Jerry Larsen

BACKGROUND:

• Larsen, 61, has served as mayor of East Hampton Village since 2020.

• He spent 34 years in the village police department, including 14 years as chief.

• He owns a home security system company. He ran unsuccessfully for town board in 2017 on the Republican line.

ISSUES:

• Larsen has criticized recent tax increases, saying the townwide levy has risen significantly in recent years and that stronger fiscal management is needed. He points to village budgets during his tenure, which have cut taxes or raised them below the tax cap.

• He said the town has failed to make meaningful progress on affordable housing, pointing to stalled projects like Cantwell Court as evidence of slow movement.

• Larsen said there is broader mismanagement in town government, particularly in the building department, where he said delays in permits and approvals are harming the economy. He wants to hire more part-time employees for the building department to fix an application backlog.