A Prince William County Supervisor is calling for a review of how the Cities of Manassas and Manassas Park contribute to the operation of the Circuit Court Clerk’s Office, citing concerns about equity as the office expands its public service offerings and technology footprint.
During the April 1 meeting of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors, Coles District Supervisor Yesli Vega questioned whether the county’s two cities are paying their fair share under a longstanding Shared Services Agreement (SSA). Her comments followed a presentation by Clerk of the Circuit Court Jacqueline Smith, who requested county support for new technology upgrades and legislative action to recover lost revenues.
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In the first public meeting between the Board of County Supervisors and Prince William County Schools (PWCS) leadership on April 1, members from each body expressed their concerns over proposed cuts to public schools by President Donald Trump.
Since entering office on Jan. 20, Trump has released a flurry of executive orders targeting education, including an order to diminish the federal Department of Education. In late March, the department's workforce was reduced by 50% and many workers are being shifted to other federal departments.
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At the April 1 meeting, many of Prince William's Board of County Supervisors railed against Prince William County Schools (PWCS) administration in their budget asks for the fiscal year 2026.
PWCS' Board Chairman Dr. Babur Lateef, along with Superintendent LaTanya McDade, Ed.D., presented the adopted $1.89 billion operating and debt budget to the supervisors. This is a $111 million — or 6.2% — increase from last year's approved budget.
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The county's current noise ordinance, which hasn't been significantly updated since the 1990s, is being reviewed after residents pointed out the low-frequency noise produced by data centers.
"I've never seen an issue unite people across political parties, across every box, you can think of when it comes to the concerns and issues that have been raised by [the data centers]," Coles District Supervisor Yesli Vega said in the Board's March 18 meeting.
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Public transportation in Northern Virginia is seeing a significant rebound as ridership continues to climb on both Virginia Railway Express (VRE) trains and OmniRide commuter and local buses. However, transit leaders warn that increased demand may soon outpace available resources, especially for locally funded services.
During its March 2025 meeting, the VRE Operations Board reported that ridership in February topped 152,000 trips—despite only 19 service days and early-month weather disruptions. March figures are on pace to surpass that total significantly. With only 14 service days logged by mid-month, March had already recorded more than 162,000 trips. Average weekday ridership has climbed to more than 11,500 trips.
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While most of the budget remains unchanged from the initial presentation on Feb. 25, MCPS received clarity from the state — which provides 50% of the funding for the budget — on how much it would receive.
According to Taft Kelly, MCPS' director of finance, said an additional $330,000 would be given to the district. But, Kelly warned that Gov. Glenn Youngkin's budget has not yet been approved and likely won't be until April or May.
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“This is more than just a commuting road,” said Backmon. “It will be transformational—improving the quality of life, increasing access to jobs, and stimulating economic vitality.”
Backmon addressed the Dumfries Town Council on March 18, delivering an update on NVTA's investments in Prince William County and urging local leaders to prepare for an upcoming opportunity to apply for new transportation funding. The NVTA will issue its next Call for Projects this spring, covering fiscal years 2030 and 2031.
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A routine agreement for using school buses by Prince William County government agencies was anything but routine Tuesday, as the Board of County Supervisors raised sharp concerns over dramatic cost increases and deferred the decision for further negotiations.
The board voted 5-2 to defer action on the agreement until April 8, after supervisors questioned a 72% hike in hourly rates and a 66% jump in mileage fees proposed by Prince William County Public Schools.
The agreement would allow county departments—primarily Parks and Recreation—to use PWCS buses and drivers for programs such as summer camps and events like the Neabsco Boardwalk Holiday Walk of Lights. The proposed rate change would increase the hourly rate from $32 to $55 and the mileage fee from $1.50 to $2.50. A new clause would also require the county to provide insurance for the use of school buses—another point that drew criticism.
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At its March 18, 2025 meeting, the council discussed a $1.5 million project to extend the Riverwalk, with $1.2 million of the funding expected to come from a state grant. The expansion would add to the town’s popular waterfront path, increasing public access and improving walkability in the historic district.
Town Manager Adam Linn said the project timeline depends on whether the grant requires matching funds and whether that funding must be spent after the grant is awarded. If no match is required, work could begin as early as this spring—or if previously earmarked local funds can be used. Otherwise, construction may be delayed into Fiscal Year 2027.
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Despite renewed interest in expanding Metro to Prince William County, the region’s top transportation planner says it’s unlikely anytime soon.
Clark Mercer, Executive Director of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG), told the Prince William Board of County Supervisors on Tuesday that local leaders across the region have little appetite for billion-dollar rail expansions. Instead, regional planners are focused on improving existing services, including buses and infrastructure upgrades at current stations.
