Election season has jumped ahead a year in Prince William County. This afternoon, Ann Wheeler declared her candidacy to run for Chairman of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors. This is excellent news because Ann will be a strong candidate to run on the Democratic ticket. The following is her press release announcing her plans to run.
Wheeler Announces Campaign for Chair, Prince William County Board of Supervisors
Haymarket – Community leader Ann Wheeler announced her candidacy Monday for the Chair – At Large, of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors.
Ms. Wheeler has served the public and Prince William County actively since she moved here in 2001. She has spent the last fourteen years as a NOVEC Board Member and the last two years on the Hylton Performing Arts Center Board. She recently completed a two-year term as President of the Prince William Committee of 100, a non-partisan civic organization that provides a forum to raise awareness of County issues.
During her years as Chair of the Prince William County Board of Social Services from 2010-2011, Ms. Wheeler mastered the operations of the County and its budgeting process. Ms. Wheeler attended the PWC Community Leadership Institute in the Fall of 2004. She then served on various community and civic boards over the years, including the Stonewall Middle School Advisory Council (2010-2011), Board of Social Services (2006-2011), the Shelter Lakes Homeowners Association (2004-2007), the Gainesville District Budget Committee (2005-2007) and the Prince William County School Northern Boundary Committee (2005 2006).
All these positions have all provided Ms. Wheeler with a clear perspective on how our County has tremendous opportunity that has not been realized over the last 12 years. Ms. Wheeler outlined several policy areas on which she would focus on as Chair of the Board of Supervisors to realize Prince William County’s potential: “I will be a Chair who can bring vision, leadership, integrity and inclusivity to the position. Prince William County’s reputation has declined and suffered throughout Virginia and the country with the divisive and embarrassing rhetoric under Corey Stewart’s 12 year tenure. Mr. Stewart’s limited vision and shortsightedness has left our County with some of the most overcrowded schools and worst traffic in the region. The election in 2019 must see a change in the direction we have been heading.”
“I will ensure our school system is adequately funded. The number of schools has not kept up with development. We have the largest class sizes in the state and the lowest paid teachers in the region. The Board of County Supervisors controls the funding for our schools, and they have woefully underfunded them. When elected to the Board, I will make it one of my primary missions to make sure we build the schools we need as well as pay our teachers what they deserve.”
“I will make Prince William County attractive and welcoming to large and small prospective businesses. Every four years we hear candidates’ campaign on bringing more commercial business to the county; yet our homeowners are still paying over 80% of the County real-estate taxes. This needs to change. The Board’s goal of adding only 500 jobs a year, in a county of 458,000, is shortchanging our taxpayers.”
“I will bring inclusiveness for all citizens to Prince William County. As Chair of the Board of Social Services, I developed a clear sense of the key challenges facing our large and diverse county and the issues that must be addressed. I am running for Board Chair to make sure our future for all areas of the county are bright and prosperous.”
Before moving to Prince William County with her husband, John, and their two daughters, Ann spent fifteen years working and consulting in the energy industry. She graduated from Tufts University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and earned an MBA from the University of Chicago, specializing in Finance.
Stay tuned. We will be hearing a lot more from Ann Wheeler in the next 13 months, before she grabs her gavel and puts Prince William squarely on the map.
Urgh…
It has been reported that Marty Nohe has announced that he is challenging Corey for the Chairman’s job. We still haven’t finished this years mid-terms and we’re off to the races for next year.
IVAN,
Nohe had to announce. Corey can’t really say anything until he loses in November, but Ann Wheeler announcing (and I repeat, urgh) set the pace for others.
Two cards on the table. Hope we pick up better cards on the flop.
NorthofNokesville,
At this point we have been dealt a pair of deuces, Corey will be the third, which leaves a one in forty-nine chance that we end up with four of a kind. At the end of the day there is precious little difference between Ann, Marty and Corey, its simply the manner in which we are screwed and how much it will cost.
Mom,
I don’t have a dog in this fight, beyond “If PWC sneezes, Manassas gets pneumonia. Marty is a personal friend of mine. We may have some minor differences on matters of policy, there’s no denying that he is a good man. I don’t know Ms. Wheeler, admittedly. Assuming both have the support of their respective bases, this would come down to who is better at “retail campaigning”. In this regard, I think Marty has the edge.
Politically, I think Stewart’s career is at its zenith. Should he lose his US Senate bid, and decides to defend his CoBOCS seat, he might be able to win a contested nomination, but is in for a tough general with hurricane-force headwinds. Might be time for him to become a Podcaster and occasional FNC talking head.
Steve Thomas,
As Moon will likely attest, you do not want to open a debate on Marty’s strengths (if any) and weaknesses with me. That will start a flame war without end.
Mom,
I’d take Nohe fourth or fifth out of the three.
Mom,
That’s why I was transparent on the fact that I consider Marty a friend, so my opinions could be placed in their proper context. As a resident of Manassas (city of), my views on who would be the better candidate are clearly biased towards my friend. I have the luxury of not having to consider voting record or platform, in this potential race.
Steve Thomas,
I don’t know him personally. All I can go on is voting record, behavior on the dais, public actions around VRE and other issues, and procedural tactics (some carried out in public, some that became public). I see nothing that suggests he’d be an improvement over the current sad state, and many indications he’d be worse.
On economic issues, I go red over blue. And I’d take Wheeler over Nohe on those grounds alone.
Very fair, Steve. You are welcome to voice your opinions here on our county peeps. I go over on your turf often enough. In fact, I am rather happy with most of the results of your elections!
I have my fire extinguisher ready.
I do like and respect Marty as a person. I am with Steve on that one. I also understand you have policy differences. I respect your right to voice them.
@Steve, I like both Marty and Ann. Ms. Wheeler is a good woman as Marty is a good man. Both walk the walk and talk the talk.
I don’t know what Corey will do but he is going to have a difficult time getting that Trump stench off him.
Perhaps in policy you see little difference. In behavior, there are light years. I haven’t seen Marty or Ann either one draping themselves in Old Dixie nor have they pulled out their sabers against our Latino community.
I certainly expect things to heat up, that’s for sure. Meanwhile, we still have Corey out there, limping back with his tail probably not between his legs, if I know Corey.
Arlington County: we made some extra money, let’s save it because a crunch is coming.
https://www.insidenova.com/news/arlington/arlington-government-set-to-tuck-away-more-cash-for-looming/article_63e508f6-d782-11e8-9f23-c3b12025d821.html#utm_source=insidenova.com&utm_campaign=%2Fnewsletters%2Finsidenova-top-stories%2F%3F-dc%3D1540396350&utm_medium=email&utm_content=read%20more
Prince William County: let’s spend more than we bring in, soak homeowners, and take out debt.
Is he a fiscal conservative? Pardon the pun, but No, He isn’t.
And I think those are the issues we should be discussing, NOrth.
I go back in our past to start my opinion of Marty. I felt he acted honorably and with decency and humanity during our immigration issues back in 2007/2008. I will always respect Marty for his efforts back in those days. I also think he and Kris are wonderful parents. They walk the walk and talk the talk. Both are valuable members of the Prince William County community. They will both help anyone, regardless of party affiliation. I consider them friends.
I also consider Ann Wheeler a friend. She also does many great things in our extended community, many often go unnoticed or unadvertised. Ann conducts herself in a quiet, unassuming way without beating us over the head with party politics.
We will have some difficult decisions to make, especially as more candidates throw their hat in the ring.
I simply will not be trashing either candidate. That’s just how it’s going to be. That is not to say I won’t question policy but that is what elections should be about.
It seems everyone has forgotten how Marty got into office. He was brought in to challenge Mary Hill and the GOP stabbed her in the back. Yes, she had some personal problems with the police but the GOP threw her under the bus and Tutu Marty became the new Brutus.
Marty is in this for Marty-period.