Barnstable County Commissioner — September 1 Democratic primary
Know Who Stands for What
Eric Schwaab believes decisions about Cape Cod’s future should be made by residents — not regional bureaucracies. See how his positions compare.
| Issue | Eric Schwaab | Ron Bergstrom | Dan Gessen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Community & Governance | |||
| Who should decide? | Residents and towns — decisions belong close to home, not with regional bodies | Supports expanded county and regional coordination | Strongly favors regional solutions over local control |
| Cape Cod Commission | Too powerful and not accountable enough to the people it affects | Supports using the Commission as a planning tool | Sees it as essential for housing and climate goals |
| Transparency & oversight | Audits contracts, challenges conflicts of interest, demands procurement fairness | Trusts existing governance structures | Wants institutions used more aggressively |
| Affordability & Housing | |||
| Affordability approach | Lower costs directly — reduce fees, taxes, and regulatory burdens on residents | Focus on housing supply and county programs | Subsidized housing, regional funding, and intervention programs |
| Housing growth | Growth must fit our infrastructure, environment, and community character | Growth can be managed through planning institutions | Supports aggressive density and large-scale development |
| Real estate transfer tax | Opposes — raises transaction costs and fuels further density pressure | Open to regional revenue tools | Lead advocate for the tax as a housing funding source |
| Environment | |||
| Environmental focus | Conservation-first: protect wetlands, water quality, and carrying capacity | Supports climate planning through county policy | Prioritizes renewable energy and climate adaptation |
| Wind & solar development | Skeptical of industrial-scale projects and their landscape impacts | Generally supportive of regional renewable buildout | Strong supporter of large-scale renewable expansion |
| Public Safety & Other Issues | |||
| ICE / immigration | Skeptical of county involvement — not the right role for county government | Supports restrictions on ICE at county facilities | Strong advocate for limiting local cooperation with ICE |
| Homelessness | Demands stronger oversight and accountability of shelter and nonprofit systems | Supports existing county and nonprofit coordination | Supports expanded housing-first social services |
Not a registered Democrat? If you’re unenrolled, unaffiliated, or consider yourself independent, you can still vote in the September 1 primary — without joining the party.
Learn how at ActLocalNow.com