19-year-old mayor focuses on improving his town's economy

A 19-year old who was recently elected mayor of Indian Head, Maryland, is focused on encouraging businesses to return to the area.

"New vision, new way" was the campaign slogan Brandon Paulin used in response to the lack of improvement that was being made by the incumbent candidates.

According to him, the 1.5-square-mile town of less than 4,000 people on the western side of the state has been experiencing "a decline for a very long time."

He notes that the area was once thriving, but many stores now remain vacant.

One of his plans as mayor is to impose a fee on the owners of unoccupied commercial buildings to offset beneficial tax write-offs they get for the unused space.

Paulin was officially elected with 62.4 percent of the 383 votes cast.

His strategy involved going house to house to campaign for votes.

While performing his mayoral duties, he will continue studying political science at the College of Southern Maryland.

Though Paulin is the youngest mayor in Maryland's history, other teens have held official government posts.

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