Toney Challenging Foreman for Mayor of Dumfries

Willie J. Toney announced this past weekend that he will seek the mayor’s chair on the Dumfries Town Council.

Toney, a Democrat, currently serves as the town’s Vice Mayor and is looking to unseat the man he sits next to on the council dais, Republican Mayor Jerry Foreman, who is also seeking reelection.

Elected to his current post two years ago, Toney is currently is in the middle of serving his second term on the Council. As mayor, he said he would like to see more community services to senior citizens provided by the town.

As for the town’s current budget, he says Dumfries does a good job providing for its residents.

“The council has set certain priorities – we maintain our police force, we maintain our public works, our street cleaning, our trash pick up, storm water management… we’ve been doing a pretty good job of doing that and I don’t see an imbalance when it comes to that” said Toney.

Of the taxes collected on town residents and business owners, Toney said he would not be in favor of adjusting tax rates.

“I’m not a tax expert, but we have several people including a town manager who work with these issues every day, and if they show that we can reduce taxes without reducing services then I’m all for that,” said Toney.

Toney said he would continue to champion certain causes addressed by town officials in recent years to include widening U.S. 1 to six lanes, the clean up of Quantico Creek, and opposing the reconfiguration of an intersection at U.S. 1 and Va. 234.

Toney has lived in Dumfries with his wife since 1997. He’s retired after working as a juvenile parole officer in Washington, D.C.

Voters will head to the polls on May 6.