Remarks to the Prince William Board of County Supervisors: January 18, 2022

I’m Bill Wright and I live in Gainesville.  I am here to speak out against the Prince William Digital Gateway.

I oppose it not just because it is a bad idea, but because it is an unnecessarily bad idea.  I know from multiple revealing inquiries with County staff that there is no need to go outside of the overlay district to get the economic growth and tax revenue you want.  In fact, you will net far less revenue outside of the overlay district because of the resulting infrastructure costs and environmental impact.  Never mind the public relations disaster you are creating by the threat to historical and archaeological sites.  And the growing public perception is you are only wreaking this havoc to make large land owners and their developer co-conspirators richer. 

The Prince William Digital Gateway is not even the County’s idea, but a get rich quick scheme dreamed up by a failed developer with a horrible reputation.  The County may not be intentionally carrying her water, but that’s certainly how it appears. 

The promotion of this scheme has gone so far as to endanger the public with two in-person meetings, hastily scheduled at the height of a pandemic.  And since the accelerated timeline has outpaced the receipt of studies commissioned to inform the issue, the whole purpose of these meetings will be undermined.  Please use your influence to reschedule them.

In my zeal to protect my newly adopted community, I was reminded that not everyone gets to choose where they live.  That’s true.  I am fortunate.  I worked and saved and I chose to retire in western Prince William County only two years ago.  If this proposal is passed, I will realize that choosing a future in Prince William County was a mistake and I will leave you to your data centers, as will all of the residents of Pageland Lane who have disingenuously convinced you this is such a great idea.  

But what about those who are not as fortunate as I am?  They will be stuck with the ugly, ravaged landscape you foisted upon them, while the people who talked you into it are living in luxury somewhere else with the fruits of your gullibility.

And who will you stick next?  How many will think twice before moving to or remaining in Prince William County after it becomes the industrial wasteland you envision?  Who will be able to trust that their modest dreams won’t become nightmares at the sudden whim of opportunistic developers and short-sighted supervisors?

This County is at a crossroads and you will choose the path it takes.  Please choose carefully.  A well-balanced diet of careful and deliberate planning makes for a better future than the junk food of flimsy schemes.   

Thank you.