Stimulus money is beginning to arrive in Prince William County thanks to the efforts of Congressman Gerald Connolly. So far, $1.1 million dollars has been secured for the Greater Prince William Community Health center. $19.1 million has also been designated for Prince William County Schools. $530,000 in additional law enforcement funding is also slated to come our way.
Supervisor Frank Principi elaborated that the center treated 4,000 patients in 2008, 75% of whom were uninsured. This year, if trends continue, the clinic will see 7,000 patients. Principi is executive director of the clinic.
Officials in Prince William County have a long laundry list of needs drawn up to help offset the economic crunch which threatens to cripple the county. County legislative affairs director Dana Fenton indicated that his office has a list of priorities totaling $371 million. This wish list contains requests for money for law enforcement, roads, and neighborhoods impacted by foreclosure issues, to name a few projects that will go unfunded without stimulus money.
Chairman of the BOS, Corey Steward, has dismissed the incoming money according to the Washington Post:
But Board of County Supervisors Chairman Corey A. Stewart (R-At Large) said he wasn’t impressed, dismissing the stimulus money allocated so far as “a drop in the bucket.” Residents will be shortchanged if Connolly, who entered Congress two months ago, doesn’t secure at least $50 million for county schools, he said.
“Our county is the ninth wealthiest in the country and pays a lot of income tax,” Stewart said. “This is going to be a test as to how much pull Gerry Connolly has inside his own party.”
Stewart didn’t spare Connolly criticism for the allocation to Principi’s health center, either. “It looks suspicious that his friend and ally has been given $1.1 million in federal money to help pay his salary,” he said.
But Connolly said Stewart “can’t have it both ways.” His office provided a copy of a Feb. 9 letter from Stewart thanking Connolly for working to relieve traffic congestion through stimulus funding.
“I think Mr. Stewart’s time would be better spent writing my Republican colleagues and urging them to vote for a stimulus bill he now wants me to bring home the bacon from,” Connolly said. The former Fairfax County chairman was the only Prince William representative to vote for the stimulus, as Reps. Frank R. Wolf, Robert J. Wittman and every other House Republican opposed it.
A “drop in the bucket?” Is Stewart serious? Stewart has always shown himself to be the quintessential opportunistic politician but this is a bit much. That cool $19.1 million to the schools will provide just under 300 new teachers, just as an example of what Stewart thinks is a drop in the bucket is.
He also implies that Frank Principi is profiting from the federal money. This is the first time I have ever heard of obtaining what is the equivalent of grant money being a bad thing. Perhaps Corey Stewart should consider that every penny that comes into the country from the state of federal level pays HIS salary. Wasn’t he looking for grant money this time last year? Let’s see…something about dashboard cameras?
Prince William County needs to grab up every penny of federal stimulus money it possibly can. Corey Stewart needs to stop with the political shenanigans and just act like an adult without political motive every time a microphone is shoved in his face. He appears to be rude and ungrateful. Congressman Connolly needs to be thanked both in writing and in general conversation. He is dismissing this money much the same way he dismissed the millions he planned to spend on the Immigration Resolution.
That $19.1 million to the schools is about 1/3 of what they are short from last year. PWC Schools are short 57 million dollars. Why is Stewart turning up his nose? Every little bit helps fill the gap in what we need and what we don’t have.
Holy Catfish! How come $3 million was significant enough for Chairman Stewart to act on illegal immigration but this money he considers chump change? Does anyone else find this ironic?
Thank God someone has the character to stand against the spend-o-rama that hog-politicians like Connolly have wrought. It’s so funny, people clamor for “change” then fall right back into the tax-and-spend trap. Don’t any of you folks remember Carter?
No wonder Principi is so dedicated to the cause of the illegal aliens in PWC. He personally profits from their health care, while the rest of us foot that bill.
“He appears to be rude and ungrateful.” That’s because he is.
Let’s also not forget that Corey had the nerve to threaten funding of the health center when it’s manager was John Stirrup’s opponent in the 2007 election. That was pretty transparent.
I did not at all agree with this stimulus package. But since the floodgates are now open, jurisdictions need to just take the money. Their taxpayers will be paying the bill (and their children and grandchildren) anyway, whether they take the money or not.
Alanna,
I am pretty sure that the BOCS eliminated all funding to the Greater Prince William Community Health Center last year and it certainly had the appearance of political payback. I think that was when Mr Principi took over the administration of a financially “sinking ship”. I doubt that compensation for his efforts are making him a wealthy man. I commend him for securing any funds that will allow this valuable service to continue especially now when so many people are losing their health insurance due to job loss.
@YankeeForever
The founding fathers would be so proud.
No, they wouldn’t, Slowpoke R. I’m pretty sure they’re spinning in their graves right now. But any leader who thumbs their nose at “stimulus” money now is committing political suicide. You’re going to get stuck with the bill whether you want the money or not.
We are still paying for World War II and Vietnam. Hell for all I know we are still paying for World War I.
Rick, I think that was an uncalled for remark. In the first place, I don’t think you know how much the compensation is for Frank Principi’s board of directors position. to suggest that he personally profits from illegal immigration is just a base, unsubstantiated remark. Take it to the dark screen where you will have throngs of supporters for such a statement.
I would think that people would be pleased that there was a place that the economically disadvantaged could go for health care. This frees up emergency rooms.
Actually, I’m hearing that quite a few states/localities are passing on the stimulus funds because they come with strings attached….as in programs that must be set up that will rely on higher taxes when the stimulus money runs out. Many of these programs will cause one heck of a burden years down the road. I’m not saying that’s the case here, and I’d be sort of surprised if Stewart actually does turn down the money, but every once in a blue moon you see a politician do the right thing (and you’re right YF, it’s often political suicide). We deserve what we get.
YankeeForever is absolutely correct we’ll be footing the bill, and therefore should get our fair share in PWC. Corey prepresents PWC as our Chairman, and should be advocating for PWC to get what’s available to PWC. Be thankful for what we got…in hopes of more money coming to us in PWC. We could always use more money.
The Corey/Connolly “pissing contest” comments are the last thing we need right now. It’s getting old.
Corey could have stopped the political crap by just saying thank you and that every bit helps. Instead, he had to appear ungrateful. When he appears ungrateful, because he represents all of us, WE appear ungrateful.
Slow, after hearing some of the abuses with the banking recovery money, I would hope there would be strings attached to prevent squandering. I don’t want to be paying for the rich to get richer. Furthermore, I don’t think that Stewart has the authority to turn down the money. Unfortunately, in his eyes I am sure, he is only 1/8 of the turn-down show.
Tenacious, I totally agree with you. Thanks for providing facts on this community service.
The $4Million that came to the county for foreclosures most certainly had strings attached to it. The county had a little over a month to come with a plan to sumbit to HUD for the money and how it would be used. The money and it’s programs had to be inacted and often times completed within a specified time frame. I would hope that same sort of thing applies to any and all new monies come from the “stimulus package”. I’m no fan of the “sp”.
“I doubt that compensation for his efforts are making him a wealthy man.”
Well, I think that we, the poor huddled masses that Principi ostensibly “represents”, have a right to know. I call on him to tell us.
I have a feeling he’s setting himself and his family up for a nice standard of living, and off my and your tax dollars.
Maybe some of the illegal aliens obtaining health care will say “gracias” to him. Me, I’m disgusted by the clear conflict of interest.
How much more obvious and crooked does something need to be? Principi must either surrender his seat or surrender this particular crooked “consulting” job.
This is “stimulus”. Payoff to highly-priced consultants, compensated for their political connections.
I guess it makes sense to anyone else here that Principi should personally profit off this?
Screw the Stimulus money, It is killing America and We should refuse it so the blood will be on someone else’s hands.
Slowpoke, you’re right–I remember reading that one governor is refusing stimulus money for unemployment benefits because of the stipulation that unemployment will have to be extended to part-time workers, and that governor (can’t recall which state) didn’t want to take that on and then have to continue it after the stim money runs out. Totally understandable.
1.1 million. Probably Principi gets a 15% commission on that and they use the rest to hire more Spanish translators.
Rick, actually you are making libelous statements. Why shouldn’t a person try to get stimulus money to keep a clinic running? Why do you assume he is getting rich off of stimulus money?
You haven’t been around these parts for a while. What stirred you up? Who over on the dark side sent you running over here to take the heat off of Cousin Corey by attacking Frank Principi?
Suggestion: look at the money like grant money. Frank Principi is no more in conflict of interest than Corey is, for taking some of the other money coming in. After all, PWC pays him a salary also.
Connolly sure did zing him right back! On one hand Corey is complaing about fiscal responsibility and low taxes yet on the other hand he is suggesting that Connolly did not bring home enough. Which one is it?!
Furthermore, to suggest that Frank is profiting by funding the health clinic is disgusting Rick. I am just SICK of everything being scapegoated to illegal immigrants. ENOUGH Rick! 12 million people, out of more than 300 million, are not responsible for the demise of this country.
Yankee, you make a common sense point. Either way we are all in this “payback” together. @YankeeForever
Mr. Bentley: You haven’t a clue what you aree talking about and are making insinuations and allegations without any facts whatsoever. I am on the Board of the Community Health Center and have served as it’s Treasurer for many years. You, like Stewart & Stirrup, haven’t any IDEA what the Health Center is about or what the Center’s Board has done to make this a success. This Center started under a law initiated via the Bush administration. Within PWC it was unanimously supported by the BofCS under Sean Connaughton’s leadership and supported unanimously by the BofCS including Stewart & Stirrup but you of course wouldn’t know that or want to know that. The County promised two years of funding @ $450,000 per year as seed money but after that we had to become self sustaining through operations and grants. The BoCS maliciously cut off funding over a year ago under the guise of “budget cuts” but it was nothing more than gutless political retribution because it was – successfully – falsely alleged by Leticque & Co the center served nothing but illegals and drug addicts.
True facts include but are not limited to: (1)all patients have long had to prove their ability to pay via proof of employment,insurance coverage and with tax returns: (2)the Center’s Board has raised over $1 million in the last year through obtaining private grants. We just “closed” on a grant providing $600,000 and were completely unaware we would get this stimulus money until informed last week. We didn’t “apply” for it and Connolly didn’t get it for us.(3)Many Community Heath Center throughout the country received money. It was in the bill. If Tom Davis were still in office, he would have called us and told us; I didn’t read you commenting on the money received by the Loudoun CHC as informed by Congr. Wolfe, but then again, you didn’t know that nor would you want to know that.(4) Frank Principi’s business “Crisis Partners International” has been retained by the Center’s Board for less than, but just about a year and the initial contract was for six months. We didn’t know if we’d still be here last September. We thought we’d be finished and closed by 9/30/08 if we didn’t get grants that had been applied for. As much as most of the BoCS wanted to see us fail and they sure tried to kill us, we survived, month to month. Several of his partners have come in and provided services to us. The company is paid a fixed fee. Frank Principi is not paid a commission to obtain grants. That is part of the contract, as was with the former Executive Director. That individual just didn’t do as well in fund raising.
What bugs me about your comments are the completely baseless allegations and false ennuendo’s. Other than the initial Capital Contribution provided by the County taxpayers and subsequently reneged on by this current BofCS, all funds raised have been through operations – which means the patients pay -and by obtaining PRIVATE grants. No federal or state money has been received other than the stimulus money GIVEN last week.
John S Gray CPA PC
Treasurer, Greater PW Community Heath Center
Mr Gray,
Thank you for your detailed and factual input. I, unlike some, need facts and figures before I make bold statements. When I posted I didn’t have the facts and figures but I knew of the good work that is occurring at the health center and the void that its failure would create in our community. Personally, I would much rather see my tax-paid bailout dollars go to those in my community rather than to the unrepentant scoundrels of corporate america. As a taxpayer I support the use of my money being used to make my community a healthier and safer place.
I wonder if most folks in Pr William Co also realize that our proposed county budget eliminates all funding for its only child-abuse prevention program? As a taxpayer I find that reprehensible. Where is the outrage? But I guess our BOCS would rather build a bigger jail.
Mr. Gray – thank you so much for your detailed “spin”. So – you don’t deny that Principi is personally making money off of this center. And will profit off this “stimulus” money/boondoggle.
You don’t or can’t deny it, but work yourself into righteous indignation that I don’t appreciate that Principi is “a bargain at any price”.
I don’t know a lot about the Center – at this point – but I imagine that it’s the kind of a “free needles for drug addicts” kind of a place, which does a healthy business marketing government-subsidized health care to illegal immigrants. Am I wrong? If you do answer, could you give me a straight answer on that before you write the next paragraphs full of righteous indignation about how I “don’t get it” – thanks.
Can you tell us anything tangible, like exactly how much money Principi makes selling healthcare at taxpayer expense to what I assume is a largely illegal patient base? Again, if you could spell that out before you write three pages’ worth of text about how great the Center is and what a terrible person i am, it would be appreciated.
I’m sure that Principi and “Crisis Partners International” are in fact a great bargain for you. Heck 1.1 million just came rolling through the door from Boss Connoley. But don’t expect me to be happy about it. Or to want you or him to see a dime.
Principi is a disgrace. he has worked hard to keep my neighborhood and my community in a state of crisis. Instead of working to undermine rule of law, he should be more concerned with the outdoor chicken coops and backyard cooking ranges in his district. But now I see why his concerns are what they are. They are not the same as mine, not by a long shot.
I heard there is a new promotion in Woodbridge. For every 3 non-insured illegal immigrant drig addicts referred to the center, you can win a free outdoor chicken dinner, grown and cooked in a residential backyard. It’s the “Little Taste of Mexico” promotion and it just got its budget upped to 1.1 million dollars.
You’re on the Board. So can you tell me how many of your patients are American citizens and how many are here illegally?
Give me an answer on that, as well as telling me how much money Principi makes from his “contract’ with you, and maybe I’ll consider giving some sliver of a damn about the BoS cutting your budget down. Most people don’t.
Corey Stewart is sounding like a Republican. It’s time to sound like an American first and a Republican second. We really don’t need partisan politics during these troubled times. It’s obvious he’s a Rush Limbaugh Republican who would like to see this Administration fail in its efforts to get the economy going again.
Seems to me his animus is at Connoley. I share it.
Opinion,
You said it “American first and a Republican second”. I did see a nice letter in today’s paper from a local Republican. Now, will other Repulicans follow her lead?
http://www.insidenova.com/isn/news/opinion/letters_to_the_editor/article/letter_very_bad_times_for_everyone_in_pwc/31448/
Your View
Published: March 9, 2009
USA Today recently ranked Prince William as the 39th worst hit real estate foreclosure market in the nation. Whether you subscribed to a sub-prime mortgage or not, the foreclosure rate in Prince
William contributed to severely depressed home values, which has cost every homeowner in Prince William dearly.
There is no doubt that these are very bad times for everyone, and county government will need to cut services to its citizens at a time when some of the same people who contributed to the counties
success as the ninth richest county in the nation may need health and human services.
I want to thank Rep. Gerry Connolly for recognizing that and working hard to secure stimulus money to help sustain the Greater Prince William Community Health Center. We can all sleep better at night
knowing that no one will need to go without health care and that our hospital emergency rooms don’t have to serve as health-care clinics for non-life threatening illness or injuries.
What Connolly has accomplished improves the quality of life for all in Prince William. Thank you congressman and Mr. Principi!
BRYANNA ALTMAN
Lake Ridge
How much money do Principi and other profiteers make per band aid? per aspirin? That’s what i’d like to know.
Enough probably to keep a nice gate or fence around his house, I doubt that he and his family ever have to look out their back window and see chicken coops or chickens running around their yard.
Ok Rick, Go get some more marching orders from Greg. How about spinning them over there where you can have an adoring audience clapping and holding up waving lighters in praise while you spew lies.
Furthermore, if you are associated with Mullen Elementary, I doubt if you have to come into contact with Supervisor does since he is the Woodbridge supervisor. Are you still locked on to the dark screen expose of the chickens supposedly in the Woodbridge district that were all blamed on Mr. Principi?
Perhaps someone should go around and take a picture of all the gang grafitti in the Gainesville district as well as the remedy for the gang graffiti. Surely everyone has seen the botched fences that look like the St. Valentine’s Day massacre in Westgate and Sudley. It looks like the uglification of Sudley/Westgate. Should I be blaming Mr. Stirrup for those messes? I don’t think that would be particularly fair or accurate, now would it?
Even if every word you say is true about illegals and drug users, they are at the clinic and not utilizing emergency rooms of hospitals. Any time any non-paying person (regardless of race, creed status etc) uses an emergency room, all of our costs go up.
Chris, thanks for sharing that Bryanna Altman letter with us. She seems to be a person who puts the common good ahead of partisan politics.
A reminder, Rick loves to jerk chains.
“Are you still locked on to the dark screen expose of the chickens supposedly in the Woodbridge district that were all blamed on Mr. Principi?”
Yeah. Because even though my neighborhood circa 2005 didn’t reach the point of chickens running around in it, it was becoming third world.
And this is Mr. Principi’s fault because?????
He was only elected fall of 2007. What’s wrong Rick, ‘someone’ won’t let you go after your OWN supervisor? That would be the place to start if you want to start beating up on supervisors. Go after your very own. Plenty of people who live fairly close to you had chickens and probably still do. Is that Frank’s fault also?
No just the ones in his own district.
Pricipi fought and fights to make illegal immigrants comfortable coming here in droves, turning neighborhoods like mine into ghettos. Now I see why. He personally profits from it.
While all I get is a loud unsafe neighborhood, shady untracked people leering at teenaged girls, and neighbors who shower on my lawn and siphon gas. Hooray for Principi and his consulting fees, and for the construction forms being able to underpay on labor. Three cheers.
We’ve had several chicken coops over the years. Zoning takes this matter very seriously. They usually disappear within a couple of days of a complaint. It’s a serious health issue. Of course, one could always talk to the offending neighbor. Novel concept, huh?
Rick, you should be very thankful you didn’t have chickens cock-a-doodle-doing like we’ve had in WG. They make more noise than you might think. Not to mention the crowing is not just limited to sunrise. They are the most disgusting animals(imho)
Mr Bentley: Let me start by saying your statement “free needles for drug addicts” is ignorant and putrid. That being said, you are confusing the “Free Clinic” with the Community health Center, something Stewart & Stirrup intentionally do for the benefit of individuals like yourself. The “Free Clinic” is a separate entity, administered by the Commonweath and within the PWC Board of Health budget. The “Free Clinic” does treat drug addicts. The PWC Community Health Center, a entity separate and distinct, does not. We are not equipped, trained or licensed to do so. The only “allegation” of your uninformed dissertation I will address is your statement that “Principi is personally making money off the Center”. May I presume you are compensated for the services you provide your employer or are you weathly enough you do it for free? Of Course Frank Prinicpi is compensated for his servies! As are the doctors who serve there, the medical staff and the admin staff. They are all compensated. However, please note the Board is totally volunteer, so you don’t allege we get paid. I didn’t “spin” anything. I am not going to get into a conversation with you over the Center because by your own admission you know nothing about it. You obviously prefer to just “allege” and “imply”, without benefit of facts. You are entitled to your own opinion, but you are not entitled to your own facts, of which in this particular matter, you apparently have none. Have a good day.
John S Gray CPA PC
@Chris Thank you Chris. Now that Rush Limbaugh is the leader of the Republican Party and he’s stated that he would like to see President Obama fail, I’m wondering far his followers (most of the Republicans on the current BOCS) will go to fulfill his wishes?
I second recognition for Rep. Gerry Connolly for securing stimulus money for our County. If our current Chairman understood the meaning of bipartisanship, he would also thank Rep. Connolly for his efforts.
“Rush-onomics” (failure of the other Party) isn’t what we need at the moment. It’s time for the Loyal opposition model to take hold in PWC.
Bull Crap. Not the Frank Principi I know. Take the dark screen mask off Rick. Geez. I didn’t realize you took your orders from there.
I actually think that while people on this blog didn’t necessarily agree with you a great deal of the time, there was some mutual respect. What has happened?
Actually, the thread is about Prince William receiving stimulus money. I feel we are in the middle of a hi jacking. This is not a story about Frank P and the chickens. How about that $19 million going into the schools. When will that money arrive?
Rick is too smart to go the Rush route here. I thought he was too smart to give us Greg-speak also. It must be day light saving time kicking in. Either that or aliens…of the green kind. Little Green Men, what have you done with the real Rick Bentley? Bring him back.
“Of Course Frank Prinicpi is compensated for his servies!”
And of course he uses his political position and influence to help acquire more money for the people he does business with!
Of COURSE he is compensated primarily because of this political influence.
And OF COURSE this is basically payola. Of course it’s legal, and of course it’s sick and disgusting, and of course I want to call as much attention to it.
Because the culture of elitists like Principi lead to my neighborhood’s transformation into a ghetto. While he profiteers.
He may get reelected. He may make a lot of money. But I’m going to call attention to this anyway.
“Of Course Frank Prinicpi is compensated for his servies!”
And of course he uses his political position and influence to help acquire more money for the people he does business with!
Of COURSE he is compensated primarily because of this political influence.
And OF COURSE this is basically payola. Of course it’s legal, and of course it’s sick and disgusting, and of course I want to call as much attention to it.
Because the culture of elitists like Principi lead to my neighborhood’s transformation into a ghetto. While he profiteers.
He may get reelected. He may make a lot of money. But I’m going to call attention to this anyway.
Sorry, forgot to add great post! Can’t wait to see your next post!
“Of course, one could always talk to the offending neighbor. Novel concept, huh?”
Yeah it’s the rest of the people’s fault. We need neighborhood welcoming committees, replete with Spanish translator, encouraging people not to live 20 to a house and kill chickens in the backyard.
“Excuse me but it is inconvenient for me and my family when your roosters wake us up crowing. I hate to be culturally insensitive but could you hurry up and kill the roosters?”
Mr. principi has my attention, now and forever, because of his votes and his comments during the struggle to keep PWC from becoming Mexico North.