SIGN(S) OF OUR TIME? As new sign rises over Potomac Mills, we look back at earlier versions. PAGE 9
April 10, 2019 | Vol. 18, No. 15 | www.PrinceWilliamTimes.com | 50¢ Covering Prince William County and surrounding communities, including Gainesville, Haymarket, Dumfries, Occoquan, Quantico and the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park.
Report: Homeownership drives health By Karen Chaffraix Times Staff Writer
Prince William is a healthy place to live, according to the recently released national report, but the county outranks its nearby neighbors mostly because of measures of income and homeownership. The “County Health Rankings & Roadmaps” report, issued by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin
Population Health Institute, analyzes factors that contribute to the overall health of every county in the U.S. Of 133 counties in Virginia, Prince William ranked ninth. Its two independent cities, however, did not fare as well. Manassas City ranked 27th, while Manassas Park ranked 59th. Why the discrepancy when Prince William and the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park are more alike than different?
The three rank similarly on several health factors included in the report: smoking; obesity, “excessive drinking” (almost one out of five adult residents); education; proximity to and money to buy healthy food; long solo commutes (55 to 63 percent); insufficient sleep (more than one in three are sleep-deprived); and children in single-parent households (more than one in five children). They most differ, however, in in-
Homeownership = healthy Percentage of home-owning households: Loudoun: 78% Prince William: 72% Manassas City: 64% Manassas Park: 67% Virginia: 66% come and other related measures, including homeownership; percent of income used to pay for housing; and percent of residents who lack health insurance. See HEALTHY, on page 4
Neabsco race one for the history books Victor Angry wins special election in supervisor’s race By Jill Palermo
Times Staff Writer
Victor Angry made history Tuesday by becoming the first African American elected to the Prince William County Board of Supervisors in the board's 150-year history. Angry, a Democrat and a retired Army National Guardsman, won a decisive victory in the April 9 special election to fill the remaining eight months of the late Supervisor John Jenkins’ term on the county board. Angry, 50, beat his Republican opponent, Devinder Singh, with more than 74 percent of the 1,717 votes cast. Angry garnered 1,281 votes to Singh's 435, according to unofficial results posted on Prince William County Office of Elections website at about 8 p.m. Tuesday night. During an interview before the polls closed, Angry said "it still hasn't hit me" when asked how he felt about making history in Prince William County, his home since the latter part of his military career. The Altamonte Springs, Florida, native is already a demographic trailblazer, having been the first black soldier promoted to the post of command sergeant major of the Army National Guard. "It makes me feel good. It's good to be back in a position to make a positive difference," said Angry, See SUPERVISOR’S, on page 4
PHOTO CREDIT DELIA ENGSTROM
Prince William County Supervisor - Elect Victor Angry, right, greets voters outside Minnieville Elementary School with Ernestine Jenkins, widow of the late Neabsco District Supervisor John Jenkins. INSIDE Calendar.............................................12 Classified............................................17 Business.............................................11 Obituaries...........................................15
Opinion.................................................7 Puzzle Page..........................................8 Real Estate..........................................14 Sports...................................................9
86 WARRENTON, VA
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NEWS
Prince William Times | www.princewilliamtimes.com | April 10, 2019
TOWN OF HAYMARKET NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TOWN OF HAYMARKET PROPOSED REAL PROPERTY NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TAX INCREASE PROPOSED REAL PROPERTY TAX INCREASE Notice is hereby provided pursuant to Section 58.1-3321 ofNotice the Code of Virginia the Town of 58.1-3321 of the Code of Virginia that the Town of is hereby provided that pursuant to Section Haymarket Virginia proposes to increase property tax tax levies for the Fiscal Year 2019-2020. COURTESY PHOTO Haymarket Virginia proposes to increase property Omniride is testing a double deck commuter bus that seats 81 people. levies for the Fiscal Year2019-2020.
OmniRide testing a double-decker bus
1. Assessment Increase: Total assessed value of real property, excluding additional assessments due Increase: to new construction or improvements property, exceeds last year's total assessed value of 1. Assessment Total assessed value oftoreal real property by 1.8%percent. property, excluding additional assessments due to new Staff Reports OmniRide’s current commutconstruction or improvements to property, exceeds er bus fleet is comprised of 57-seat OmniRide test a would doublelevy buses 2. Lowered Rate value Necessary to Offset Increased The tax will rate which the manufactured by Motor Coach last year’s total assessed of real property by Assessment: deck commuter bus total for the next fewvalue Industries, according to the news resame amount of real estate tax as last year, when multiplied by the new assessed of 1.8%percent. weeks, and passengers who climb lease. real estate with the exclusions mentioned above, would be $0.143 per $100 of assessed value. This aboard will be asked to fill out a sur“OmniRide staff currently are exrate will be known as the "lowered tax rate." vey instead of paying a fare. amining all Express routes to ensure 2. Lowered Rate Necessary to Offset Increased “OmniRide’s staff is constantly the bus can operate safely within the Assessment: The tax rate which would levy the same looking waysa to better re- existing 3. Effective Rate Increase: The Town of Haymarket proposes tofor adopt tax rate utilize of no more than infrastructure, i.e. passing amount of real estate tax as last year, when multiplied sources,” said Potomac and Rappah- under bridges, making tight turns, its current rate of $0.146 per $100 of assessed value. The difference between the lowered tax rate annock Transportation Commission and other maneuvers required when by the new total assessed value of real estate with and the proposed rate would be $0.003 per $100, or 2 percent. This difference willno bedeknown as Chair Ruth Anderson. “While serving top destinations includthe exclusions mentioned above, would be $0.143 per the "effective tax rate increase." Individual property taxes may, however, increase at a percentage cision has been made about whether ing the Pentagon, Metro Stations $100 of assessed value. Thisthan rate be percentage. known as the or not to add double deck buses to and downtown Washington, D.C.,” greater than or less thewill above OmniRide’s fleet, it’s clear that oper- PRTC officials said in the news re“lowered tax rate.” ating higher-capacity vehicles would lease. 4. Proposed Total Budget Increase: Based on the proposed realthe property rate and changesWhile in reduce number tax of buses needed routes are selected for test3. Effective other Raterevenues, Increase: The Town of Haymarket the total budget of the Town of Haymarket Exhibit will exceed year's bya handful of operators will be andinthe amountA of fuel used last every ing, trained to drive the 42-foot vehicle, proposes to11.2 adopt a tax of noBmore itslast year’s by day.” percent or rate in Exhibit it willthan exceed 17.2 percent. Exhibit B shows the budget The bus features panoramic wincurrent rate with of $0.146 per $100 of assessed value. a potential increase in Meals Tax rate; if council desires to pursue the increase inwhich the is 12-feet, 10-inches tall. dows on the second deck and a stairThen, starting the week of April 8, Meals Tax, a public hearing will scheduled for that tax The difference between the lowered tax be rate and the caseincrease. toward the front, with a video the double deck bus will be placed monitor so passengers can get an into service for about eight days, proposed rate would be $0.003 per $100, or 2 percent. idea of how full the second deck is said OmniRide Executive Director This difference will be known as the “effective tax rate according to a Town Bob Schneider. A public hearing on the increase will be held on May 20,before 2019 atclimbing 7:00 PMup, in the Haymarket increase.” Individual property taxes may, however, PRTC news release. “Passengers who have the oppor15000 Washington 100,than Haymarket, 20169. increase at Hall, a percentage greaterStreet thanSuite or less the Virginia The double deck model OmniR- tunity to ride the bus won’t have to ide is testing is manufactured by pay a fare; instead they’ll be asked above percentage. Alexander Dennis Inc., and has 81 to fill out a survey to help OmniRide seats, including 53 seats on the sec- evaluate the vehicle,” PRTC officials BY ORDER OF THE HAYMARKET TOWN COUNCIL 4. ProposedShelley Total Budget Increase: Based on the ond deck. The bus has a low floor said in the news release. “OmniRiM. Kozlowski and can accommodate up to two de bus operators and mechanics also proposed real property tax rate and changes in other Clerk to the Town Council passengers in wheelchairs at a time will provide input to help determine revenues, the total budget of the Town of Haymarket on the lower deck, the news release if double deck buses should be addAprillast 10 and 17, 2019 in Exhibit A Publish: will exceed year’s by 11.2 percent or said. ed to OmniRide’s fleet.” Town Hall 10,by 2019 in Exhibit BPosted it will at exceed last April year’s 17.2 percent.
Exhibit B shows the budget with a potential increase in Meals Tax rate; if council desires to pursue the increase in the Meals Tax, a public hearing will be scheduled for that tax increase.
A public hearing on the increase will be held on May 20, 2019 at 7:00 PM in the Haymarket Town Hall, 15000 Washington Street Suite 100, Haymarket, Virginia 20169. BY ORDER OF THE HAYMARKET TOWN COUNCIL Shelley M. Kozlowski Clerk to the Town Council
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Prince William Times | www.princewilliamtimes.com | April 10, 2019
NEWS
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Move to restore driver’s licenses could affect 13,000 locally By Jill Palermo
Times Staff Writer
In voting to end the practice of suspending driver’s licenses for unpaid court fines and fees, Virginia lawmakers paved the way for as many as 13,000 residents of Prince William and Fauquier counties and the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park to have their driver’s licenses reinstated July 1. That’s according to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, which says more than 627,000 Virginia residents have had their driver’s licenses suspended due to their failure to pay court fees, which can be out of reach for low-income residents. More than 10,000 Prince William County residents currently have suspended driver’s licenses for unpaid fines and fees related to both motor-vehicle-related and non-motor-vehicle related infractions. The same is true of about 1,000 residents of Fauquier County; 6,000 residents of the City of Manassas and 772 residents of the City of Manassas Park, according to DMV spokeswoman Brandy Brubaker. Exactly how many will be eligible to reinstate their licenses without paying those costs or the state’s $145 reinstatement fee – which has now been waived – will depend on
get amendment individual cirduring the lawcumstances. But makers’ April 3 those whose liveto session. censes have been Northam promade invalid posed adjusting solely because the budget to of court fines and redirect $9 milfees should be ellion to offset the igible, Brubaker unpaid fees. The said. Del. Jennifer Gov. Ralph Northam (D) measure will The act of sus- Carroll Foy D-2nd also prevent the pending driver’s state’s courts from suspending drivlicenses for unpaid court costs has long been seen ers’ licenses for unpaid court costs as an unfair and counterproductive for one year. State lawmakers will policy for Virginia residents who have to vote again on the matter in find themselves saddled with hun- 2020. Northam’s budget amendment dreds or even thousands for charges passed both houses by a large marcompletely unrelated to driving. Measures to stop the practice, gin. The vote was 70-29 in the House which is said to disproportionate- of Delegates and 30-8 in the state ly affect minority residents, were Senate. Among local lawmakers, pushed this year by several advoca- only Sen. Richard Stuart, R-28th, cy groups, including the Legal Aid voted against the bill. Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy, D-2nd, Justice Center and Virginians Organized for Interfaith Community who represents parts of Prince WilEngagement, and supported by both liam and Stafford counties, called Republican and Democratic state the measure a “game changer.” As an attorney and public delawmakers. A bill to do so, sponsored by state fender, Foy said she has represented Sen. Bill Stanley, R-20th, whose several clients who have lost their lidistrict includes parts of Southside censes because they can’t pay court Virginia, passed in the Senate but fines and then end up re-arrested for failed to emerge from a House of driving anyway. For most, driving Delegates’ subcommittee. That leftB:9.3”is a necessity to get to work or take the matter dead until Gov. RalphT:9.3”their kids to school or doctor’s apNortham (D) revived it as a bud-S:9.3”pointments, Foy said.
Suspended driver’s licenses: Prince William County: 10,286 Fauquier County: 1,016 City of Manassas: 6,272 City of Manassas Park: 772 Those arrested for driving without a license face up to 12 months in jail. Foy said she has had clients with fines as low as $200 they have been simply cannot afford to pay. Those with more complicated cases, necessitating multiple court hearings, can have fines in the thousands. Either way, they are prohibitive for her low-income clients, Foy said. “It’s hard because a lot of people don’t have the life experience to understand there are some individuals out there who just can’t afford $200 [in court fines],” she said. Northam called the elimination of the license -suspension policy “another great step forward on criminal justice reform” after lawmakers wrapped their one-day session to consider the governor’s vetoes and proposed amendments. “This inequitable policy criminalizes poverty and a change was long overdue,” Northam said in a statement. Reach Jill Palermo at jpalermo@ fauquier.com
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