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2007: A look back on a turbulent year
The year just ended was nothing if not turbulent in Prince William County. From illegal immigration to power lines, transportation to trailers, a variety of issues and events left emotions running high.
Illegal immigration
Illegal immigration was at the top of the 2007 issues list. In July, the Prince William Board of County Supervisors announced a crackdown on illegal immigration. The announcement made national news, as did the ensuing protests, boycotts, vandalism, lawsuit and Ku Klux Klan leaflets. In October, an extremely watered-down version of the original crackdown proposal was adopted. But by December, budget projections for 2008 made it uncertain that money would be available to fund the promised crackdown.
Power lines
Dominion Virginia Power's proposal to run megavolt power lines through Northern Virginia continued to loom over the landscape in 2007. The plan was first announced in 2006, prompting protests and mass meetings, legislation and letters. In early 2007, Dominion revised its route to one that followed existing power line paths. That helped dispel some of the opposition, but as 2007 drew to a close, a final solution had not yet been determined. If nothing else, however, the controversy drew residents' attention to energy conservation and the need for environmentally friendly alternatives.
School planning
The Prince William County Public School Division made its share of headlines this year. In February, the school board won approval for two new schools in Nokesville, though not without opposition. Later in the spring, the board was back before the county planning commission seeking approval for trailers at the overcrowded Brentsville District High School. The request faced serious opposition from parents and students who said the school is overcrowded. But with no money to open a new school until 2010, there were few alternatives, and the trailers were approved.
Transportation
As always, transportation continued to be a hot issue in Prince William County. In the spring, the General Assembly formed the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority and gave it the power to levy taxes to pay for road improvements. New taxes were approved over the summer and a preliminary list of projects includes the Prince William Parkway and the Route 28 overpass in Manassas. Later in the year, commuters got some welcome news when Gov. Tim Kaine (D) made an election-season appearance in western Prince William to announce that work on the Gainesville Interchange is now expected to start three years earlier than previously expected. Construction will now begin in 2010, not 2013 as initially planned.
Virginia Tech
It's more than 200 miles from Prince William to Virginia Tech, but for a few days in April, we were all Hokies. On April 16, a mentally ill student from neighboring Centreville killed 32 people and then himself at the university. In the hours and days that followed, the Tech colors of brown and orange popped up everywhere, stores sold out of Hokie gear and impromptu vigils were held in churches and parks around the county and state. In addition, the designated day of mourning on April 20 was interrupted in Prince William by bomb threats at three separate Prince William high schools, though no bombs were found.
Elections
November could have brought a notable election day for Prince William, but it didn't. Fortunately, the state elections were more noteworthy. In Prince William, incumbents mostly swept through to re-election. Those who had competition, anyway. Residents will get a new supervisor in 2008: Democrat Frank Principi was elected in Woodbridge, filling the seat of Democrat Hilda Barg, who retired at the end of 2007. And Republican Delegate Michele McQuigg is a delegate no longer but is now the Circuit Court clerk, having beaten Democrat Bill Ryland and Independent Lucy Beauchamp in a three-way race. Beauchamp's retirement as chairman of the school board left that seat open to Milt Johns, who vacated the Brentsville school board seat, which was claimed by Nokesville's Gil Trenum. But it was on the state level that things got exciting. By the end of the night on Election Day, it was clear that Democrats had retaken the state Senate but had left the House firmly in the hands of Republicans as the 2008 General Assembly session approached.
Economy
And in the middle of it all, the bottom fell out of the housing market. Times had started looking rough by the end of 2006, but it wasn't until early 2007 that it became clear how bad the situation was becoming. In Prince William, the economic news kept getting worse and worse, prompting budget fights between supervisors and school board members, an attempt to shut down the Manassas Senior Day Care program and rising taxes as officials struggled to patch holes in the budget. And since things haven't improved, residents can look forward to more of the same in 2008.
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