Principi: Continued smart growth is transforming Route 1 in Woodbridge

Potomac Local sent a candidate survey to incumbent Prince William Woodbridge Distirct Supervisor Frank J. Principi. An incumbent, he’s running to keep his seat on the Prince William County Board of Supervisors representing the Woodbridge District.

Principi faces Republican challenger Steve Chapman in the November General Election on Nov. 3, 2015.  

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PL: What are the top three major issues facing the district you wish to represent?

Principi: The top three major issues facing the Woodbridge Magisterial District is the need for jobs, reduction of traffic congestion, and the preservation of our neighborhoods.

PL: What concrete solutions do you propose to address these issues?

Principi: The vision of a “NewWoodbridge” sets out the solutions required to address each of our three major issues. The vision sets out the policy and budget decisions needed to transform the Route 1 corridor. By encouraging smart growth development, we are seeing five mixed use projects at different stages coming out of the ground, including Potomac Town Center, Neabsco Commons, Potomac Shores, Belmont Bay, and North Woodbridge.

We are discouraging new residential developments and commercial strip malls to stem the negative impacts (classroom sizes and traffic congestion). By widening of Route 1, undergrounding utilities, and demolishing blighted buildings, we are taking steps to alleviate traffic congestion and attracting new businesses (expanded tax base) and jobs.

To address the challenges in our neighborhoods, we are investing in expanded schools, parks, trails, and the new fire station. In addition, we are aggressively enforcing local neighborhood ordinances in civil and criminal court, e.g., tall grass, broken windows, boarding, and graffiti.

PL: From your prospective, what is the job description of the office you’re seeking?

Principi: The role of the elected Supervisor is to develop a shared vision of the community and work full-time to obtain the political support and funding to make it happen. Under my leadership, we have seen over $1 billion in public and private investment occur in the Woodbridge Magisterial District.

PL: What expertise will you bring to the office?

Principi: I will bring eight years of elected office experience, 30 years of business experience, and the continued passion needed to transform the community we live in.

PL: Do you feel that the average citizen is well-informed and understands the workings of local government? If not, how do you intend on improving communication with your constituency?

Principi: The average citizen is well-informed of what is going on in their community. We have significantly increased the opportunity to engage our citizens on the issues that matter most through monthly meetings of the Woodbridge Civic Association, quarterly newsletters, town halls, tele-town halls, and continuous updates on our website newWoodbridge.org.

As a full-time Supervisor, I am continuously meeting with citizens to gain a better understanding of both the challenges and their proposed solutions necessary to improve everyone’s quality of life.

PL: Have you ever made any mistakes in your public life? How have they effected you?

Principi: I have not made any major mistakes in public life.

PL: Our readers want leaders in local government. Why should they vote for you?

Principi: The voters in Woodbridge should vote for me on November 3 to continue our progress in implementing NewWoodbridge. We will continue to bring new jobs, eliminate blighted buildings, reduce classroom sizes, widen Route 1, build new pedestrian sidewalks and trails, construct the Neabsco Creek Boardwalk, and open the George Mason University campus at Belmont Bay.

We will continue to plan for the opening of the Potomac Nationals Baseball Stadium, launch Fast Ferry service on the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers, advocate for the extension of Metrorail from Springfield to Woodbridge, and widen Route 1 (Cardinal Blvd. to Dumfries).