A proposal to introduce artificial intelligence (AI) tracking for traffic and pedestrian safety in Prince William County was deferred after a contentious discussion during the Sept. 19, 2024, Board of County Supervisors meeting. If approved, this initiative would mark the first time the county government has used AI technology to track and analyze citizens’ movements.
The initiative aims to enhance traffic safety by deploying AI-enabled camera technology to monitor traffic patterns and analyze near-miss incidents at 26 high-risk locations throughout the county, including non-vehicular near misses. This gives the impression that the AI will use equipment that can differentiate different people. The proposed locations are scattered throughout the county and primarily encompass the Routes 1 and 234 corridors in Woodbridge and the Manassas areas, respectively.
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Prince William County has unveiled a new digital platform, PWC Works, designed to enhance transparency and communication between the local government and its residents. The initiative aims to provide real-time updates on county projects, address public concerns, and offer a streamlined way for citizens to track government actions, including long-standing issues such as permitting delays.
Tackling Permitting Delays
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Supervisor Yesli Vega has put forth a proposal to explore providing a tax break for terminally ill residents in the county, aiming to ease the financial burden on families dealing with the high costs of medical care.
At the recent Prince William Board of County Supervisors meeting, Vega directed county staff to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the potential implementation of the tax break. Vega emphasized the importance of providing relief to residents who are struggling with the financial challenges that come with terminal illness.
“If you’ve ever had a loved one or know somebody that is going through something as a terminal disease, it could be very challenging,” said Vega, who represents the Coles District. “With the additional stressors added to making it to doctor’s appointments, the cost of medicine, treatment that is not covered by insurance, I think that we owe it to them and to their families that are doing their very best with the cards that they’ve been dealt with to look into this.”
The proposal aims to offer tax relief on real estate or personal property taxes for residents certified as terminally ill. Vega requested the county staff provide a detailed report on how such a program could be implemented, including its financial impact on the county’s revenue.
Board Response and Next Steps
Supervisor Vega’s initiative received general interest from her colleagues on the board, but no formal decisions have been made yet regarding the next steps. As Vega highlighted during her remarks, the goal is to assist families who are facing severe financial strain while dealing with life-threatening illnesses. She compared the proposal to previous initiatives aimed at helping vulnerable communities in the county.
“We certainly saw this board come together with the tax break that we just gave to Wounded Warriors,” Vega noted during the meeting, emphasizing the board’s past support for similar programs.
The analysis will examine the tax break’s financial feasibility and whether similar measures in other counties can be replicated in Prince William County. The board will also consider the broader implications of implementing such a tax break on the county’s budget.
After the county staff completes its analysis, Vega’s proposal will be discussed further in upcoming meetings. The board is expected to revisit the issue in the coming months, with the goal of making a decision before the end of the year.
SOWW provides vital support to wounded veterans through cost-free respite stays and programs aimed at helping them and their families recover from the physical and emotional tolls of military service. The tax exemption applies to four properties owned by the organization on Waterfall Road in Haymarket, allowing SOWW to allocate more resources directly toward its services for veterans.
Sarah Ford, the executive director of SOWW, expressed her gratitude to the Board, stating, “This vote will not only impact our warrior retreat but also the warriors and their families that we serve now and into the future.” She emphasized that the exemption would enable the organization to expand its programs, which have already served over 2,400 veterans, with no suicide losses among those who have stayed at the retreat.
Board members voiced strong support for the exemption. “This has been a long, hard road, but it’s a relief to finally grant this well-deserved status to Serving Our Willing Warriors,” said Gainesville District Supervisor Bob Wier. The tax exemption will take effect on January 1, 2025, as part of the Board’s broader policy to support charitable organizations that enhance the well-being of the county’s residents, particularly those who have served in the military.
With the new exemption, SOWW plans to expand its programs, including offering more week-long stays for veterans and enhancing its PTSD counseling services. The organization’s goal for 2025 is to provide additional support to warriors recovering from both physical and moral injuries incurred during their service.
Prince William County is developing a new Crisis Receiving Center (CRC), which will provide much-needed mental health and substance abuse services to the community. Set to replace the former Gander Mountain store at 14040 Worth Avenue, the 79,000-square-foot facility is expected to serve as a state model for addressing mental health crises. Still, operational funding hurdles have emerged due to Medicaid restrictions.
The CRC will feature 16 32 beds—eight 16 for adults and eight 16 for children—for individuals needing urgent mental health care. Patients may arrive independently, be transferred from local hospitals, or be brought in by police. Once at the center, individuals will receive continuous monitoring and care for up to 23 hours a day, typically staying between three and five days as they stabilize and prepare for the next steps in their treatment journey.
However, challenges surrounding Medicaid funding are threatening its smooth operation. A longstanding federal policy dating back to 1965 classifies facilities with more than 16 beds that treat individuals with mental health or substance abuse diagnoses as Institutions for Mental Disease (IMD). This classification prevents Medicaid from reimbursing such facilities, presenting a significant financial obstacle for the county.
“We are planning to provide immediate and critical care to those in crisis, but the Medicaid policy hasn’t caught up to the real-world needs of today,” said Prince William County Community Services Executive Director Lisa Madron. “This facility isn’t a long-term care center, but a short-term crisis intervention facility, and yet we are being penalized by policies written nearly 60 years ago.”
The county is working with state officials to seek a waiver allowing the CRC to receive Medicaid funding. However, the application process is lengthy, and approval is expected to take six months or more. In the meantime, the county is exploring interim funding options to keep the CRC on track for its planned opening.
The facility, considered a model for other localities across Virginia, will serve as a critical resource for residents and emergency services. Police officers and healthcare providers now have a dedicated place to send individuals in crisis, reducing the strain on local hospitals and jails.
“This is the kind of facility that communities across the state are going to want to replicate,” said Prince William County Executive Chris Shorter. “We’ve designed it to meet the growing mental health needs of our residents, and we’re confident that once it’s up and running, others will follow our lead.”
The center’s construction is on schedule, but the uncertainty over Medicaid reimbursement remains a concern. The county estimates a potential shortfall of $8 million if the funding issue is unresolved. State lawmakers and the county’s congressional delegation are urged to expedite the waiver process and push for legislative changes to ensure the facility can operate fully.
Prince William County is navigating challenges as it seeks to balance the growing demand for data centers with its aspirations for technological innovation and education, particularly around the George Mason University SciTech Campus.
This dynamic was discussed at the Prince William Board of County Supervisors meeting on September 10, when leaders and stakeholders expressed concerns over how the expansion of data centers could impact the county's economic growth potential, particularly at the college's Innovation District, outside Manassas.
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The Prince William Board of County Supervisors unanimously voted to extend the payment deadline for personal property taxes from October 7 to December 5, 2024. This new deadline aligns with the due date for real estate taxes. However, as previously scheduled, the Business Tangible Personal Property Tax will remain due on October 7, 2024.
The decision to extend the personal property tax deadline aims to provide relief to residents who would otherwise have to make two substantial tax payments within a short timeframe. Some board members raised concerns about the potential strain on retirees and others living on fixed incomes who might struggle to meet both tax obligations simultaneously.
The board also discussed the methodology for assessing vehicle values, which has been a point of contention. Under the Virginia Code, localities must use a nationally recognized pricing guide for vehicle assessments. Prince William County currently uses the clean trade-in value provided by the J.D. Power (NADA) pricing guide, which reflects actual vehicle sales and auctions in the region.
Approximately 95% of all vehicles in the county are assessed using this guide, which remains the standard for most jurisdictions in Virginia. However, some supervisors questioned whether the county should continue relying on this system for future assessments.
This extension of the personal property tax deadline is seen as a temporary measure to help ease financial stress, but discussions on long-term tax reforms, including vehicle assessment methods, are likely to continue.
American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) will invest $54.7 million to expand its campus in Prince William County with a new biomanufacturing facility focused on global health. The expansion will create 75 new jobs and further ATCC’s mission to provide scientists with essential biomaterials for critical life science research. Virginia successfully competed against Maryland to secure the project. The Virginia Economic Development Partnership, alongside Prince William County, facilitated the deal, with Governor Glenn Youngkin approving an $800,000 grant to support the project. ATCC’s expansion highlights the continued growth of Virginia’s life sciences sector, a vital industry for global health and national security.
Press release:
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The Prince William Board of County Supervisors has approved the use of condemnation and quick-take powers to acquire properties needed for the Route 1 road widening project between Brady’s Hill Road in Dumfries and Route 234.
The project will expand Route 1 northbound into a six-lane divided roadway while converting the southbound portion (Main Street) into a two-lane road. The total budget for the project is $19.4 million, funded through federal, state, and regional Northern Virginia transportation sources.
