Milton mayor kicks off reelection campaign

Milton Mayor Cliff Newlands has announced his plans to run for a second term. Newlands, who handily defeated former Mayor Don Post in 2009, submitted a petition to run Friday, Nov. 30. The election will be held Saturday, March 2, 2013.

Newlands, 60, said he wants to finish the work he started in his first two years as mayor.

“I want to continue the work of improving the town and improving the town's finances,” he said. “We're getting back on track financially, and I want to build up the reserve and capital funds to make improvements to the town.”

Newlands is a retired software engineer manager. He worked on Wall Street for nearly 37 years and has about 20 years experience as a manager. He said his business and analytical background lends itself to figuring out the town's needs. He moved to Milton from New Jersey about six years ago.

Since taking office in 2010, Newlands said one of his biggest accomplishments has been straightening out the town's financial condition. After inheriting a $450,000 budget deficit, he said, he's slowly worked the town into a $180,000 surplus in 2012, mainly by cutting expenses.

If elected to another term, Newlands said, he would like to continue searching for additional sources of revenue, such as placing cell antennas on top of the town's water towers.

“We can't just keep going after the people for taxes,” he said. “And it's dangerous to reduce the staff. That's just a stupid idea.”

Newlands is a proponent of keeping the police department fully staffed, and he said he believes the idea of reducing the force by two officers is a “minority way of thinking.” He said the town's new code enforcement officer has done a nice job of keeping the town looking good, and he would like Milton to continue to be known as a safe, welcoming and business-friendly community.

“There's a much more positive attitude [in town hall],” he said. “We've got businesses coming back into town; Dogfish expanding. Overall, the atmosphere is much better and more positive.”

Newlands and Fran, his wife of more than 30 years, live in the Wagamons West Shores community. For more information, go to www.cliffordnewlands.com or call him at 302-382-6071.