Prince William County representatives are eyeing issues in the community.
Chris Price, deputy county executive, spoke about legislative priorities for the Virginia General Assembly with members of the business community.
Proffer legislation is the Board of County Supervisors’ (BOCS) main focus.
“We’re very welcoming of new development, but new development should pay for itself,” Price said at the Prince William Chamber of Commerce’s Policy Committee meeting in Manassas on Wednesday. “The existing taxpayer shouldn’t pay to subsidize new development.”
Home Builders Association of Virginia’s (HBAV) Vice President of Government Relations Andrew Clark presented proposed changes to proffer law at another Policy Committee meeting.
A few localities, including Prince William and Fairfax counties, are making suggested revisions to the draft HBAV released, according to Price.
Addressing the coal ash issue is another priority for the BOCS.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued regulations that are requiring experts to remove the coal ash or cap the ponds in the place.
Virginia Senator Scott Surovell, and Delegates Jennifer Carroll Foy and Luke Torian recently hosted a town hall about coal ash in Dumfries.
Prince William County is collaborating with stakeholders to work out a solution.
Local officials are looking into the opioid epidemic, as well.
Representatives from various agencies discussed the issue at a panel in Woodbridge last year.
“This isn’t something that any jurisdiction can tackle alone. We’ve been working with other jurisdictions, working with state, working with federal agencies, but this is something that we’ve all got to recognize,” Price said. “It is a crisis right now, it’s a looming disaster for everybody.”
