Seketta Z. “Zee” Skoloda is running to be the next Clerk of the Circuit Court for Stafford County.
Potomac Local sent a questionnaire to Skoloda and he sent us the responses below:
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PL: What are the top three major issues facing the district you wish to represent?
Skoloda: Ensure the highest quality of service. Update technology and training. Improve accessibility.
PL: What concrete solutions do you propose to address these issues?
Skoloda: Establish a transition team to evaluate the operation of the office. Seek the input of the court family including on staff personnel. Network with neighboring Clerk of Court Offices. Reach out to other Stafford administrative offices where similar improvements and upgrades have been instituted.
PL: From your prospective, what is the job description of the office you’re seeking?
Skoloda: The Clerk of the Circuit Court is a constitutional officer elected to an eight-year term. The clerk’s duties are twofold: to administer the Circuit Court’s judicial proceedings and serve as record keeper for the county.
The Clerk’s Office is reflective of our county, our government and our democracy. It is a repository of our county’s records; marriage licenses, business names–trade and fictitious, deeds, judgments, jury summons, and other records. The office of the Clerk of Court is the face of Stafford County to those who seek this information.
PL: What expertise will you bring to the office?
Skoloda: Among the attributes I will bring to the office are honesty, integrity and a passion for customer service and accuracy in our records management. I have experience with the Virginia Court System as well as with Maryland and the Federal System.
I have risen to positions of leadership and have experience supervising, training, budgeting and administering in very related fields. My experience includes: Child Support Enforcement Case Worker in Prince Georges County, Maryland. Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D. C. Commonwealth of Virginia’s Division of Forensic Science Laboratory. Magistrate in Virginia’s 15th Judicial District.
PL: Do you feel that the average citizen is well-informed and understands the workings of local government? If not, how do you intend on improving communication with your constituency?
Skoloda: I feel the average citizen believes that he or she understands the workings of local government, especially if that citizen is an active voter. Making sure that understanding is correct is best accomplished by transparency and accessibility. I will ensure that the level of customer service provided is friendly, competent and professional. I will maximize the use of technology to enhance access to needed records.
PL: Have you ever made any mistakes in your public life? How have they effected you?
Skoloda: Everyone makes mistakes, but the mistakes are experience too. Mistakes have effected me as education and training has effected me. Learn, adapt and improve and of course, remember what your goals are.
PL: Our readers want leaders in local government. Why should they vote for you?
Skoloda: Stafford County has grown in the last eight years. It has grown tremendously in the last twenty years and it will grow even faster and different in the next few years. I will lead an office that stays attuned to the need for an accurate and complete repository of our important records and documents while meeting the current demands and planning for the future challenges.
The Woodbridge District in Prince William County is one that is undergoing massive redevelopment.
Once one of the first major areas in the county to grow, new developments, and redevelopment along the Route 1 corridor are bringing in not only new residents, but new businesses like the Apple Store that are locating to the region for the first time.
Steve Chapman won a June Republican Primary Election, and was selected by his party to face incumbent Democrat Frank Principi.
Potomac Local sent a questionnaire to Chapman and he sent us the responses below:
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PL: What are the top three major issues facing the district you wish to represent?
Chapman: Traffic, overcrowding in schools/failing test scores, customer/constituent services
PL: What concrete solutions do you propose to address these issues?
Chapman: Traffic- 1. Better timing of lights
2. Stronger voice to get Woodbridge our fair share of the new gas tax
3. Improved communication- Regular progress updates- town hall, email and web
4. Champion- Adequate Public Facilities Ordinances-better roads, schools and ball fields before approval of new housing developments Over Crowding- Woodbridge is two elementary schools behind. Currently, the school board requires 20-acre site for an elementary school to be built.
Woodbridge does not have the sites this size available but there is several 15 acre sites. I would ask the school board to make exceptions in order to use the smaller site. Currently Belmont, Potomac View and Featherstone are on similar smaller size sites.
Further, I would work with local community groups and churches to solicit volunteers and mentors to help children with their school work to raise test scores. Little things mean a lot.
As I’ve knocked on over 4,000 doors neighborhood by neighborhood I have heard concerns and frustrations about the little things that negatively affect Woodbridge’s quality of life and diminish our property values. Taking care of the little things like finish walking and bike paths that have been promised and not completed, more policing in hot spots, add speed bumps and stop signs where there is excessive speeding. enforce spot blight laws, increase funding for neighborhood services will establish trust, pride and make our community stronger, safer and more prosperous.
PL: From your prospective, what is the job description of the office you’re seeking?
Chapman: I see it as an opportunity to build and shape a community to positively impact the lives of my neighbors. I see the Supervisor job as chief cheerleader for everything good; chief communicator for news, updates, and events; chief helper, vision caster, and advocate for hard-working people.
PL: What expertise will you bring to the office?
Chapman: My passion and heart is for improving the lives and perception of Woodbridge. As a small business owner for 21 years I know service, I know listening to customers, I know working together and collaborating to get things done.
As a communications major in college I know the importance of regular, active communication with all stakeholder. Woodbridge is blessed to have many cultures but it lacks a sense of community. Ive helped create community with my Rotary Club and with my annual community easter egg hunt, we want to bring Woodbridge together.
PL: Do you feel that the average citizen is well-informed and understands the workings of local government? If not, how do you intend on improving communication with your constituency?
Chapman: I will have regular open office hours, monthly newsletters, quarterly town hall meetings, attend HOA meetings, website with a work in progress status update so citizens can see where we are in the progress on specific projects. This will bring accountability and also show our achievements. My intention is to engage the community more so they will be more involved in our progress.
PL: Have you ever made any mistakes in your public life? How have they effected you?
Chapman: I have not been elected so I don’t have public life, that said, I admire public officials that know they are not the smartest guy/girl in the room, work with others to get the best ideas, and are hard, focused workers to get things done.
PL: Our readers want leaders in local government. Why should they vote for you?
Chapman: I agree people are tired of politics and tired of politicians. Their is no place for partisanship when it comes to local office. Partisans divide, they choose winners and losers, haves and have nots.
We look at small, petty bickering and the lack of progress in D.C. and Richmond. People want leaders, they want someone who cares. I have fresh ideas and lots of energy to improve my hometown. My view of leadership as I am the chief servant.
I am the type of leader who has always challenged status quo, a tireless worker who has brought people together, listened to them, built consensus and utilized their God given gifts to unleash their potential. If people want the opportunity to create a community, get involved and make a difference then they would want to vote for me.
Scott Walker on the road to the White House made a stop in Prince William County on Saturday.
The Republican Wisconsin Governor rallied the county’s GOP faithful while touting himself as a reformer different from most Republicans in office.
“We need someone who can put reform back into government, for the “R” next to our names,” said Walker.
Walker called the Obama presidency an “abysmal failure” due the president’s lack of executive leadership in government or business prior to being elected, and promised to continue the effort to repeal Obamacare, and the Iran nuclear inspections treaty on his first day in office.
Walker also advocated for a larger military, noting the nation should adopt a Ronald Regan-era policy of a large military to achieve “peace through strength.”
Shortly after he was elected governor of Wisconsin, Walker introduced legislation to limit the collective bargaining abilities of unions. Mass protests formed, and a recall election was held where Walker became the first U.S. state governor to defeat an opponent in a recall.
The Republican came to Prince William County after a rally at the University of Virginia. Walker tasked Virginia State Senator Mark Obenshain to lead the effort to collect enough signatures to get him onto he ballot for the Primary Elections next year.
The has longed served as a bellwether for the state, and has been visited by a presidential candidate of both major parties of the past two presidential elections.
Walker is the frist presidential candidate of the 2016 race to visit Prince William County.
“Prince William County has changed a lot. Just 10 short years ago we were just a rural stop in Virginia that supplied beef and dairy to Washington, D.C.,” Gainesville District Supervisor Peter Candland told a GOP crowd before Walker spoke. “Politicians from Washington, D.C., even politicians from Richmond did not pay us that much attention. That has changed. Whether you have migrated from Fairfax County or all the way from El Salvador or India, Prince William County has become a place for prosperity.”
The Walker rally was held at “the hut” on Prince William Parkway, the small house that serves as the GOP headquarters for the region. Several candidates that are vying for local offices, to include the 36th District Virginia Senate seat for Fairfax, Prince William, and Stafford, and two Prince William County School Board seats spoke.
“Everyone north of us next year is going to vote blue. Almost everyone south of us next year is going to vote red. Prince William County is a pivotal county in 2016,” said Tim Singstock, who is running to replace Milton Johns, who is stepping down as the Chairman of the Prince William County School Board.
Dumfries Mayor Gerald “Jerry” Foreman seeks the 36th District Seat and is running against Delegate Scott Surovell. Foreman said Surovell has outspent the Foreman campaign three to one, and that polls show he is 2 points behind his Democratic rival.
“I’m right where I need to be,” said Foreman. “Two percent… he’s looking over his shoulder, he’s right in front of me.”
Prince William County Young Republicans Chairman Terrance Boulden organized the rally. Boulden was celebrated for helping to bring a national candidate to stump in the region.
Micheal C. May won special election 2007 to serve on the Prince William County Board of Supervisors.
He replaced Corey Stewart who went on to become the chairman of the board. During his time on the board, May has gained a reputation of being a moderate on the county’s governing board.
He’s argued for lower tax rates, but he’s also argued for funding government programs and services that are popular with county taxpayers.
Now May has his eyes set on the Prince William County Courthouse. He says his experience in local government and his work as an attorney has prepared him to be the region’s top prosecutor.
He’s running against Paul Ebert, a man who has held the job since 1968. He’s also one of Virginia’s most decorated prosecutors.
Potomac Local sent a questionnaire to May and he sent us the responses below:
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PL: What are the top three major issues facing the district you wish to represent?
May: We have to address the challenges of our growing and dynamic community. As the next Commonwealth’s Attorney, I will: keep our neighborhoods safe, modernize the office, and actively engage our diverse population to enhance public safety and crime prevention.
PL: What concrete solutions do you propose to address these issues?
May: As your next Commonwealth’s Attorney, I will ensure we have the best and brightest lawyers serving as our prosecutors, and I will work with them to bring those who commit crimes in our community to justice.
We will modernize the office by employing new technologies to keep citizens informed. We will also ensure appropriate transparency during criminal prosecutions so that cases are not overturned for violations of Due Process (as has occurred under the incumbent’s watch).
Finally, we will implement a proactive community outreach plan to engage with our dynamic and diverse population. We need to enhance crime prevention, rather than passively waiting for crimes to occur and addressing them after the fact.
PL: From your prospective, what is the job description of the office you’re seeking?
May: The position of Commonwealth’s Attorney (prosecutor) is one of the most important positions in the government because the power to take one’s life or liberty is the most awesome power that government can wield.
The ultimate check on that power thus appropriately rests with the citizens through the popular vote. Accordingly, the elected Commonwealth’s Attorney establishes the policies that reflect our community’s values, and ensures that his or her staff and assistant Commonwealth’s Attorneys serve the citizens in a manner consistent with those values.
The job necessarily requires oversight, management and legal skills. The elected Commonwealth’s Attorney must ultimately ensure justice for our community.
PL: What expertise will you bring to the office?
May: As a Member of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors for the past eight years, I have been intimately involved in management, oversight, and setting policy direction for the Prince William community; particularly in the area of public safety.
We have had some great success in this area and we are fortunate to have such a hardworking and dedicated police force working to keep us safe. In addition to being a Member of the Board of County Supervisors, I have also spent the past ten years as a successful trial attorney for a private law firm, Albo & Oblon, LLP. During that time, I have successfully litigated jury and bench trials in the federal courts and several state courts throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia.
This combination of policy, management and legal experience is the ideal background for this important office.
PL: Do you feel that the average citizen is well-informed and understands the workings of local government? If not, how do you intend on improving communication with your constituency?
May: Unfortunately, the average citizen is not well-informed on local government issues. It is the responsibility of elected leaders in all areas of government to proactively reach out to the community to keep it informed of important issues.
This has simply not occurred with the current administration. Instead, under the leadership of the 47 year incumbent, the office has lost touch with our community and I will change this if elected.
For example, we will have frequent public safety related town hall meetings; we will use social media and other means of communication to keep citizens informed; we will partner with our schools, civic groups, and faith organizations to develop a more well-informed public; and, we will implement a proactive outreach plan targeted particularly to the many new immigrant communities who may not understand and actually fear our criminal justice system.
If people do not trust or have confidence in the system, it will not function and it is the responsibility of elected leaders to build that trust. This will take hard work and dedication beyond just a 9-5 workday, but I am up for the challenge and ready to tackle it on day one.
PL: Have you ever made any mistakes in your public life? How have they effected you?
May: I am sure that I have made mistakes, in both my private life and public life. Mistakes are a part of being a human being.
All you can do is own up to them and try to learn from them. This makes you a better person and a better elected official. As I have considered the question, I cannot point to one defining mistake that has changed the very manner in which I comport myself as a public official.
However, you can be sure that every experience, whether a success or failure, has helped to shape who I am as a person and my service to our community.
PL: Our readers want leaders in local government. Why should they vote for you?
May: I have been honored to serve our community over the past eight years on the Prince William Board of County Supervisors. During this time, I have always sought to build upon the trust and confidence that our community has placed in me. Leadership is about putting our community first.
If given the opportunity to serve as the next Commonwealth’s Attorney, I will always remember that the office does not belong to me; rather, it belongs to the citizens of Prince William, Manassas, and Manassas Park. This election is about our future, and I am ready to lead the Office of Commonwealth’s Attorney as we modernize and bring it in the 21st Century.
Some candidates rise and fall with their party affiliation. For others, it simply doesn’t matter.
For example, take candidates running for school board in Virginia. A provision in the state code mandates all candidates for school board run without the affiliation of a political party and seek offices as independent.
In the 2015 race for Prince William County School Board Chairman, candidate Ryan Sawyers is endorsed by the Prince William Democratic Committee and Tim Singstock won an endorsement by the Prince William County Republican Committee. Tracy Conroy is running as an independent.
When voters go to the polls, they won’t see a letter on the ballot denoting any party affiliation.
“Parties can endorse anyone they want to, but party endorsement is different from party declaration on a ballot,” said Diana Dutton, with the Prince William County Office of Elections.
State law requires ballots only show political affiliation for offices such as Governor, Lt. Governer, Attorney General, House of Delegates, Virginia Senate, and congressional offices.
Also on the list of no required political affiliation — candidates for boards of supervisors, and those seeking office on a town or city council with a charter that doesn’t require naming political affiliation.
At Potomac Local, we do note party affiliation for candidates even if Virginia law states candidates don’t have to.
We work hard to cover local elections in Prince William and Stafford counties, and the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park. It is our job to tell our readers that parties endorse candidates.
After all, a political party that lends its endorsement to a candidate must believe that person is the best person who would best represent that party’s views while serving in office. These candidates are also more likely to receive donations from like-minded voters of these respective parties.
You can get a full list of candidates — and information about their affiliation or endorsements — at projectelection.com.
Kandy Hilliard is no stranger to the political landscape in Stafford County. She served as the Aquia District representative on the Board of Supervisors from 2001 to 2005.
The Democrat lists helping to secure $30 million in fundng to preserve the Crow’s Nest Natural Area, a sprawling wetland area on the Potomac and Accokeek creeks in Stafford County as one of her many accomplishments.
Today, she’s going up against longtime incumbent Republican Bill Howell. He’s served the 28th district, which includes portions of Stafford and King George counties, and Fredericksburg, for 27 years. He’s also been the Speaker of the House since 2003.
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PL: What are the top three major issues facing the district you wish to represent?
Hilliard: Reducing traffic congestion, adequate funding for schools, bringing living wage jobs to our community.
PL: What concrete solutions do you propose to address these issues?
Hilliard: When talking about these three issues, Medicaid expansion is a big piece of the puzzle. According to the Commonwealth Institute, Medicaid Expansion would give over 195,000 Virginians health insurance, improving the health of our workforce. It also brings 30,000 good paying jobs to Virginia. With three local hospitals, one that already laid off over 60 people, I think it makes good sense to bring good paying jobs to our community.
I believe it is critically important to work with our local, state and national partners to leverage every resource available to us. That helps us keep taxes low. Medicaid Expansion would bring $1.7 billion to the General Fund. Based on current trends in the Virginia budget, we spend 30% of the General Fund on public education. This could mean an additional $515 million in the state budget for our public schools. It makes good economic sense, and that is why so many other states have accepted the expansion.
Additionally, HOT lanes cannot be our only solution to traffic gridlock. They are too costly and they dump out right here in Stafford. We need to invest in public transit (VRE, Metro, and bus service). Wouldn’t it be nice if VRE operated going both ways so people could use it to travel during off hours? It is also critical that we prioritize infrastructure, and ensure that we build complete streets that are safe for drivers and pedestrians. We need to be thinking long term about transportation solutions.
PL: From your prospective, what is the job description of the office you’re seeking?
Hilliard: I believe the person elected to this office should be a representative for the people of the 28th District. Your Delegate should be fighting for the welfare and of all residents, businesses and organizations in the district. This job requires you to listen to all sides of an issue, bring forward legislation and vote based on what is best for the community as a whole. Your Delegate needs to be accessible to the people, prudent with our tax dollars, and able to make the tough governing decisions that improve the everyday lives of the people of the 28th district.
PL: What expertise will you bring to the office?
Hilliard: I am an expert in early childhood education. I have started a small business and co-founded a non-profit in this field. I have also served on the Stafford Board of Supervisors, so I have a close up and personal understanding of the needs and challenges of local government. I grew up in this community and I raised my family here. My husband travels I95 everyday to get to work. I believe my family is very representative of the people of this district, and this gives me a strong understanding of the needs of our community. I want to go to Richmond to fight for the people of the 28th District.
PL: Do you feel that the average citizen is well-informed and understands the workings of local government? If not, how do you intend on improving communication with your constituency?
Hilliard: I believe most people know what they want from their government, however the challenges facing our community are complex and procedures can be arduous. It is the role of an elected official to help citizens navigate the process and find the information they need. I will be accessible to constituents. I plan to keep the community informed through my website, newsletter, social media, and community events.
PL: Have you ever made any mistakes in your public life? How have they effected you?
Hilliard: We are all human and we all make mistakes. There have been times in my public life that I have regretted coming out too quickly on an issue before hearing all perspectives. This happened when I was on the Board of Supervisors, fighting to protect Crow’s Nest from development. I had initially committed to one course of action but had to change direction when I learned that we could access different resources. In the end, I secured $30 Million of Virginia Resources Authority Funds from then Secretary of Natural Resources, Tayloe Murphy, to purchase the land. We had a favorable outcome, but I learned the importance of hearing from all stakeholders before committing to a specific course of action.
PL: Our readers want leaders in local government. Why should they vote for you?
Hilliard: I am ready to go to Richmond to fight for the people of the 28th District – not special interests that have too great an influence over our legislators. I will focus on finding common ground to bring solutions to our challenges. I will be accessible to you when you have a question or concern. I will focus on improving the lives people in our community every single day, and I will do it with integrity and honesty.
Ruth Anderson is dipping her toe into local politics for the first time and is running to be the next Occoquan District representative on the Prince William County Board of Supervisors.
It’s a seat currently held by Mike May, who is running for Prince William County Commonwealth Attorney.
Anderson faces Earine Porta, the former mayor of Occoquan. She is the wife of Delegate Richard Anderson who has represented the 51st District in Prince William County at the House of Delegates in Richmond since 2010.
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PL: What are the top three major issues facing the district you wish to represent?
Anderson: My overall campaign theme is, “Bring Prince William Home.” This theme helps me express my vision for Prince William County.
Prince William County is a beautiful, historic place to live and play. But, there is one major problem: we don’t have enough living wage jobs in Prince William County (with recruitment and retention incentives) to allow our residents the option of working where they live. I believe our residents choose Prince William County because there are many residential options, because they can commute to the many high quality jobs in the Washington, D.C. metro area and because the taxes are lower than counties closer to the Washington, D.C. metro area.
However, once new residents find a home and get settled, they discover that commutes are long and frustrating, family-time is hard to come by, some schools are overcrowded with teachers looking elsewhere for work and that homeowners are carrying about 85% of the burden of necessary tax revenue to support core government services and desired programs. Therefore, to “Bring Prince William Home”, I will advocate for:
Bringing more businesses into Prince William County — small businesses and large businesses that can offer high quality, career-enhancing, living wage jobs. This will give Prince William County residents:
More options for working where they live and play
Property tax relief. Currently businesses provide about 14% of the tax revenue in Prince William County. It should be about 30% to balance tax revenues between homeowners and businesses; it is often the middle price-range homes (and therefore the middle-class families) that get hit the hardest when assessments go up (even though rates might stay the same or decrease a bit)
More tax revenue to support “state of the art” core government services such as public safety, education, roads, economic development, and social services…in essence, we will be bringing Prince William dollars home.
An option of less commute time on major thoroughfares crisscrossing Prince William County
More options for business-school partnerships for the secondary schools and colleges
PL: What concrete solutions do you propose to address these issues?
Anderson: In order to provide incentives for more commercial businesses to move into Prince William County the Board of County Supervisors needs to:
Continue to phase out the Business, Professions, Occupations License (BPOL) tax on businesses in Prince William County. Currently, businesses are assessed a license tax based on gross receipts for the prior year if gross receipts are over $250,000 (threshold raised to $300,000 recently).
Ensure our schools are “High Quality” for preparing students for college and other post-secondary
School job-training programs
Ensure our roads allow easy access to and from the business sites
Ensure there are “millennial-friendly” residential options
Ensure land development plans are a balanced mixture of commercial and residential space with appropriate proffers that ensure no negative impact on core government services
Analyze the County Planning/Permit Departments processes…are they working with the customers/development community to encourage commercial growth? What are the obstacles? What slows the processes? Let’s encourage the American Dream through “user-friendly” planning and permit processes in Prince William County.
Leverage available space (specifically in Occoquan District) as an “enterprise zone,” a hub for entrepreneurial millennials with ideas.
PL: From your perspective, what is the job description of the office you’re seeking?
Anderson: To represent the residents and businesses in the Occoquan District on the Board of County Supervisors, in all decisions about budget, strategic planning and all core government services. To actively lead communication programs and constituent services for those who live and work in the Occoquan District. To work with the other members of the Board of County Services to ensure a comprehensive vision and plans for Prince William County and ensure excellent fiscal management and accountability.
PL: What expertise will you bring to the office?
Anderson: Many years of leadership experience. Lots of energy and drive to help find solutions to the challenges and to advocate for the opportunities that are available to Prince William County.
I am anxious to excel at constituent services.
PL: Do you feel that the average citizen is well-informed and understands the workings of local government? If not, how do you intend on improving communication with your constituency?
Anderson: Many citizens are informed and involved…PWC has an impressive number of civic organizations, volunteer organizations and a myriad of activist individuals and groups who keep themselves informed and propose solutions to challenges.
However, as I meet hundreds of residents all across the district, I find a substantial number of people who do not know which districts (county, state, federal) they reside in and who represents them. I show them maps and encourage them to get involved, based on their interests. When elected I will encourage involvement by all residents through speaking engagements, social media, newsletters, etc. Involvement leads to knowledge.
PL: Have you ever made any mistakes in your public life? How have they affected you?
Anderson: I have learned over many years of leading groups of people that you can never listen enough. I will constantly strive to ensure that I listen and seek out all sides of an issue.
PL: Our readers want leaders in local government. Why should they vote for you?
Anderson: As the Occoquan District Supervisor, my first priority will be to protect the taxpayers. I believe that people make better choices with their hard-earned money than government does, and I’ll fight every day for the taxpayers of Prince William County. For too long, our Board of County Supervisors has raised taxes and increased spending. Now Prince William County has the highest tax rate in Northern Virginia, and we still have – crowded classrooms, clogged roads, stagnant wages, and bloated government. I will be a servant leader who respects the taxpayer.
Issues
Growing the Local Economy
Prince William County is a beautiful, historic place to live and play, but we can all agree that we don’t have enough living wage jobs. When citizens can choose to live and work in the same community, then they’ll spend less time on the road and more time with their families.
We need to re-think our Economic Development strategy in PWC. Our county needs to aggressively offer incentives to grow the economy and our economic development staff needs to focus on recruiting employers. I’m tired of seeing employers move to Fairfax and Stafford Counties instead of PWC.
Business owners are also frustrated with an increasing amount of “red tape” in the processes for starting or expanding businesses. It’s nearly impossible for a business to expand, let alone a new business to open. I’ll push to expose and erase these barriers to inspire job creation so that our local economy can flourish.
Getting Taxes Under Control
Prince William County has the highest tax rate in Northern Virginia and one of the highest tax rates in the entire state. Our neighboring counties have cut taxes and now their economies are growing. For the last four years, our Board of County Supervisors rejected proposals to hold the line on taxes. Instead they have voted to raise taxes. Now a working family can go to Fairfax, Loudoun, Fauquier or Stafford Counties and pay lower tax rates. In fact, just this year the PWC BOCS voted to raise property taxes another 20%. It’s time to do something about this.
Budget Accountability
Just recently some local politicians voted to spend YOUR MONEY to build the most expensive high school in the entire Commonwealth of Virginia. The plans include pools and a theater with a powered orchestra lift…this is not the approach we need when schools have overcrowded classrooms. And, instead of giving the taxpayers some relief to improve our roads, a decision was approved to spend 11 million dollars to bury some power lines. The bottom line is that there is plenty of pork in the county budget, but there is not enough political courage to stand up and do what’s right. I want to cut wasteful spending and restore taxpayer accountability.
Education
Our teachers deserve a pay raise, our classrooms should meet student to teacher ratio standards and our parents deserve more educational options. Bottom line…our kids deserve the best education we can provide and our taxpayers deserve a transparent budget. The excuses need to end, and I’ll stand up to fight for real results.
Transportation
Just like you, I’ve spent my fair share of time stuck in traffic. We’ve spent a lot of money in recent years but the congestion seems to keep getting worse. I believe we need to spend our limited dollars on projects that will actually relieve traffic congestion.
John Jenkins has been the Neabsco District Supervisor in Dale City for more than 30 years. When it comes to streetlight issues in Prince William County, you’d be hard pressed to find one he’s not familiar with.
Jenkins said the county will continue to grow. And that it will need a sound education policy and better transportation options in order to grow the right way.
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PL: What are the top three major issues facing the district you wish to represent?
Jenkins: Education (Class size, salary, higher level opportunities, work-force development)
Transportation (Roads, trains, buses, engineering)
Public Safety (Police, Fire & Rescue & Community Development)What concrete solutions do you propose to address these issues?
Education: We must reduce class size in our K-12 schools and improve classroom teacher salaries. I plan to work with our Community Colleges, George Mason University and other institutions of higher learning to provide in-county vocational and technical educational opportunities for our K-12 school population as well as for graduate and undergraduate programs. Workforce training needs and deserves particular attention. I will continue to support creation of the workforce facilities which are now under construction at the Woodbridge campus of the Northern Virginia Community College. I am a former per diem substitute teacher in Prince William County schools and Adjunct faculty member at American University. I also worked as an adjunct member of the Prince William Northern VA Community College at Woodbridge, VA.
Transportation: During my 33 years as a member of the Board of Supervisors I have been a strong supporter of building new roads and streets throughout the County. Our BOCS took on the responsibility of road construction even though the Virginia Department of Transportation should have been doing it. We realized that we had to do this if we wanted roads and streets built. In addition, we believed that Commuter Rail was necessary to help eliminate long lines of backup on I-95. I was one of the founders of the Virginia Railway Express (VRE) and have served two terms as Chairman. Also a founder, I have served two terms as Chairman of the Potomac & Rappahannock Transportation Commission (PRTC). VRE now transports 18,000 commuters daily while PRTC takes another 12,500 off the Interstate. I also serve as a member of the Washington Council of Governments Transportation Planning Board (TPB) which gives me the opportunity to advance transportation and transit projects which impact Prince William County. I will fully support extension of VRE to the Haymarket area of Prince William County and favor a new transit center for Western Prince William County.
Public Safety: I am a former Military Policeman, a former Army Intelligence Corps Agent, a former employee of the FBI Identification Division and have spent the last 33 years as a County Supervisor in a county with a fully accredited Police Department that has over 500 sworn officers. I have the necessary experience to work with the Police Department to fund and carry out law enforcement activities for a large urban county of over 450,000 residents. I believe we need at least two sworn officers for each 1000 of our residents. I support the Police Department Ride along program. I helped establish the Police academy and I fully support a mid-county police station. I am in support and helped establish The Fire & Rescue Asssociation. I fully support building of a new mid county Fire & Rescue Station.
PL: From your prospective, what is the job description of the office you’re seeking?
Jenkins: To provide leadership to the departments and senior executive staff of the county government. To establish goals and set the strategic direction for the county government. To fund county operations through judicious taxation and expenditure policies. We must have a strong economic development program which provides incentives for the location of new business and industry to the county. I fully support Project Innovation which has grown and solidified capital investment of over $1.7 Billion and makes Prince William County a major player in the United States data center market. I continue to support Innovation Park’s Simulation and Game Institute which is one of its kind in the world that was primarily established to support early-entry entrepreneurship in the simulation, modeling and game industry.
PL: What expertise will you bring to the office?
Thirty three years as Neabsco District Supervisor.
PL: Do you feel that the average citizen is well-informed and understands the workings of local government? If not, how do you intend on improving communication with your constituency?
I think that the average citizen is well informed on the workings of the Prince William County government. We have a two county wide TV channels which our Department of Communications can use for public information. We have frequent public hearings on issues which may be coming before the Board of Supervisors for action and we conduct workshops on any subject which is being implemented in the county government. I publish a monthly newsletter which includes information on items of interest to our citizens. We have a great county WEB site and I provide connectivity and a URL for my district WEB page to connect to the county and other external links.
PL: Have you ever made any mistakes in your public life? How have they affected you?
Jenkins: None to my knowledge
PL: Our readers want leaders in local government. Why should they vote for you?
I have a proven track record of leadership at the local and state level which includes service as a Lieutenant Colonel in the US Regular Army, State President of the Virginia Association of Counties, State President of the Virginia Planning District Commissions (two terms) and membership and leadership of numerous regional and local boards and commissions. I am a commissioner and Past Chairman of the Virginia Railway Express (VRE), and a commissioner and current Chairman of the Potomac & Rappahannock Transportation Commission (PRTC). In addition, I have been a leader in my church and numerous local civic organizations and was selected to receive the Boy Scouts of America Silver Beaver award. I have also served as a member of the Commonwealth’s Geographic Information Systems Network (VGIN). The Board of County Supervisors has elected me as their Chairman Emeritus for the past several years. I am the longest serving member of the Board.
The run for Neabsco District School Board member is a two-way race, as Joseph George will face Diane Raulston for the seat.
The seat is an open one, as incumbent Lisa Bell will not seek relelection to the post.
Potomac Local sent a survey to Joseph George who is running for the seat. His responses are below:
PL: What are the top three major issues facing the district you wish to represent?
George: 1. Ensuring that we are providing the best education for our students.
2. Ensuring that we keep the most capable teachers within our School District.
3. Ensuring that our District members, both parents and tax payers without children in the School District anymore, have a voice on decisions made that impact spending.
PL: What concrete solutions do you propose to address these issues?
George: 1 – Determine what programs are not working or being underutilized, and determine if there needs to be a re-focus conducted on them, or discard them all together. Additionally, determine which programs are working well (most bang for our buck) and figure out if more students can be involved to their advantage and our budget. Would work by prioritizing our critical needs and funding them properly.
PL: From your prospective, what is the job description of the office you’re seeking?
George: Representing the Neabsco District on the PWC School Board means to ensure that my District student’s needs are voiced to the rest of the Board Members, in order to make the best determination of how our dollars are spent, and what programs to promote. The students are my number one priority and as a watchdog, I must ensure that funds are spent properly. I must seek the advice from the community, because first and foremost, the schools belong to them, so their voices must be heard.
PL: What expertise will you bring to the office?
George: My expertise is one of a passionate parent, one that will seek out the hard answers and make the difficult decisions, based on community input. Additionally, I will take my experience as an Analyst, taking facts and assumptions, in order to make acceptable decisions, as well as my exposure as a Principal Advisory Council Chairman to understand the significance of expenditures.
PL: Do you feel that the average citizen is well-informed and understands the workings of local government? If not, how do you intend on improving communication with your constituency?
George: I’d hate to say that the average citizen is “well-informed” on local government, because it may not be their concern about what local government is doing. Many people I have met has told me that they feel like they have no say in what the School District does or does not do, due to the fact of not having a child in the system. Many do not understand that they still fund the School District with their tax-dollars, which makes the need for their voice to be heard as much as parents with students in our schools. A person’s sphere of influence is much larger than they know, if they put in a bit more effort to listen, ask questions, and seek out the truth.
PL: Have you ever made any mistakes in your public life? How have they effected you?
George: Working for the Department of Defense, I have made mistakes in my public life, but all of which I have learned from, improved through, and assisted others in not making those same mistakes. Mentoring and coaching individuals to become the best that they can be, I try to do on a daily basis.
PL: Our readers want leaders in local government. Why should they vote for you?
George: A vote for Joseph George means that the public’s voice will be heard (even those that do not vote for me will be heard as well) and I want them to have faith that I will make the tough choices, based on their input, as well as the input of my fellow Board Members. When decisions are to be made that may be unpopular, I will be the one to explain why the choice was made, and allow those that are disappointed in the decision to speak with me one-on-one or in a public forum. I want to ensure that I interact closely with my [would-be] counterpart on the County Board of Supervisors, Mr. John Jenkins, so that our District is in lock-step on what we are trying to accomplish. I am new to the political process, but I am not new to making tough choices that impact millions of dollars, and those decisions are not taken lightly.
