Opinion

Last Tuesday night, May 19, 2026, I sat through a seven-hour Board of Supervisors meeting in Stafford County—the kind of marathon session that reveals exactly how local government really works. The main event was the approval of Virginia’s third Buc-ee’s mega travel center off I-95 at Exit 140. In a 5-2 vote, the board greenlit a project poised to become one of the county’s top taxpayers, bringing in an estimated $2 million annually.

That matters. Stafford just hiked property taxes—adding thousands to the burden on families already squeezed by higher grocery, gas, electric, and data center-driven costs. Commissioner of the Revenue Scott Mayausky noted Buc-ee’s could rank as the fourth-largest taxpayer in a county with a billion-dollar-plus budget. For residents footing the bill in one of Virginia’s fastest-growing counties, this is real relief.

Chairman and Members of the Stafford County Board of Supervisors,

I urge you to reconsider the proposed sale of the 10 acres of prime real estate at the former Moncure Elementary School site. Quite simply, selling this property under the current arrangement is not in the best interest of Stafford County.

Supervisor Maya Guy, Thank you for reading Potomac Local News and for your comment on our coverage of the February 17, 2026, Stafford County Board of Supervisors meeting.

We welcome engagement from elected leaders.

Parents in Prince William County have worked hard to get their children back into classrooms after the disruption and damage of COVID-19. They’ve listened to school leaders. They’ve responded to calls for better attendance. They’ve adjusted work schedules, transportation routines, and family life to make sure their kids show up ready to learn.

So here’s the question after what happened on Friday, February 13:

Virginia’s economic progress over the past four years did not happen by chance. It was the result of deliberate, disciplined choices that delivered measurable benefits for families, workers, and communities across the Commonwealth.

During that time, Virginia attracted record private investment, added hundreds of thousands of jobs, reduced regulatory burdens, and generated strong revenue growth. Notably, this was achieved while providing billions in tax relief and increasing funding for education, infrastructure, and public safety. These outcomes mattered locally, including here in the Fredericksburg region, where affordability, job growth, and a stable tax base are everyday concerns.

As someone who helped manage my father’s MA coverage, I saw how even modest funding changes can drastically impact access to care. Reductions in MA funding can lead to higher out-of-pocket costs, narrower provider networks, and reduced supplemental benefits—changes that hit our seniors the hardest.

This is also a pivotal moment for lawmakers, especially those who consider themselves conservative champions of senior voters. Adults over 65 are among the most consistent and influential voting blocs. They pay close attention to which elected officials safeguard their healthcare access, and which ones threaten it by supporting cuts or failing to speak out.

Turning opportunity into results is one of the biggest challenges facing any town—and Dumfries is no exception. Ideas aren’t the problem; execution is. That’s why so many Virginia communities have created Economic Development Authorities (EDAs): to turn readiness into results.

An EDA is a public entity established under Virginia law to help towns attract investment, manage development, and implement projects more effectively. It doesn’t make policy or replace elected officials. It serves as a capacity tool to support execution, allowing towns like Dumfries to move faster and smarter when opportunities arise.