Town Administrator,” he added. “Since it’s already here, I would fight against continued expansion.”
He also said he wants more of a ‘Pay Day’ for residents, calling for a seven-percent take of the revenue.
“I’m not pulling that number out of thin air; I’m using a model from West Warwick, when — in 1994 — it had developed an agreement with Boyd Gambling in Las Vegas,” Cullen said. “West Warwick finally said ‘No’ to a pretty good deal … The 1.5 percent we’re getting now from the slots is an insult to the community. We need a better deal.”
Another issue he would attend to, if elected, includes the FTM. Under his plan, the Town Council would act on a budget with a veto option for voters. Other Cullen proposals include: giving voters initiative and recall powers; abolition of “predatory” property taxes, to be replaced by an “ability to pay” system; and foreclosing on the former H&H property for use as a new police station and public works department.
All 16 of the town’s polling places will be open Tuesday from 8 a.m.-9 p.m.