The Future of Prince William County Depends On It     Dear Neighbor, In 10 hours, the polls for Prince William’s most important election in at least a generation will be open. If you’ve already voted - thank you. Please send a text to 10 friends or family members to follow your lead before 7pm tomorrow evening. The issues facing our county and the need for change have been well documented. To me, there are four core issues facing our citizens that cannot continue on with the status quo. Public Safety. Our Cost-of-Living. Land Use Policy. And a Quality Education for Our Children. Public Safety Increase Woefully Understaffed Police Department: We are 300 officers short of our own level-of-service standards needed to keep you and your family safe. We need to hire and retain more officers to deter and respond to crime. This is a moral imperative with our violent crime rate up 70% in the last four years and homicides at an all-time high. Elect a Commonwealth Attorney Who Will Actually Prosecute Crime: As violent crime is up 70%, prosecutions for felonies in PWC are down 70% in Amy Ashworth’s office. This is indefensible and has been putting the lives of our residents at risk. Full stop. Support For Those Who Serve: As a law enforcement officer, I know what it’s like not knowing if you’ll come home to your kids when strapping on the bullet proof vest. The very least we can do is offer moral support and incentives to those brave enough and willing to do the job. We must adequately compensate our brave men and women of law enforcement and stop playing allies with the Defund the Police crowd. Just last week, one of the leading Defund the Police organizations in the country endorsed not only my opponent, but Ms. Deshundra Jefferson and Josh King, the candidate for Sheriff, as well. This wasn’t an accident. They were endorsed for a reason and are going to be expected to deliver. Helping Those With Mental Illness: We must help those who can’t help themselves. I supported our Crisis Receiving Center and was proud to recently allocate some of my district proffer funds to go towards the Horticulture Therapy Program at Shenandoah Park for those dealing with mental health issues. We can return Prince William to the safe community we all know and love. Other Candidates to Reverse the Crime Wave and Then Keep Us Safe: Matt Lowery for Commonwealth Attorney; Sheriff Glen Hill; Jeanine Lawson for Chair; Karla Justice for Occoquan. Lowering Your Taxes and Cost of Living Lower Residential Taxes (Homes): The average family in Prince William has seen their residential tax bill go up by an average of $2,200 the last four years. This is absolutely crazy in the midst of the economic fallout from COVID and inflation. We must and will provide you actual tax relief on your most treasured asset with a citizen-first majority. Lower Personal Property Taxes (Vehicles): Many of you were shocked to see the tax bill on your vehicles this fall. The current majority increased the rate of assessment by 25% even as they knew the value of used vehicles were going up. You need a majority with vision to anticipate these things and act in your interest accordingly. Repeal The Meals Tax (Food): This regressive new tax passed in the midst of COVID and record inflation has crushed families and small business owners. One of the candidates for Chair, Ms. Jefferson, even said she wants to tax your food and meals to pay for 'Section 8 Housing' throughout the County. INCREASE Tax Rate on Data Centers: As a result of the cozy relationship of the current Board with the data center industry, the richest companies in the world currently have to pay less than half of what they do in taxes than neighboring jurisdictions like Loudoun, Fairfax and Fauquier. By placing you over data centers, we can even have enough revenue to cut you a break. Fiscally Responsible Spending: Overall spending has increased by over a billion dollars in the last four years. And the Board Majority just put you and your family on the hook for another $2 Billion. This comes out of your pocket. We must be good stewards of your money. All of this spending, and a 70% increase in violent crime does not merit a 70% personal increase in pay on the backs of our taxpayers, as Supervisor Boddye, the spendthrift politician running to replace me in Marshall and Purcell, voted for. Other Candidates to Reduce Your Cost of Living: Jeanine Lawson for Chair and Karla Justice for Occoquan. Land Use Policy and Environmental Protection Data Centers: There are some that are, but I’m not 100% opposed to every data center in the County. But they MUST be placed in the right areas and pay their fair share to reduce your tax burden. Next to schools, National Parks, and residential neighborhoods are unacceptable. The current Board Majority is bought and paid for by the data center industry. This isn't even debatable. Residential Overdevelopment: An unelected organization in Washington, DC says you must accept a massive increase of new homes being built in the county. And the current ruling majority in the county here is happy to let MWCOG make that decision for you. Of course we need to let the market lower the cost, but the impacts on traffic, our schools, roads, and local environment must come first. Our job is to represent those of you that are here today. Protecting The Occoquan: I initiated the creation of the Occoquan Overlay District to protect and improve our drinking supply. By opposing overdevelopment and data centers in the wrong places, we can make this a reality. Other Candidates to Support for Prudent Land-Use Policy and Environmental Protection: Jeanine Lawson for Chair and Karla Justice for Occoquan. Quality Education: Accountability: While the Board of Supervisors distributes a lump-sum for the school budget, your elected officials on the Board have absolutely NO SAY in how the money is being spent. With college preparedness in PWCS falling and test scores plummeting, your elected body must have greater discretion over how your tax dollars are spent to ensure you and our children are getting the highest quality education possible. Back to Basics: The current elected School Board and administrative leadership seems more concerned with pushing politics in the classroom than equipping our children with the basics needed to succeed. The Board must use our leverage to ensure reading, writing, science, arithmetic and history is back in - and extreme political ideologies are out. As the mother of two students still in PWCS, ensuring for a quality education for all of our students is of greatest importance to me. Coles District Candidate and Parent Fighting for a Quality Education: Stephen Spiker. Our County has faced lots of challenges the last four years. Unfortunately, the majority of those tasked with serving you haven’t gotten it right. Tomorrow, we can begin to change that. Our future and our children deserve nothing less. We can right this ship. But the power is now in your hands. Ever since I first put on the uniform with the Alexandria Police Department in 2011, my calling has been to serve my community. I have been overwhelmingly humbled by your trust and support for the last four years, and ask for your support tomorrow to help us once again make Prince William County the best place in the Commonwealth of Virginia to live, work and raise a family. For Prince William, Yesli Vega Prince William County Supervisor Coles District Servant P.S. The polls open at 6am tomorrow! Please click here to find your polling location and grab 10 of your friends to go out with you and make your voice count in our democracy. CONTRIBUTE NOW FACEBOOK PAGE   PAID FOR BY FRIENDS OF YESLI VEGA Friends of Yesli Vega | P.O. 344, Manassas, VA 20108 Unsubscribe [email protected] Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by [email protected] powered by Try email marketing for free today!