Concord Mayor’s Race 2025 Is A Rematch, Of Sorts, Of The Race In 2023: Forum Video

CONCORD, NH — The two candidates running for mayor of Concord in 2025 participated in a forum with Patch and Concord TV in its studios in late September.

The candidates — incumbent mayor Byron Champlin and challenger Kate West, addressed several issues facing the city, including the tenor of council meetings and new members getting their feet wet, housing issues, the increase in criminal activity by the homeless, whether the city should sanction a homeless campground, property taxes, budget processes, and property reevaluations.

The race is a rematch, of sorts, when both Champlin and West, along with George Jack, ran for the open seat in 2023.

Watch the forum below:

Editor’s note: As was pointed out to me earlier this month by a city councilor who is uncontested, the tax rate for fiscal year 2026 was under 3 percent, 2.96 percent, to be exact, down from a proposed 3.96 percent. I misremembered the increase, thinking it was 4.96 down to 3.96. Most previous years were under 3 percent. One of the above 3 percent years was when the city added a fourth ambulance.

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