Candland: Prince William power line burial debate not an east vs. west battle

One of the biggest challenges any local government faces is how to prioritize spending with limited resources.  Localities have to strike the right balance between paying for the core services of government and allowing families to keep more of their hard earned money.  Every dollar spent should be debated and evaluated against other expenses.

In Prince William County, we have many high priorities facing the Board of County Supervisors.  Each year, our classrooms become more and more crowded, we continue to struggle to hire enough police officers and firefighters, our social services seem to be at a breaking point, and too many people sit on roads that are at the brink of capacity. 

Since being elected to the Board, I have fought for responsible spending that targets our highest priority areas first.  This strategy relies on the County’s Strategic Plan, trusts the advice of experts, and holds true to the philosophy that in the end, people spend their own money more effectively than the government can.

On Tuesday, the Board of County Supervisors will vote on whether to spend $12.1 million dollars, from our County reserve fund, on a beautification project to bury power lines along a 1-mile stretch of Route 1.  In the Gainesville District, we also have many areas with above ground power lines.  Our local businesses would most likely benefit from burying power lines and homeowners would definitely enjoy not seeing those lines overhead.  While I am supportive of the idea of burying power lines when we can, we have to ask ourselves if this is the best use of taxpayer dollars at this time. 

Let me be clear, this is not a battle that pits the eastern side of the County against the western side.  No matter where you live in Prince William County, most likely you face the same challenges.  Some politicians want to make it about a battle based on an invisible line in the county.  But in the end, this is about responsible budgeting and looking toward the future.

To me, this comes down to what priorities we should have in a tight economy where federal and state funds are draining high-paying jobs from Northern Virginia, and squeezing family budgets so tight that many are forced into debt just to make ends meet.

Twelve million dollars is a lot of money and could go toward addressing issues that, until now, have largely been ignored.

To illustrate, $12 million would allow us to hire teachers to reduce our overcrowded classrooms.  

Twelve million dollars could go toward replacing our fleet of aging buses that benefit all commuters by taking more cars off the road.  Twelve million dollars could pay for almost the whole price tag of building a new fire station. 

Twelve million dollars could give us a 25% down payment for the much needed addition to our regional jail.  That same $12 million could also allow us to hire and outfit 50 police and fire emergency first responders to make our homes and communities safer.

When the Board voted to approve the $12 million for the power line burial in December 2013, most thought the economy was working its way out of the Great Recession and that revenues to the county were going skyrocket.

More than a year later, the stark reality has settled in that Northern Virginia has a long, difficult haul ahead in reconfiguring our economy away from the current reliance on federal programs and defense spending.

To those who argue that burying one mile of power lines will increase their property values, I would suggest a bigger return can be found in reducing class sizes, keeping crime low, and paying teachers more to increase student test scores.

We are at a crossroads with this decision.  Do we spend $12 million on a beautification project or do we begin to seriously address higher priority problems within the county?