PANDAK FOR CHAIRMAN

4897 Prince William Parkway, Suite 101

Woodbridge, Virginia  22192

(703) 897-1906

 

Contact: Leah R. Puttkammer                                      FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Phone: (703) 897-1906                                                                            Sept. 11, 2007

Email: leah@pandakforchairman.com

URL: http://www.pandakforchairman.com

 

Pandak Confronts Stewart About Failure to Seize Congressional Opportunity on Illegal Immigration

 

Woodbridge, VA – Today during Citizen’s Time at the Board of County Supervisors meeting, Sharon Pandak, candidate for the Chairman of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors, criticized current Chairman Corey Stewart’s failure to seize a congressional opportunity to fight illegal immigration.

 

Pandak, who opposes illegal immigration, said that Stewart “wasted the opportunity to testify before Congress.  He did not garner or obtain support from our congressional delegation, from surrounding jurisdictions or, it appears, even from the Board of Supervisors for the statements which he made.”

 

Pandak said Stewart could have, “urged Congress to remove all of the illegal aliens from our overcrowded jails to federal facilities and continue to do so that criminals, who are the federal responsibility, are no longer present in our community.”

 

Pandak also believed the time the Board spent reviewing Stewart’s draft comments which he did not use, could have been better spent actually addressing the issue by possibly “adopting a program, like other jurisdictions, which requires proof of residency in order to obtain a business license, thereby ensuring that businesses do not knowingly hire illegal aliens.”

 

Information on Sharon Pandak can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.pandakforchairman.com.

 

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PANDAK FOR CHAIRMAN

4897 Prince William Parkway, Suite 101

Woodbridge, Virginia  22192

(703) 897-1906

 

Contact: Leah R. Puttkammer                                      FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Phone: (703) 897-1906                                                                            Sept. 11, 2007

Email: leah@pandakforchairman.com

URL: http://www.pandakforchairman.com

 

Pandak Calls for Action by Board to Commemorate September 11^th.

 

Woodbridge, VA – During today’s Citizen’s Time at the Board of County Supervisors meeting, candidate for Chairman of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors Sharon Pandak called for action in three areas to commemorate the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001. Below are her comments:

 

“In honor of today’s date, I would like to reflect on those whose lives were lost or irreparably harmed due to 9-11.  The County should commemorate their lives and tremendous sacrifice by taking meaningful positive action in at least 3 areas:

 

1.                  The County must support emergency services and law enforcement personnel who are the first called to prevent or respond to tragedies and to protect our public safety.  The County must offer pay and benefits commensurate with the risks they take and the irreplaceable services which they provide. 

2.                  The County must ensure that those in the armed forces who defend us have medical care and mental health care when they return to the County from the war.

3.                  We must ensure that we have adequate mass transportation in place to safely and successfully evacuate our community in the case of another terrorist attack or natural disaster.”

  

 

Information on Sharon Pandak can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.pandakforchairman.com.

 

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PANDAK FOR CHAIRMAN

4897 Prince William Parkway, Suite 101

Woodbridge, Virginia  22192

(703) 897-1906

 

Contact: Leah R. Puttkammer                                      FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Phone: (703) 897-1906                                                                                   ; s  Aug. 31, 2007

Email: leah@pandakforchairman.com

URL: http://www.pandakforchairman.com

 

Prince William Education Association Endorses Sharon Pandak for Chairman of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors

 

Woodbridge, VA – The Prince William Education Association has recently endorsed Sharon Pandak for Chairman of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors.

 

President of the PWEA, Megan Link, explained the reasons for the PWEA’s confidence in Pandak when she stated, “Sharon has demonstrated a profound willingness to build consensus through relationships that both defy and cross party lines.  She is thoughtful and sincere, committed to doing what is right for the future of Prince William County and its citizens, including our schools and our students. Ms. Pandak's demeanor and comportment speak to her integrity as well as her fundamental strength of character.  The Prince William Education Association supports Sharon Pandak's candidacy for the Chairman of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors without hesitation or reservation.”

 

Pandak has conveyed a strong commitment to the community, public schools, and county teachers. If elected, Pandak will work to increase teacher salaries, reduce school overcrowding by keeping class sizes low and ensure the availability of adequate facilities.

 

“To maintain schools which will train our youth to function in a world economy, we must pay our teachers competitively. My parents were teachers. I saw their dedication and commitment; I realized their financial challenges in raising four children. The public school system must prepare our children to be leaders. We must make their educational environment one which enables them to readily learn. The Board of County Supervisors must renew these commitments when budgeting for our future.

 

The PWEA is the Prince William County Public School Division's largest employee organization and also currently the second largest such local education association in the state of Virginia.

 

Information on Sharon Pandak can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.pandakforchairman.com.

 

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Sharon E. Pandak, the Democratic candidate for Chairman of the Prince William County Board of County Supervisors, made the following statement to the Board of County Supervisors at Citizens' Time yesterday:

We all know that localities received a checkered deal from the General Assembly. Although now declaring victory, they largely took an "armchair approach" to the critical problem of transportation gridlock which threatens our quality of life and economic vitality. To avoid personal political blame they shifted the difficult process of "taxing for transportation" to Northern Virginia and Tidewater localities, instead of stepping up to the plate and providing a steady, substantial and sustainable revenue source from the State. They also gave our localities some much needed additional legislative authority to manage land use, but persisted in meddling with our ability by putting in controlling details and strings which make the actual use of such laws more difficult.

As I testified before the Commonwealth Transportation Board at its May public hearing to set transportation funding priorities for the next six years, HB 3202, the transportation bill passed by the 2007 General Assembly, is critical legislation. It will help Prince William County, and other localities, because we are so far behind in meeting our transportation needs. However, this legislation is only incremental because the need is so great.

We are on the brink of regional gridlock, and to ignore the benefits of HB3202, however limited and become mired in constitutional issues not found by the Attorney General or dogmatic claims of no new taxes, is to be like an elephant throwing mud on itself in the midst of an earthquake. As my fire and rescue friends understand, when triage is necessary at an accident site to save a life or limb, you do triage. You don"t wait to go to a hospital which miles away. Our transportation system needs triage.

For this reason, I urge the Board to commit to a proposed agreement with the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority of which the County is a member. This is our best, near term hope for working with and within the region to increase our transportation funding. Notwithstanding the efforts by Senator Colgan, Governor Kaine and legislators, it is the only immediate option which the General Assembly has provided.

At the public hearing on Thursday, I urge the Board to listen to citizens' comments, to businesses and property owners concerns, as well as transportation experts in order to determine which road and transit projects in Prince William County and the region would provide the most immediate relief and hope to our commuters and other residents that they can move freely and predictably around the region.

I urge the Board to insist that NVTA act quickly. Then after concerted action has occurred, I urge the Board to continue to reevaluate how the transportation needs can be best met and how much money is necessary to meet them in the short term and in the long term here in Prince William County.

I urge the Board to take a leadership role locally as it considers better linking of land use and transportation and imposition of impact fees. As the second largest county in the Commonwealth with a population approaching 400,000, I urge the Board to take a leadership role in seeking more significant and comprehensive transportation funding from the State, starting with strong words with our recalcitrant local delegates and senators, about the crisis which they seem to ignore here at home. The General Assembly must heed the traffic concerns and acknowledge the need for State funding to address the serious problems facing Prince William County residents as they move around in and travel outside the County.

Finally, I urge the Board to take a leadership role in creating an understanding that we need a vision and a plan that builds us not just another lane to major roads, which will only create larger parking lots with traffic, but one which moves our residents with transit, buses, trains, light rail, and other innovative means.

We must use creative means to fund the necessary facilities so that they link land use and transportation in order to protect the quality of life and public safety of Prince William County residents.

Thank you. I wish you good judgment as you make difficult decisions.

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Sharon E. Pandak, the Democratic candidate for Chairman of the Prince William County Board of County Supervisors, held her campaign kick-off at her campaign office on May 31, 2007. Pandak was introduced by State Senator Charles Colgan.

Supportive greetings were made by the following:

• Former Governor Mark Warner called in to support Sharon.
• Senator Linda "Toddy" Puller
• Supervisor Hilda Barg
• Supervisor John Jenkins
• Former member of the State Alcoholic Beverage Control Board and Board of the Northern Virginia Community College, George Hampton
• Former Delegate and Director of the State Department of Parks and Recreation David Brickley
• Local Attorney Jan Roltsch-Anoll
• Commonwealth"s Attorney Paul Ebert sent his endorsement.

Ms. Pandak thanked the crowd of supporters, who came from across Prince William County. She made the attached remarks.

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Senator Charles J. Colgan continued to register his concern about the impacts of any relocation or expansion of existing transmission lines owned by Dominion Power on the residents of the 29^th Senatorial District, and the need for scrutiny by the State Corporation Commission.

On May 17, 2007, Senator Colgan wrote to Samuel Bodman, Secretary of the United States Department of Energy, indicating his opposition to inclusion of Virginia in the Mid-Atlantic National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor (NIETC) that would take the decision regarding the location of power lines away from the Commonwealth of Virginia and put it in the hands of the Federal Government.

Senator Colgan echoed the concerns identified by Governor Timothy Kaine in a letter to Secretary Bodman, dated May 15, 2007. Senator Colgan said:

"The Virginia State Corporation Commission is perfectly capable of making decisions concerning the location of transmission systems including power lines and the need for additional power. This decision should be made by the states involved and not interfered with by the Federal Government."

Governor Kaine pointed to out the Department of Energy the actions of the 2007 General Assembly which "will allow Virginia to implement the policies that are most responsive to the needs of our electric consumers, considering the optimal use of conservation, new generation and new transmission facilities. Virginia is the best forum for making such decisions and our decisions should not be pre-empted by action at the federal level."

Senator Colgan sponsored legislation which passed the 2007 Session of the General Assembly, which provides additional direction to the State Corporation Commission when considering power transmission systems and need. Colgan said, he has enlisted assistance from former County Attorney Sharon Pandak on the entire power line issue including opposition to inclusion of Virginia the NIETC. Sharon served as County Attorney for 25 years and is an expert on state and federal laws as they affect local government. I am pleased she is running for the Office of Chairman of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors.

Senator Colgan stated that he is pleased Sharon Pandak shares his desire that any proposed line relocation or expansion not negatively impact Prince William County residents. The decision on need for and location of transmission facilities can be best made by the State Corporation Commission, not the federal government. Sharon Pandak stated that local citizen input is critical and encourages residents to send their comments once the SCC schedules hearings.

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Sharon E. Pandak, candidate for Chairman of the Prince William County Board of County Supervisors, spoke regarding the proposed 6 year transportation plan to the Virginia Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) at its public hearing at the Fairfax County government center, May 23, 2007.

Ms. Pandak thanked the CTB for its support of HB3202, a law recently enacted by the General Assembly which provides additional funding for transportation. She reinforced comments by Vice Chairman Martin Nohe on behalf of the Board of County Supervisors which endorsed allocations to proposed improvements including to Rts. 123, 28 & 234, providing greater mobility to County residents.

Ms. Pandak, however, went further and reminded the CTB of the serious need for rail and other multi-modal means of transportation if real progress is to be made in eliminating gridlock. Importantly, she noted that the funding offered in HB3202 is "critical but only incremental" because the need is so great.

"If these other means of transportation are not supported, then adding additional lanes to major roads will only create larger parking lots," stated Pandak. "The State also needs to take rail to our western and southern neighbors and prevent the congestion created by their residents commuting through Prince William County."

Ms. Pandak encouraged the CTB to link land use and transportation, and to look for creative means to fund the necessary transportation facilities in order to protect the quality of life and public safety of Prince William County residents.

The CTB"s allocations are a major part of the State funding process for roads and public transportation. Ms. Pandak had also spoken at the CTB"s public hearing last fall about traffic concerns and the need for State funding to address the serious problems which Prince William County residents have moving around in and traveling outside the County.

[Note: Sharon Pandak was Prince William County Attorney for 15 years. She currently advises and represents local governments in Virginia.]

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