Clifton Atkins is a candidate for Newport News City Council – South. His name will appear on the ballot on November 5, 2024.
Atkins is running against Tina Vick for Newport News City Council – South.
The first day of in-person early voting at your local registrar’s office for this election is Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. Click here to see who is on your ballot.
10 On Your Side reached out to all of the candidates running in this race, with a request for a bio and a list of questions to answer. If you do not see the candidate listed with a profile, we did not receive one.
Biography: Born in Greensville County, Emporia, Virginia. Proud resident of The City of Newport New’s southeast district for forty-four years. Attended Huntington Middle School as a ninth grader and was the last class of vocational trades training in the historic school. I went on to study architectural drafting at Warwick High School and participated in varsity football in my tenth-grade year. Upon successful completion in 1984,I graduated in June and entered The Newport News Apprentice School at Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock that same month back in 1984, where l not only proved that a young man from the southeast community could be studious in attending the most highest level of advanced teachings offered by any trade schools at that time as the success rate for African American men were at substantial lower rates. With the onset of a family forming which eventually would turn out to be four adult children now, my studies were a crucial aspect to being able to provide for many, even friends and neighborhood families as most deemed me as a kindhearted young man whose love for community and giving went hand-in-hand. Apprentice football on a collegiate level was memorable for me. So was the honor of playing under Coach, veteran NFL Quarterback, Norm Snead. Off the field my heart was always directed to the efforts of giving back something back in gestures of kindness. And that was and is accomplished through the diligence of hard work, study and compassion and respect for all regardless of color, race or creed. Yet even then l joined The Peninsula United Way fund,and for my entire stay at NNSB, l voluntarily donated a large portion of my take-home pay to be automatically deducted from my paycheck to go directly to help those less fortunate at a time when wages were lower. Upon my departure from Newport News Shipbuilding, l enlisted as a reservist, in the U.S. Army, and upon completion of basic training found out that my Shipbuilding experience could be utilized further up the James at the docks of Ft. Eustis, as l was now an engineer and boat mechanic. After a brief experience in the military, and reassuming my citizenship in the southeast community in the nineties brought forth many challenges where hard work, morals and ethical living would be the deciding factors in a life where the only checks and balances lay within the law of the land where the statutes of jurisprudence in many cases leads to corrections. And as a citizen of this city l have strived to do what is right through diligently working hard to change the mindset of community to an environment of progression where learning in my case trades and further teaching the exactness of craftsmanship to my understudies, which are the young men and young women of the community in order that their paths may be brighter. Today, l am thirty years into the title Master Carpenter, journeyman in the trades of plumbing, electrical and a recent HVAC graduate of Centura College. Graduate of many trades schools and in-the-field training which is the better informal educational setting where classroom know-how meets experience. And if there is some renovation, repairs or new construction planned or ongoing then that’s where my expertise is applied. As a local activist, I host the only annual events downtown for The Dr. Martin Luther King National Holiday and Juneteenth. Deemed “Freedom Runs”, eight-mile marathon from the Dr. King’s Plaza to The Emancipation Oak on the Campus of Hampton University to raise funds eight years running and bringing awareness to the plight of the homeless and less fortunate. I am also a twenty-two-year sponsor of Childfund International formally Christian Children’s fund. And have sponsored three children in Africa now to be productive young adults. My next endeavor is presenting to the rest of the community the most honest and humble hardworking man in the community. Many know me as the Hampton Roads Transit bus operator by night in the community and others recognize me from rooftops and working on houses. While many know of me now as a candidate for City Council and may it go forth that l am seeking to perform a service and to be a servant to all in the capacity of a councilman visible in the daily affairs of each of my fellow citizens in the southeast downtown community.
Why are you running for this office?
My main ambition is to bring about productive changes in economic development. Also to assist in ushering in a new mindset of a more unified, safe for all community to include multi-diversification whereby cultural differences can coexist and equality for all is respected while independence is preserved in the heritage of our ancestors accomplishments on these same lands.
What is the top challenge facing Newport News, and how would you address it?
The top challenges jumping right off the headlines pages right now is student safety. As the school students now have to be all the more protected heading to school, at school, and departing from school is the utmost of present-day challenges. In order to achieve the goal of highest safety we as a community have to be willing to be more vigilant and more coordinated in working with law enforcement in the community to identify possible threats and to be willing to de-escalate any and all potential altercations between students and to be able to communicate with them stressing the need for community unity and respect for one another. As no child should have a disdained hate for another child because of various negative effects of gang rhetoric, rap music, or peer pressure. We employ more parental guidance and male mentorship from within the neighborhood by men to reach the younger men to combat this senseless violence. Once our communities are made safer then we can tackle the task of economic re-development and lowering of taxes and the hopes of once again having community independence as it was afore time downtown.
What is your view on addressing the affordable housing crisis?
Affordable housing should not be a crisis. Firstly, My plan “Holding on to What We Have” is something that l have been encouraging for years to the seniors and elderly. And have been proactive in assisting them in maintaining their estates so that the inheritance can be handed down as the normal means of distribution of wealth in the community as next generational wealth. As an independent residential contractor, working for various rental companies, l educate renters on the better financial options of purchasing their own homes and in light of a proposed 25k first time home owners grant and 6k tax child credit, it is exactly what l had in mind coming from the federal government. Yet, we must have a city-wide cap on all rentals in the lower-income areas of the southeast downtown communities because the cost of living wages is outpacing the annual salaries of an estimated seventy-five percent of our citizens down here. As for predatory investors, lenders, etc. If elected l shall attempt to ban them all from practicing unlawfully in our communities attempting to take advantage of our seniors and elderly, while attempting to buy up properties cheap, renovate and then set astronomical prices thus driving up a saturated already depressed market.
What is your view on what the City should do with the Newport News Williamsburg Airport? Should commercial services be suspended to save money? Should the city use general fund revenues to subsidize the airport?
The Newport News Williamsburg Airport has continually attempted to commercialize, and unfortunately due to its proximity between Norfolk and Richmond it must be understandably so that it can be only a hub at best. Instead of attempting to spend more on upgrades the solution would be to join forces with The Langley base and provide more access to military cargo and special operations as well as with other freight companies such as FedEx and UPS. We would like to continue to see the airport provide access for commuters, and private planes including the smaller Cessnas. But with a reasonable operating cost and budget.
What is your view on taking money from individuals who will likely have business before the city?
Ethically it is unwise as l would not accept any funds or special favors. I would call that a “kickback” for lack of a better term as the process has changed over the years. But I will say that with good conscientious planning and research we can present a profitable business plan to outside corporations and businesses that along with Virginia corporate tax laws would be very attractive for companies to take a serious look at establishing businesses downtown which will bring job opportunities for residents our community. And l will also take the initiative to encourage local entrepreneurs to take the challenge of business start-ups under LLCs in order to create economic development as the potential national candidate is proposing increasing business start-up grants to 50k dollars.
How will you still value constituents with whom you disagree with?
With the utmost respect as most of My constituents are well-versed with the knowledge of local government functioning. Many different opposing views are evident and many different plans on solutions have been attempted. Yet, if we constructively listen and be given in exchange professional advice then we can come up with viable solutions in all matters if we are sincere about finding and implementing good overall solutions for everyone in the community.
Will you be accessible to journalist inquiries directly, or rely on the newly created City Council Press Secretary position?
Journalism is or should be our unbiased checks and balances in government. Therefore it is good to have a press security as witnessed on the national stage but a journalist being able to ask the important questions similar to what would be the inquiries of the general public would be what I will be desiring to hear. So, I would be more favorable towards journalist approaches to the city’s issues.
