Anne Swift-Kayatta has served on the Cape Elizabeth Town Council for nine years and she says that experience, combined with her commitment to the town, is why she is seeking re-election.

She is one of four candidates for two open seats.

She also served two terms as the Council chairwoman, and has chaired both the finance and appointments committees. She was also treasurer of Citizens United, where she lead statewide efforts in 2006 to defeat a tax cap that many feared would have slashed school funding and public safety services.

“I have the experience needed to do the job,” she said. “I have shown that I can do the work necessary to balance the important but competing demands on our community.”

Swift-Kayatta, 54, has lived in Cape Elizabeth for 24 years, and is married with two daughters. She grew up in Portland and worked 15 years at Unum. She is currently a homemaker. She received her bachelor’s degree from Mount Holyoke College in a master’s in business from Harvard Business School.

One of the biggest issues she wants to deal with is balancing important competing needs and maintaining “excellent” services while managing tax levels.

“Preserving our premier school system and other municipal services without imposing a back-breaking burden on taxpayers is a continuing challenge requiring careful thought and a business-like focus on getting the most out of our resources, especially in this difficult economy,” she said.

If re-elected, she said, she would also tackle the issue of managing change in the town while preserving what makes Cape Elizabeth special.

“The comprehensive plan’s vision is to expand open spaces and trails, encourage farming, continue the current slow pace and pattern of development,” she said. “Its vision is to also maintain excellent educational and municipal services, and balance services and cost. Our challenge is to guide Cape’s evolution to preserve that vision of our town.”

She also is committed to maintaining a civil community in pursuit of Cape’s shared interests.

“Special-interest groups increasingly divide the work into factions, attacking opponents and questioning motives,” she said. “Our community does a better job than most at avoiding this path. We must continue to do so by working to balance priorities and focus on our shared interests as a community.”

Anne Swift-Kayatta