Citizens were recently treated to two more mind-numbing episodes in the surreal story of the Prince William Digital Gateway.
The July 13 Planning Commission meeting featured an exchange where Gainesville commissioner Rick Berry asked acting Planning Office Director Rebecca Horner why there was a work session scheduled to discuss the proposal when neither the Comprehensive Plan update nor the overlay district review was complete.
By Charles B. Roberts
Republicans have a monumental chance at beating Rep. Abigail Spanberger this November, but we need the right candidate in order to win this seat in November.
By Ian Lovejoy
President Biden’s federal asset tax, which is being sold as a tax on billionaires, could actually be imposed on millions of hardworking Americans, evolving to hit everyone who has a job or owns some form of assets.
By Kristen Barnes
This year, Stafford and the Fredericksburg region have a unique opportunity to fill an open seat in the newly created 7th U.S. Congressional District.
By Ben Baldwin
The economic illiteracy of this Board is astounding. Based on this budget, you need a lesson, so here goes:
In March of 2020 the stock market plummeted nearly 8,000 points and by April unemployment hit 15%. That same month, the Prince William Board of County Supervisors responded by increasing the average residential tax bill by almost $200 per family.
In April of 2021, with the economy still on its back and inflation creeping in, Prince William County residents got socked by their elected body with another hit to their wallet of over $300 on average.
Dr. Lucretia Brown was the first high-profile hire by Dr. LaTanya McDade, who took over as Prince William schools superintendent after Dr. Stephen Walts retired a year ago. Before coming to our area, Brown was the Deputy Superintendent of Equity, Accountability, and School Improvement for Allentown School District in Pennsylvania.
Now at Virginia’s second-largest school district, she’s made few public appearances and has yet to address the county School Board. In light of the recent focus on critically responsive teaching, a statewide gubernatorial election that put Critical Race Theory under a microscope, and a string of School Board meetings with parents demanding a more significant role in their children’s public-school education, it’s fair to say many of us are curious about her, and what she plans to do in her new role.
A fellow commissioner asked me following the aborted March 31 meeting of the Racial and Social Justice Commission (RSJC) the following question: “What do you [Mac Haddow] want to allow the Commission to make progress?”
I understand the frustration because I share it – albeit for vastly different reasons.
Data centers present a unique and exciting opportunity to enhance the lives of every single citizen of Prince William County by growing our commercial tax base, improving our schools, fixing our roadways and infrastructure, and increasing funding for first responders.
I have children in our school system, I drive our roads every day, I support local law enforcement and fire and rescue, I pay property taxes, and all of these endeavors are costing more and more money every year. We all know that we cannot just sit back while our student/teacher ratio keeps climbing. Our roads get more crowded, and our first responders continue to be stretched thin.
Firstly, the 25% increase in reported larcenies could be influenced by a lack of means to satisfy basic needs. The continuation of the coronavirus pandemic must lead to job loss, which could be a potential explanation for the rise.
Additionally, an individual’s lack of motivation to pursue other means of income, influence by peers or familial ties, or earlier life choices, like felonies, limiting workplace opportunities are other potential causes for the rise.
