Dear Friends,
I apologize for interrupting your summer, but I felt it was important that you hear what happened during our meeting of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors.
On Tuesday, in a split vote, the Board of County Supervisors narrowly approved a Mobility and Park bond referendum that would add $396 million dollars in projects to the County’s ever-growing budget.
But here is the catch..there is no plan to pay for these projects.
While I’m supportive of the idea that voters should have the opportunity to vote for large projects in a bond referendum, I also believe it is the responsibility of elected officials to first have a plan on how to pay for those projects if they pass.
In November, voters will be asked if they want more roads built and if they want to add more park facilities. Who wouldn’t vote for that?
But what you will not be told is how much these new roads and parks will actually cost in your tax bill.
Make no mistake, there is no money in the current budget or 5-year plan to pay for the road and park projects in the Mobility and Parks referendum. That means the only ways to pay for these projects would be significantly higher taxes or new taxes, or both.
There is also the slim possibility that the County could cut current spending to pay for the new road and parks projects, but cutting spending has clearly not been in the DNA of this Board.
Before you vote in November, every taxpayer is owed the full truth on how much these projects will cost.
Simply put, how much will your property tax bill go up?
But the advocates for the bonds refuse to direct the staff to disclose that tax impact because they know it will endanger their grand plans to build these roads and parks.
You have my commitment that I will demand the true tax impact number and will circulate it as widely as I can before November.
Many citizens spoke at the Board meeting, and have talked to me directly, about suspicions that the selected road improvements are just expanded road capacity for more development.
After seeing the way the road projects were cut out of the bond proposal during the meeting last night, including road improvements in the Gainesville District, I believe those suspicions are well founded.
Worse, unless the Supervisor made an affirmative commitment to support the referendum, all improvements in the District of that Supervisor were cut.
In the private sector, that would be called extortion.
We cannot continue to treat the taxpayers of Prince William County as a bottomless ATM machine.
You have my promise that I will continue to fight for the projects that best help the hard-working families in Prince William County.
My voting record has been consistent, and I will continue to fight for these projects to be included within the normal budgeting process. By doing so, we will be able to prioritize truly needed projects and have a clear understanding of the financial impacts of our decisions.
Thank you for the opportunity to serve you on the Board of County Supervisors and I will continue to fight for you every day.
Sincerely,
Pete Candland