This post is part of our Project:Election series, our annual look at candidates running for local office.Â
- Election Day is November 5.Â
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Doug Taggart, an engineer and small business owner, is running to become the Potomac District Supervisor for Prince William County. His focuses include transportation and improved business development in the county.
Name: Doug Taggart
Party: Republican
Town: Dumfries
Running for: Supervisor Potomac District
Website: dtaggartforsupervisor.com
Work: President of a Small Business
Education: US Coast Guard Academy (BSEE) & Purdue University (MSEE)
Community Involvement:Â Board Member Montclair Property Owners Association (1997-present)
President & CEO Azalea Charities, Inc. (1999-present)
Montclair Lions Club (1995 – present)
Hylton Crew Boosters President (1996-2000)
PWC Industry Development Authority (Jan 2019 – present)
Questions and Answers
PL:Â What are the top three major issues facing the district you wish to represent?Â
Taggart: Transportation, Schools, Jobs
PL:Â What concrete solutions do you propose to address these issues?
Taggart: I will take good ideas from wherever they originate, listen with an open mind to opposing views, and work cooperatively with other members of the Board of Supervisors to advance smart and judicious ideas that will benefit all of us.
PL: From your perspective, what is the job description of the office you’re seeking?
Taggart: Represent constituents at the local government level in the development and approval of annual budgets; conduct legislative activities impacting the county; (ordinances, tax rates, appointments); manage the development of land use plans, coordinate with other governmental activities impacting Prince William County.
PL: What expertise will you bring to the office?
Taggart: As an engineer I appreciate the complexity of issues. I enjoy the challenge of thinking of ways to make things work better and paying attention to detail. I bring to the job 22 years of serving as a Board member on the Montclair Property Owners Association. In addition I have 20+ years serving as a U.S. Coast Guard officer and an additional 10+ years serving as the President & CEO of a small business providing professional engineering and technical services to the Department of Defense. These management duties have prepared me well for the challenges of working with a broad spectrum of issues as a member of the Board of County Supervisors for Prince William County.
PL: Do you feel that the average citizen is well-informed and understands the workings of local government?
Taggart: From August 2005 to August 2006, I applied for and was accepted as a Congressional Science and Engineering fellow serving on the staff of a member of Congress during the second session of the 109th Congress. The fellowship program (I was 1 of 30 total fellows selected that year) was coordinated by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). One of the key takeaways I had from that experience was that when constituents speak, you need to listen as those that take the time to make an inquiry know the issues and have strong feelings on those issues.
If I am afforded the opportunity to serve as a member of the PWC Board of Supervisors I will dedicate myself to keeping constituents informed through a wide and diverse collection of communication technologies, e.g., newsletters, social media venues, interviews, townhalls, etc…
PL: Have you ever made any mistakes in your public life? How have they affected you?
Taggart: I have not made any mistakes in my public life but rather I would suggest that I have been very fortunate in my life experiences and believe that my educational background, my community service activities, and the support of my family have prepared me well to continue to serve as a member of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors.
PL:Â Our readers want leaders in local government. Why should they vote for you?
Taggart: My leadership experiences are founded on my years as a Coast Guard Officer, a Small Business President and CEO, the President & CEO of a non-profit organization (Azalea Charities, Inc.) that raises funds to support a dual mission (Aid for Wounded Warriors and youth and special needs projects in our local Northern Virginia area). I ask people to consider voting for me because I will promise to listen with an open mind to the advice and ideas of the business leaders, parents, students, teachers, first responders, and all those who comprise the backbone of our community to make Prince William County an even greater place to live, work, and do business.
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