Candidate Q&As 2025: Melissa Dalton for Newton City Council, Ward 2

Name: Melissa Dalton

Age: 44

Occupation: Business owner

Office seeking: Newton City Council, Ward 2

1. Introduce/Reintroduce yourself to voters and explain why you are running.

The reason I ran for office and am now seek re-election is because I want to make Newton a great place to live. I want it to be a city that my own children are proud to be from and will want to come back to, along with making it a community others want to be a part of and be proud to call home.

2. Although the splash pad is completed, there is still work left to be done to finish out the park. But council seems to be split about some of the details and the cost. Where do you stand on this project? How should the city proceed?

I’ve supported this project from the start, but I’m struggling with the high cost of adding a restroom to the space. I understand that prices have gone up across the board, but it’s hard to justify putting even more money into a project that’s already seen significant cost increases since it began. That said, I also realize that having a restroom at this site is very much needed, so it’s something I’ll be giving more thought to.

3. Upcoming legislative sessions forecast major changes to property tax systems. The city will no doubt be affected by these changes. How do you think the city should approach property taxes and budgets in the coming years?

Our finance department has already started modeling scenarios about how this is going to look for the City of Newton. I believe we need to take a proactive approach. We need to plan for scenarios where our tax growth is limited, while also looking into alternative revenue options so we aren’t forced into sudden cuts. At the same time, we need to be transparent with residents about trade-offs. What services do we want to keep, what might need reduced and look at where the city could maybe pursue partnerships to help offset some of the reductions.

4. Over the years, council has prioritized a number of parks projects. The public seems relatively happy with many of these new additions despite their high costs. How do you feel about the city’s priorities on parks given future cost constraints?

See my previous comment about trade-offs. We still have to maintain a balance between essential services provided and quality of life amenities that make our community a great place to live. As a council, we already work hard to balance the wants and needs of the community. Moving forward, we may just have to make those same decisions with a little less money.

5. What are some things you think the city does well? What are some things you think the city can improve? Explain your answers.

I think the City of Newton does a lot of things well. We’ve made progress in revitalizing different areas of the community, like downtown improvements, park updates and housing development. That said, there’s always room to improve. I think the city should continue working on economic development, especially working with the Newton Rail Park, but also supporting the businesses we already have.

6. Any final thoughts? Are there any issues you would like the city to address?

We are on a great path forward. We have so many great things happening in our community and I hope to continue that momentum in my next four years.