SMART (SLOW!) GROWTH
Why did you move to Purcellville? If you’re from Purcellville, why haven’t you left?
I’ll tell you why I’m here. My family and I moved to Purcellville because we were tired of living in the big city. We were tired of the traffic, the noise, the graffiti, the trash, the air pollution. We were tired of the deteriorating schools, the rising crime, the rampant drug use, the increasingly profane culture all around us. We weren’t looking to live in isolation. We still wanted ready access to goods and services. We wanted to live in a small town. We found that in Purcellville – a community of neighbors; a small town surrounded by other small towns.
I am committed to keeping Purcellville exactly that – a small town that feels like home wherever you go. Like Mayberry, if you will. I hope you feel the same way, and I hope you recognize that our quality of life is in danger.
There are opposing forces who have a very different vision for Purcellville. They want to turn Purcellville into Ashburn 2.0. They want Purcellville to become a metropolis, what they call the “economic center of western Loudoun County.” Let’s be clear about what that means. That means big-box stores, skyscraper hotels, high rise office buildings, industrial parks, and data centers. With that mass urbanization comes much much more traffic, an ever-increasing transient population and, with THAT, higher property taxes, higher utility rates, more drugs, and more crime.
My question for those who want to annihilate our Mayberry-esque town and replace it with a concrete and glass metropolis is this: If you’re not happy living here, have you considered leaving? There’s no Berlin Wall or concertina wire holding anyone in. Just as I exercised my right to move OUT of a big city, they can certainly exercise their rights to move IN to a big city.
To be clear, I’m not suggesting that Purcellville stay trapped in time. After all, the Purcellville of today is much different than the Purcellville of decades past. Whatever the policies of government, the population of greater Loudoun County will surely expand rather than contract. There WILL be more cars on the road, not fewer. There WILL be more structures dotting the landscape, not fewer. Growth is inevitable, but we want that growth to be desirable. That means supporting our small businesses and encouraging new small business development by streamlining licensing and permit practices. That means investing in our infrastructure and revitalizing our many dilapidated buildings. That means preserving our greenscapes and our historic properties. That means managing growth so that it fits the aesthetics of our Town and ensures that Purcellville remains a community of neighbors. That means listening to and respecting our town employees, and soliciting their input for ways to cut costs and improve services. That means fostering a civic-minded populace who show up to vote on election day – Democrats and Republicans alike – who UNITE and send the message that the Town of Purcellville is open for business, but not for sale. That starts with electing a Mayor and Town Council who aren’t for sale – a Mayor and Town Council who are committed to enhancing the quality of life for our fellow citizens through optimization of services and minimization of costs; committed to making sure that government closest to the people is most responsive to the people; committed to serving as stewards of our financial resources while working to reduce our debt and mitigate what we all know as the Purcellville Premium.
Mayberry Not Metropolis. That sums up my vision for the future of Purcellville. It’s a vision of a small-town with thriving businesses; a community of neighbors dedicated to fiscal responsibility, common sense, and mutual respect. That’s why I’m running for Town Council, and that’s why I’m asking for your support. It’s time for leaders who are focused on policy rather than personality conflicts. Policies that bring about economic revitalization - Yes! Policies that invite mass urbanization - No!!
Vote "No" to Metropolis. Vote "Yes" to keeping Purcellville more like Mayberry, where our streets are as safe at midnight as they are at noon!