Margaret Franklin

"Economic development is a critical issue throughout Prince William County and more importantly within the Woodbridge corridor. We must strive to promote job growth in Woodbridge through commercial development but with a keen focus on smart growth that allows for the emergence of large companies while also protecting our mom and pop shops. Spurring economic development and creating jobs locally by utilizing opportunity zones and providing an innovation hub for new startups and small businesses along with diverse commercial and retail including restaurants and modernized shopping areas."

"Growth of commercial development also spurs residential development. We must guarantee that any new residential development within the Woodbridge corridor will provide and help maintain affordable housing options for all residents. Providing safe and affordable housing options to all residents by creating a housing trust fund and incentivizing stakeholders to create affordable housing units and strengthening and expanding programs that help first time home-buyers with down payment assistance."

"Increased development and residential space has undoubtedly increased local traffic congestion. That is why I will place a heavy emphasis on local transportation needs. While I fully support our long-term goal of extending the metro into Prince William County, we need immediate relief that will help Woodbridge residents get in and around Prince William County safely and more efficiently. We can do this by increasing the neighborhoods that our local transit systems service and guaranteeing that route extensions is a priority for our local transportation system’s strategic plan. We must also advocate for bus rapid transit options up and down Rt. 1. We can do all of this by guaranteeing that revenue from the gas tax benefits Prince William infrastructure."

"Lastly, increased residential development has caused many of our schools in Woodbridge to become overcrowded. In turn, this has resulted in many of our kids going to classes in trailers. If elected, I will make it a priority to work with the Prince William County School Board to finally give them the resources they need to build more schools, improve the infrastructure of existing schools and to help make Woodbridge the model for academic success. We can do this by not only allocating funds to build new schools but to also to upgrade and modernize our current schools to help create an infrastructure that supports larger and more comfortable and technologically retrofitted classroom sizes."