Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) on Friday defended his decision to veto a bill that would have let Stafford County voters decide whether to raise the local sales tax by one percent to help pay for school construction.

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Governor Glenn Youngkin visited Stafford County on Friday, highlighting more than 250,000 open jobs across Virginia—even as concerns mount over federal job cuts. Speaking at SimVentions, an engineering and technology services firm in Stafford, Youngkin told the crowd, “Virginia has jobs. Lots of jobs.”

The event, hosted at SimVentions’ headquarters, was organized with the help of State Senator Tara Durant (R-28, Fredericksburg, Stafford), who said the initiative behind the state’s jobs rollout has been years in the making.

Youngkin praised the Commonwealth’s momentum in job growth, citing key statistics.

“We’ve had over 260,000 more people working today than just three years ago,” said Youngkin. “And that has translated into over $100 billion of investment committed to plants, to expansions, to R&D centers, to new headquarters, and very importantly, to new power supplies across all of Virginia.”

Youngkin also pointed to four consecutive years of budget surpluses totaling nearly $10 billion. “We’ve been able to return a substantial amount of money in tax relief to our owners, the people of Virginia. $8 billion by the time we’re done,” he said, noting the number could reach $9 billion under the current budget negotiations.

The governor emphasized that investment has extended to education, with “Virginia investing 50% more in education than we did just five years ago.”

SimVentions President Joe Caliri said the company currently has “27 or 29 job openings,” with most roles focused on “high-tech secure type work—software engineering, system engineering, modeling simulation, cyber security, and then all the analytics that come along with that.”

Caliri said SimVentions has grown from just three employees to more than 400. “It’s been a challenge to grow the business at the right level, at the right pace. But hiring the right people makes a big difference. So we’re really picky about who we hire and make sure we keep them once we get them.”

Although SimVentions has not been directly impacted by the federal job cuts, Caliri said the ripple effects of federal job losses are being felt.

“It affects me watching the patriots who are federal employees kind of get shoved aside a little bit,” he said. “So if our customers aren’t being successful or don’t have an opportunity to be successful, by definition, we can’t be successful.”

Durant said the virginiaHasjobs.com initiative wasn’t a reactive move—it’s been long in development.

“They started this out of necessity even before we started to see this whole new conversation from a different perspective that some people may be looking for work,” she said. “So I think that’s why the website and the rollout has been so phenomenal because clearly you can tell they’ve been working on this for a decade.”

Asked if the region is prepared for more federal layoffs, Durant said, “In our family, we’re walking through this with our family and friends too. My husband is a federal employee. Everybody’s affected. Yeah, we’re walking through this together.”

Still, she expressed hope that Stafford County and surrounding areas may weather the storm better than others. “Considering this region has been so vibrant and we’ve been growing so fast, I think we’re going to, you know, hopefully we will land better than maybe some other parts,” she said.

Youngkin urged those impacted by federal cuts—or anyone seeking a new opportunity—to visit virginiahasjobs.com, where more than 250,000 jobs are listed.

“The second most powerful three words in the English language are, ‘You are hired,’” said Youngkin. “They express so much. I value you, and therefore want you to be part of our team. You will have a future, and therefore you don’t hire a person. Oftentimes, you hire a family.”

 

Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) visited Stafford County today, urging Northern Virginia officials to reinstate cooperation with federal immigration authorities following the high-profile arrest of a suspected MS-13 gang leader in Dale City.

“It is not rocking the boat. It’s collaborating to keep communities safe,” Youngkin said, referencing renewed calls from residents to restore Prince William County’s participation in the controversial 287(g) program. The program allows local jail officers to identify and refer undocumented immigrants to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for possible removal.

On March 26, federal, state, and local law enforcement officers arrested Wilmer Ernesto Canales-Rodriguez, 31, in Dale City. Authorities describe him as a “high-ranking leader of the MS-13 street gang” linked to violent criminal activity, including drug and human trafficking along the East Coast. He is being held without bond at the Prince William–Manassas Regional Adult Detention Center, pending extradition on federal charges.

Youngkin said the arrest was the result of “a four-week process” in which federal cooperation helped “unpick networks” of gang activity in the region. “Yesterday, we were able to arrest the East Coast leader of MS-13, living right here in Prince William County,” he said. “Elected leaders who are resistant to collaborating with federal resources… aren’t taking into consideration the well-being of their own constituents. They need to get with it.”

He cited a 500% increase in the number of arrests of violent undocumented criminals compared to the same time last year, attributing the spike to renewed collaboration with federal law enforcement. “What was going on before was wonderful police work by local folks, but it pales in comparison to what we can do now,” he said.

Community Push to Reinstate 287(g)

The governor’s remarks follow community outcry at a March 19 meeting of the Prince William–Manassas Regional Jail Board. Manassas resident Ben Walters told Potomac Local News he was turned away from the meeting along with others who hoped to voice support for reinstating 287(g).

“I submitted written comments well in advance, but they were not made available at the meeting. And since I wasn’t allowed in, I also had no opportunity to present them verbally,” Walters wrote.

Jail Board Chairman and Prince William County Sheriff Glendell Hill acknowledged the limitations of the small meeting space and a failed livestream QR code. He said future meetings may be moved to larger venues if public interest continues.

Hill emphasized that reinstating 287(g) was not on the March agenda.

“The public does not set the board’s agenda… To make changes based on speculation is unwise,” Hill said.

He also clarified that while the jail continues to house ICE detainees and receives revenue for doing so, staffing shortages limit further cooperation. Prince William County ended its 287(g) agreement in 2020 following public protests and concerns about trust between immigrant communities and law enforcement.

Local Reactions Divided

Elected officials offered mixed responses to the arrest and the renewed debate over 287(g).

Congressman Suhas Subramanyam (D-10, Manassas) praised law enforcement but criticized the handling of the announcement.

“There is no home for MS-13 or any group that wants to engage in violence, drug trafficking, or human trafficking in Virginia. I commend the brave law enforcement officers… but the Trump Administration seems to prefer to turn serious law enforcement action into political theater,” Subramanyam said.

“Violent gang members have no place in our Commonwealth or Prince William County… Their bravery has made us all safer,” said Delegate Ian Lovejoy (R-Bristow).

Prince William County Supervisor Tom Gordy (Brentsville District) said his office was not informed before the arrest or the press conference but voiced support for interagency cooperation.

“The majority of violent crimes, outside of domestic violence, is gang and/or drug related,” Gordy said. “I support any measure which would increase local cooperation with federal authorities who are working to make Prince William safer.”

The next Jail Board meeting is scheduled for May. Sheriff Hill said public comments may still be submitted in writing under existing bylaws, though verbal comments remain optional.

Stafford County leaders are responding to Governor Glenn Youngkin’s recent veto of SB1307, a bill that would have allowed counties and cities across Virginia to hold voter referendums on implementing a 1% local sales and use tax dedicated to public school construction and renovation projects.

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By Sarah Roderick-Fitch

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The Center Square: Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin delivered the final State of the Commonwealth address of his term Monday after a delayed start to the 2025 General Assembly session, urging the state legislature to “keep Virginia winning” with bills it passes this year.

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Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin and Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine released a statement Dec.19 following a classified briefing at the Capitol from the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Justice, and the FBI regarding the ongoing investigation into the unexplained drone sightings in Virginia.

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With the establishment of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) on the horizon, Northern Virginia’s federal workforce and contractors brace for potential downsizing as the incoming administration targets redundancies and inefficiencies in government operations.

DOGE, a proposed federal agency designed to streamline government operations under incoming President-Elect Donald Trump, aims to enhance transparency and reduce bureaucratic inefficiencies. Specific focus areas include modernizing outdated IT systems, consolidating overlapping agency functions, and introducing advanced data analytics to improve decision-making processes.

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Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) marked the grand opening of Prince William County’s second Red Cross Blood Donation Center with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Monday, December 9, 2024. The new facility, located at 4375 Dale Blvd in Dale City, Center Plaza, expands local blood and platelet donation options, previously limited to driving to Fairfax or participating in mobile drives.

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The Prince William County School Board examined its cell phone policy on Wednesday, weighing options for a new approach to managing cell phone use in classrooms.

The conversation centered around the effects of an ongoing pilot program restricting phone use during instructional time. The board considered two potential paths: maintaining the current guidelines with limited phone access or adopting a stricter “bell-to-bell” policy.

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