In December of 2014, the Coalition to Protect Prince William County formed to defend the Rural Crescent, farms, homes, residential communities, and small businesses from the negative impacts of data center sprawl.
The Coalition feels a responsibility to the community to ensure that Gainesville district residents are made aware of the outsized donations to the Kerensa Sumers Gainesville district supervisor campaign from the data center industry AND from those residents who will directly benefit from the passage of the Digitial Gateway. We have never witnessed such a clear distinction between two candidates. Your vote tomorrow Feb. 21 is critical – see election details below.
Sumers outraises Weir with help from data center developers, Digital Gateway landowners | News | princewilliamtimes.com:
“Kerensa Sumers, the Democratic candidate in Tuesday’s (Feb. 21) special election for the Gainesville District supervisor’s seat, outraised Bob Weir, her Republican opponent, by more than two to one, collecting about $44,500 in donations to Weir’s $17,745.”
“Both Weir and Sumers are on the ballot for the Tuesday, Feb. 21 special election to fill the Gainesville District supervisor’s seat left vacant when former supervisor Pete Candland resigned in December over conflict of interest issues. Candland and his wife Robyn signed a contract to sell their home and 5.7 acres to Compass data centers, one of two data center companies seeking to develop the Digital Gateway.”
“Among Sumers’ donations, about 30%, or more than $13,000, came from landowners in the Digital Gateway planning area who have already signed contracts to sell their land to data center developers QTS or Compass, according to the projects’ rezoning applications.”
“Sumers’ largest single cash donation – $5,000 – came from the “Coalition for a Brighter PWC,” a political action committee formed by Mike Grossman, who owns a $1.8 million home on 10 acres on Trappers Ridge Court in Gainesville. Grossman and his eight Trappers Ridge Court neighbors have signed contracts to sell their land to Compass data centers as part of the Digital Gateway project, according to the project’s rezoning application.”
“Stanley Martin, the developer behind the Devlin Technology Park, provided Sumers’ third-largest contribution at $2,000.”
“Weir, meanwhile, received campaign cash from residents who have been active in the opposition to the Digital Gateway, the Devlin Technology Park and efforts to further develop the area formerly known as the rural crescent.”
For too long, the Gainesville district has been left without representation. NOW is our chance, with the Special Election tomorrow, Tuesday, Feb. 21 for the open Gainesville supervisor seat, to have a Gainesville district Supervisor on the Board of County Supervisors (BOCS) who will represent ALL of the Gainesville district, based on smart growth principals, sustainable land use practices, knowledge of how inter-agencies work together; and who will not be beholden to any outside influence.
With so much at stake, for the quality of life of thousands of residents, now is the time to consider the ramifications of your vote.
We are one Gainesville district, not bound by party affiliation, but bound by what is in the best interest of so many that chose to make the Gainesville district their home.
The industrialization of our beautiful area was NEVER even a whisper, and yet now that threat is a loud roar, created by those who are either afraid of living next to data center blight or those hoping to cash out to data center blight.
YOUR VOTE TOMORROW can prevent them from having the final say.
Here is more local coverage:
More staffers exit Prince William County as data center debate rages (potomaclocal.com):
“Data centers and the prospect of building more have continued to drive a wedge between neighbors who want to maintain their relatively quiet lifestyle in the suburban neighborhoods and developers and a majority of Democrats on the Board of County Supervisors who support rezoning more land for industrial use.”
“The project at Linton Hall and Devlin roads, the Devlin Road Technolgy Park, will return to the Board of Supervisors on March 7, 2023, after more than 90 people spoke to oppose the project.”
“About five labor union officials who stand to benefit from the project were the only supporters. Supervisors unanimously voted to defer the decision until March after a majority of Democrats on the board killed a motion to deny the rezoning, effectively ending the project.”
“The public hearing on the project is closed, so residents who attend the March 7 meeting won’t get to speak on the matter.”
“A Special Election on Tuesday, February 21, 2023, to decide the next Gainesville District Supervisor has also been dominated by data center discussions. Republican Bob Weir opposes building more data centers in the county’s rural lands, citing lacking electricity and water resources and the noise data centers generate when cooling the server farms inside the buildings.”
“Democrat Kerensa Sumers, who is largely funded by labor unions, calls for developing more data centers in rural areas to increase the county’s tax base. During a candidate forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters and the Prince William Committee of 100 held on February 9, Sumers said the Haymarket and Gainesville areas have been rural for too long and should be built out to resemble the Sudley Road corridor near Manassas.”
The $70,000 sprint for Gainesville District | Headlines | insidenova.com
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In-Person Voting on Election Day (Vote on Election Day | pwcvotes):
Date: Tuesday, February 21, 2023
Hours: 6:00 am – 7:00 pm
At all of the following locations:
