Brentsville, Coles, Gainesville candidates hold debate

Six candidates gathered at the Red Rose events center in Manassas to discuss the issues facing Prince William County in the Nov. 5, 2019 Election.

• In the Brentsville Supervisors’ race, there’s Republican incumbent Jeanine Lawson and her challenger Democrat Maggie Hansford.
• In Gainesville, it’s Republican incumbent Peter Candland and Democrat Danny Funderburk.
• In Coles, political newcomers Yesli Vega, a Republican, and Raheel Sheikh, a Democrat.

Debate moderator, Northern Virginia Community College Provost Dr. Molly Lynch first asked about a plan to borrow up to a combined $396 million for new roads and park improvement projects.

• Since June, Candland has opposed the bonds because of the way the Board of Supervisors hand-selected the respective projects,  and said last night, “if this bond referendum fails in November I will start the discussion for a new bond so the new board can have a discussion.”
• Funderburk supports them because there is $200 million included for improving Route 28 between Manassas and Fairfax County, saying “Now is the time to act and stop kicking the can down the road.”
• Hansford said the $41 million park bond will provide more recreational opportunities for residents.
• Lawson said she fears the road bond would lead to more homes built in the county’s rural area, the kind of development she’s opposed.
• Sheikh says, as a business owner in Prince William County, “I pay every tax known to mankind, but we need money to fix these roads.”  
• Vega doesn’t support the bond, saying, “it’s an irresponsible approach to allocate these fund to parks when we still have [school] children seated in trailers trying to learn” 

When asked what type of new businesses would benefit the county, answers varied from attracting more job training and development facilities, to what types of businesses the county tries to attract.

• “Our economic development staff spends a lot of time chasing whales,” said Candland. “We need to do more for small business owners who want to expand.” 
• The county economic development office has a nearly $3 million annual budget, and Candland’s opponent, Funderburk, said it is “grossly underfunded” and would be more successful with more resources.
• Vega doesn’t much favor the county’s economic development process, saying “I don’t believe in crony capitalism with the government picking winners and losers.” 
• Hansford said business owners avoid coming to Prince William County because the school division boasts the region’s most overcrowded classrooms, while Sheikh called for building more centers for job training.

Lawson and Hansford traded jabs for most of the evening, but especially when it came to Lynch’s question about how to deal with a growing panhandling problem in the county.

• Hansford said panhandling could be reduced if more educational opportunities were afforded to county residents.
• “We’re not going to resolve panhandling by sending people to preschool,” Lawson said. 
• A U.S. Supreme Court ruling now prevents police from stopping panhandling, which occurs at intersections across the county.
• Funderburk called for a deeper examination of the panhandling problem, saying many panhandlers are veterans suffering PTSD, those suffering mental illness, and “some people who don’t want to work.”

One the preserving the Rural Crescent, candidates all said they want to protect the land.

• Candland and Lawson call for barring water or sewer lines to the Rural Crescent, as that, they say, is what would invite new home construction.
• Sheikh called for funding a purchase of development rights program that would use taxpayer money to purchase private property in the Rural Cresent in order to preserve it.
• Vega signed a pledge to protect the crescent in order to protect the rural way of life there, saying, “who is going to pay for new schools, new roads [that will be needed if the land is developed], it won’t be the [housing] developers.” 

The debate was hosted by the Prince William Committee of 100 and the Leauge of Women Voters, Prince Willaim Chapter.

• Voters will head to the polls on November 5.
• Read our special newsletter for more on info on the candidates.