Opinion: Jefferson is a tonic for what ails Prince William Democrats

The Democratic Party charter states: “What we seek for our Nation, we hope for all people – individual freedom in the framework of a just society, political freedom in the framework of meaningful participation by all citizens.

Bound by the U.S. Constitution, aware that a party must be responsive to be worthy of responsibility, we pledge ourselves to open, honest endeavor and to the conduct of public affairs in a manner worthy of a society of free people.”

Those principles have been repeatedly violated by the current Chair of the Prince William Board of County supervisors, Ann Wheeler.

Her blatant servitude to business interests has undermined a just society.  Wheeler inhibited meaningful citizen participation by hastily scheduling community engagement meetings at the height of the COVID pandemic, refusing to delay them, and then barely acknowledging resident concerns.

Her disregard for due diligence proves she is insufficiently responsive to be worthy of the responsibility. Under Wheeler’s “leadership,” the county failed to conduct even a basic cost analysis of infrastructure and public services required for the Prince William Digital Gateway, nor did they conduct a noise study or assess electrical power needs.

The board also deliberately deferred a water study recommended by the county’s own Watershed Management branch and neighboring Fairfax County.   Wheeler’s aversion to transparency for the sake of political expedience demonstrates she can neither openly nor honestly conduct public affairs in a manner worthy of her constituents.

County staff and supervisors repeatedly hid behind non-disclosure agreements to obscure the truth about the land under development or available for data center use and neglected to respond to multiple inquiries from citizens and their attorneys for essential information to inform the public debate.

Ann Wheeler’s tenure has been dominated by contentiousness, divisiveness, and suspicion.  Every day she spends in the office further damages the Democratic brand in Prince William County.  She needs to be removed.

It is our civic duty to reject public officials who have betrayed our trust and replace them with better candidates that will restore it. With Deshundra Jefferson’s announcement last Wednesday, Prince William voters now have both a fine candidate and an opportunity for redemption.

Vote for Deshundra Jefferson in the Democratic primary on June 20.

Bill Wright
Gainesville
Former Treasurer, Gainesville Magisterial District Democratic Committee

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