Now some Political Action Committee named “Moving Virginia Forward” is littering the landscape with mailers using this same deceptive tactic to camouflage Ann Wheeler’s’ feigned concern for Prince William County taxpayers.
The return address on their mailers is the UPS store in Gainesville. Now that’s transparency.
Their mailers also misleadingly claim that she “made data centers pay their fair share” even though the county’s $2.15 computer and peripherals tax rate is still only 52% of Loudoun’s $4.15 rate, and Chair Wheeler initially voted against raising the C&P tax rate, which passed despite her opposition.
Who are the donors behind “Moving Virginia Forward?” You can’t tell because, according to the Virginia Public Access Project, a Democratic PAC with that name went dormant in 2010. It must have been resuscitated just in time to conjure up accomplishments to bolster our beleaguered Chair’s reelection effort. It’s telling that our chair can’t even take credit for her own dubious self-promotion.
If Ann Wheeler wants to claim credit for something she actually did, she could brag about killing more trees than any of her predecessors. Nobody would give her an argument about that.
Bill Wright
Gainesville
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I am writing to encourage my friends and neighbors in Prince William County residents to elect Jeanine Lawson for Chair of the Board of Supervisors.
I was fortunate to serve with Jeanine on the Board of Supervisors when our terms overlapped from late 2014 to early 2016. During our brief service together, I was able to observe Jeanine’s leadership firsthand. I was always impressed with her preparation and passion for the citizens of our county.
She always did her homework and worked to protect the quality of life that we in Prince William County enjoy. That quality of life, however, is not guaranteed. It takes leadership and the right vision to protect our community.
Unfortunately, on issues like taxes, public safety, and development, we are headed in the wrong direction. That’s why we need Jeanine.
Over the last few years, we have seen increases in our property taxes and the imposition of a new meals tax. This has given the board lots of new revenue. Yet despite all this new money, the board has not added police officers quickly enough to meet demand as per the county’s police staffing plan. And the countywide crime rate has risen each of the last two years.
In the area of development, we have seen the proliferation of data center approvals. While these may bring the county more revenue, they will obliterate the beauty and tranquility of our rural area, damage our environmental resources, and impact the quality of life of our neighbors. We have also seen new residential development that will increase the costs of infrastructure and government services. Yet we have not seen a commitment to preserving open spaces and natural resources as we grow.
We need a new vision. We need a new leader to address the issues affecting us all. That leader is Jeanine Lawson.
We need Jeanine because she’s proven she can tackle divisive issues and stand up for the majority of Prince William County residents. We want someone that will fight to protect our quality of life. We want someone to preserve open space and protect our watersheds.
We want a leader who will be smart about spending and make investments that will keep our community safe. Jeanine Lawson will get it done for us. She will stand up for our community–not political donors and special interests.
I encourage you to vote for Jeanine Lawson for Chairman. Please vote Jeanine
Lawson in the Republican Primary on Tuesday, June 20, between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. at your regular polling location.
Michael C. May
Former Prince William County Occoquan District Supervisor
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This spike in violent and property crimes has impacted every corner of Prince William County, and our communities yearn for a leader who can decrease crime and ensure the safety of their neighborhoods and schools.
InsideNova reported that violent crime has risen to pre-pandemic levels, including the fact that there were double the number of homicides in 2022 compared to 2021. Violent and property crime rates often rise with warmer weather and it’s those types of crimes that the county is having issues with.
In 2022 there were 571 motor vehicle thefts which is more than double the amount in 2019. Last week was National Police Week and it’s difficult for a county police force dealing with staffing issues to combat rising crime.
Supervisor Jeanine Lawson, who is running for Board Chair in the November
election, has been consistent on the need to recruit and retain the best police officers, increase wages, and get to work on solving these issues. Prince William County has historically been a safe area to raise a family, removed from the noise and dangers inside the beltway.
Supporting Jeanine Lawson for Chair can bring common sense solutions back to our law enforcement agencies who keep our community safe. With rising inflation and high taxes families are struggling more than ever to make ends meet.
It’s times like these that leave our residents vulnerable to theft, break-ins, and other crimes that threaten safety in our communities. Families work hard for the things they have and simply do not deserve to fall prey to theft or damage to their personal property.
I urge my fellow residents to stay vigilant and to support common sense leaders like Jeanine Lawson, who will work to keep our communities safe.
Tim Parrish
Woodbridge
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There is no need to answer that question, as we all know the answer.
Democrats on the Prince William County Board of Supervisors, Ann Wheeler, Victor Angry, Kenny Boddye, Andrea Bailey, and Margaret Angela Franklin, have stuck together like glue and voted to approve the data Center takeover of Prince William County.
Despite the overwhelming voices against this, they have moved forward without considering the devastation it will cause to the hard-working, taxpaying citizens who pay their salaries. They don’t care about the potential damage to our watershed, our environment, the electric grid, or the noise pollution and the visible destruction of our beautiful landscapes. And, as we continue to read in our local papers, they are encouraging more data centers in Gainesville and other locations around our county.
We have witnessed many great common sense questions directed at this group of supervisors without proper answers or solutions offered. Yet, the citizens of Prince William County are supposed to sit back and accept data centers placed one hundred feet from our homes and schools and our National Battlefield without any satisfactory answers regarding the many questionable issues surrounding the support of these data centers. Democrats believe we should acquiesce.
Prince William County Democrats are supporting Democrat Deshundra Jefferson, who promises she will fight against implementing data centers throughout our communities. But does she support parents in their fight against the sexual indoctrination of our children?
Jefferson is fully supported and backed by the Collective Political Action Committee and the Progressive Change Campaign Committee. If you peruse Jefferson’s Twitter feed, you will see she believes in abolishing the private prison system. But isn’t this the very issue that falls in line with the ‘school to prison pipeline’ debacle? These horrific policies allowed rapes to happen in schools while administrators looked the other way.
I served as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps for 22 years, retiring in 1997 as a Lieutenant Colonel and making Prince William County my home. I am offended by the blatant appeal of Kenneth Knarr through photos of himself in uniform in campaign advertisements.
If that wasn’t bad enough, he’s using these tactics on many of his materials without the required disclaimer by the Department of Defense. This is both disgraceful and immoral campaigning.
Generally, the military discourages the use of military uniforms, including pictures of oneself in uniform, for political campaigning or partisan activities. Retired officers may wear their uniforms on formal, ceremonial, or veterans-related occasions, but not for activities that may imply endorsement or involvement in partisan political affairs.
It’s important to distinguish between personal use and use for political campaigns. Personal use, such as displaying photographs in private settings or sharing memories, is generally acceptable, as long as it does not imply endorsement of any political candidate or party. Using official military photographs or images in a manner that suggests endorsement of a political candidate or party is generally prohibited.
Kenneth Knarr has used photographs of himself in uniform in digital ads, Facebook, and campaign emails. Such misleading and improper tactics not only insult the intelligence of the electorate but also tarnish the reputation of the political system as a whole. As citizens, we deserve accurate and transparent portrayals of those seeking our votes, allowing us to make informed decisions based on the truth.
In addition to the issue of misleading visuals, it is also crucial to address the absence of a necessary disclaimer on the candidate’s campaign advertisements. Finance laws in the Commonwealth of Virginia require that all advertisements should clearly contain the disclaimer, “paid for” or “authorized by.” The omission of this required information raises serious concerns about Knarr’s campaign, whether he is blatantly disregarding laws and regulations, or has made no attempt to understand and follow them.
Prince William voters deserve better than candidates that use offensive tactics, attempt to mislead voters, and simply disregard, or have no care to understand, the laws that apply to them. As we approach the Republican primary, it is incumbent upon us, the voters, to carefully scrutinize the candidates and their campaign practices. Let us support those who uphold transparency, honesty, and a genuine dedication to the values we hold dear.
Sincerely,
Bill Card
Lieutenant Colonel, USMC (Ret)
Dumfries
PLN accepts letters to the editor on issues of local importance. Submit your letters to [email protected].
Prince William County is at a crossroads and the 2023 elections will decide whether we free ourselves from subservience to developer exploitation or slip permanently into the abyss.
A positive change awaits in the candidacy of Deshundra Jefferson for County Board Chair. She vows to restore transparency and integrity to a government that has been quick to abuse your trust and give away the store to big tech predators who are gorging on your slice of the pie.
We must diversify our commercial tax base among ALL targeted industries, vice putting all our eggs in the data center basket, and focus on attracting small businesses by reducing barriers to their establishment. Read More
Just yesterday, I received a postcard with Jacqueline Smith, Clerk of Prince William County Circuit Court, and Prince William County Potomac District Supervisor Andrea Bailey, pictures together.
The Circuit Court promotes Bailey when the State Supreme Court says she broke the law!
Am I missing something here?
Lucille Fry
Montclair
PLN accepts letters to the editor on issues of local importance. Submit your letters to [email protected].
QTS inquired into developing a data center campus along Pageland Lane, outside of the county’s designated Data Center Opportunity Zone Overlay District, as early as the summer of 2020.
Discussions included the Prince William County Department of Economic Development, despite the fact that such development was at odds with the county’s stated land use policy. QTS signed a non-disclosure agreement with Economic Development and their proposal was not revealed to the public until February 8, 2022.
On September 9, 2022, a QTS attorney signed a 31-page letter rescinding prior assurances made during the review of the Prince William Digital Gateway proposal. This letter was not unveiled until the eleventh hour of a Planning Commission public hearing after public comment had concluded.
More broken promises were evident in QTS’ Digital Gateway rezoning application of January 19, 2023, where it was revealed that data center buildings adjacent to the Manassas National Battlefield Park would be 75 feet high instead of the promised 45.
Now QTS is embarking upon a disingenuous public relations campaign claiming honorable intentions. When a demonstration was planned yesterday to call out their hypocrisy, QTS spin doctor Nick Blessing characterized it as “civil disorder.”
More like civic engagement, which QTS prefers to usurp.
QTS, who rode into town cloaked in secrecy, oozing deception and flaunting exploitation, now tries to repackage themselves as our benevolent saviors. Nobody is buying it, and it’s getting embarrassing to watch.
They need to click their heels together and go back to Kansas. Maybe their lawyers can figure out how to write this Prince William Digital Gateway fiasco off as a tax loss.
Bill Wright
Gainesville
PLN accepts letters to the editor on issues of local importance. Submit your letters to [email protected].
Following the Prince William Board of County Supervisors’ vote to approve the Comprehensive Plan Amendment for the Digital Gateway last November, I urge the Planning Commission and Board of County Supervisors to continue moving forward with efforts to implement the transformative vision of the project.
The Prince William Digital Gateway aligns with the county’s strategic plan. It provides an array of benefits through an increased tax base to fund opportunities for schools, affordable housing, parks, trails, public health, transportation, and other services.
The data centers that it would bring also offer significant national security advantages. These facilities are built to operate when power has been disrupted, ensuring their functionality in a national emergency, if required.
It is critical to our national security apparatus that data management and its recovery from natural disasters or acts of terrorism remain vibrant and at the ready. Prince William County is at the center of this strategy as we take measures to harden against any threats through a multi-layered redundancy system. Additionally, data centers pave the way for cooperation between local, state, and federal entities in identifying terrorist threats or coordinating in response to them.
Our county has been presented with a tremendous opportunity to initiate wide-ranging
benefits to its residents and lead on the national security front. I hope that the Prince William County Planning Commission and county supervisors will take the necessary steps to allow the plans for the Digital Gateway to continue moving forward during the coming months.
Eugene (Gene) Stefanucci
Prince William County
PLN accepts letters to the editor on issues of local importance. Submit your letters to [email protected].
