Foster seeks House of Delegates 88 seat, stresses more education funding

Jess Foster, a criminal defense attorney from Remington, is running to represent District 88 in the House of Delegates. Mark Cole currently holds the seat.

Name: Jess Foster

Party: Democrat

Town: Remington

Running for: House of Delegates – District 88

Website: JessFoster.org, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter

Work: Criminal Defense Attorney

Education: High school in Belgium, then 3 years of law school in Belgium at Université Catholique de Louvain Northern VA Community College (Associates Degree in Criminal Justice)
George Mason (Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice)
Law school in Lansing, MI at Thomas M. Cooley Law School. Finally finished college in 2009.

Community Involvement: Active member of the Prince William County Bar Association for ten years. Participated in a number of community events organized through the bar association such as the Beat the Odds Banquet which provides scholarships to college for children who have come through the court system and have overcome adversity. I help with middle school tours of the court house. Providing pro-bono assistance to victims of domestic violence. Judging student-led mock trial competitions. Overall using my experience as a lawyer to give back to the community.

Questions and Answers

PL: What are the top three major issues facing the district you wish to represent? 

Foster: Education and transportation funding, affordable and accessible healthcare, over-development

PL: What concrete solutions do you propose to address these issues?

Foster: Fully fund education, change some of the smart scale parameters to affect prioritization for the Fredericksburg region, build upon Medicaid expansion, review regulations on proffers

PL: From your perspective, what is the job description of the office you’re seeking?

Foster: To represent the best interests of the residents of the 88th house district of Virginia. This requires hard work, transparency, and a willingness to set aside my own personal agenda.

PL: What expertise will you bring to the office?

Foster: I am a litigation attorney skilled in negotiation and advocacy. The key is to reach a common agreement by forming relationships and being a steadfast advocate.

PL: Do you feel that the average citizen is well-informed and understands the workings of local government?

Foster: No. Social media outreach and continued voter contact through emails, town halls, etc.

PL: Have you ever made any mistakes in your public life? How have they affected you?

Foster: In public life, no — but only because my public life has been short. I have made mistakes in my professional career. I’ve taken those experiences, learned from them, and taught others not to make those same mistakes. What is most important is to recognize we are all human, we all make mistakes, and it is always best to own those mistakes and learn from them, no matter how painful that can be.

PL: Our readers want leaders in local government. Why should they vote for you?

Foster: I have been making sure everyday people get a fair shake for 10 years. I have made sure they were well represented and I make client communication a priority in my law firm. I believe in a transparent and accessible government that works for the people (not corporate or self interests). I have the will and desire to work hard, just as I do in my law practice, to make sure the needs of the residents of my district are well represented in the General Assembly. By contrast, my opponent who has served for nearly two decades is anti-transparency, funded primarily by corporate interests, and puts his personal agenda ahead of the will (and the needs) of the people. He is inaccessible, unresponsive, and tows the party line.