To the Editor:

I'm Don Mitchell and, after four years of serving on the Planning and Zoning Commission, I'm running for re-election. I've lived in Newtown since 1974 and have practiced law in the area for over 45 years, primarily in business and criminal litigation, civil rights and land-use matters, including the past 24 years as the attorney for the Borough.

So, what can I bring to Planning and Zoning? For any elected representative the key word is "represent" - representing the expressed constituent wishes and needs and, where unclear, exercising reasoned judgment in deciding what is best. All candidates say they want the same thing for Newtown - security and prosperity, but whose? The answer tells us how they propose to get there. Officeholders should work toward the security and prosperity not of any particular group, but of Newtown's citizens as a whole.

The "planning" part is charged with predicting the direction of the town's growth and steering its future through policies that will make it a safe and prosperous place both to raise a family and to do business. The "zoning" part divides the town into districts, using guidance from the planning side and its knowledge of historical and current trends, adopting rules to not only prevent the "bad," but to open the way for the "good." Its job is not to lure businesses to Newtown, but rather to provide a welcoming and stable environment for them, balancing taxpayer and resident needs alike. The emphasis at the moment is on economic security - maintaining an attractive business environment, bringing jobs, tax revenues, and a sense of growth that gives confidence to investors and to our current and future citizens. These provide the groundwork for our prosperity, both short term and long. Long-term prosperity, however, also requires other investments in the future, investments in the security and education of our children. The alternative - trying only to hold onto what we have - is not a formula for success. We are competing, after all, with other towns and regions for many of the same opportunities. Past generations of Newtown residents have contributed to where we are today. Can we do less?

One of Newtown's greatest opportunities in recent years, for better or worse, is in the Fairfield Hills property. Voters could have left the property to be sold off to developers rather than control its development for the longer term. An alternate short-term decision might have resulted in reduced expenditures and a more immediate boost to the local economy in the form of, perhaps, a regional shopping center or housing. Newtown decided otherwise, choosing a longer-range plan. I will listen to that kind of message. I will bring my years of problem-solving to the job along with my experience as a local businessperson and the voices of my constituents. As a lawyer, I represent clients. On the commission, I represent constituents. I know what that means.

Please vote on November 7. It's important.

Don Mitchell

8 Budd Drive, Newtown         October 11, 2017