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Western supervisors square off
Western Loudoun supervisor candidates treated an audience of about 75 to a trifecta Oct. 10 at Loudoun County High School in Leesburg.
The forum, sponsored by the Loudoun League of Women Voters, took on the nuances of a horse race with spirited exchanges and oftentimes intense competition.
Growth, illegal immigration and schools were prime topics for three incumbents and three challengers for the three districts: Leesburg, Blue Ridge and Catoctin.
The Leesburg duo -- Republican incumbent Jim Clem and Democrat Kelly Burk -- squared off on several issues, including illegal immigration and the town's relationship with the county.
Said Clem: “The law is the law. If it isn't enforced from the top down, then we'll have to enforce the law from the bottom up.”
Burk implied that many social, legal and financial ramifications could be brought about by the county restricting certain services to illegal immigrants.
“At the local level, we must stay within our means,” she said. “We need to make sure we're not starting a witch hunt.”
Both Clem and Burk agreed that the new county government center should remain in Leesburg, but the former took some jabs at Leesburg Town Council by saying, “The town must step forward [and work better with the county].” Burk -- a current town council member -- countered, “There's a major disconnect between the town and the board. We need to have an advocate for Leesburg to talk [to the county] about issues and come up with ideas.”
Incumbents Sally Kurtz (D-Catoctin), going for her third term, and Jim Burton (I-Blue Ridge), eyeing his fourth term, cited their experience as supervisors. But both said, “There's a lot yet to accomplish.”
Kurtz, who in 2003 defeated Republican Geary Higgins by less than 400 votes, again is opposing Higgins. Both sparred about groundwater concerns in the west, along with traffic around Route 9 in Hillsboro and construction of a new western high school.
Kurtz believes a new board is definitely needed, starting in '08.
“I can assure you that the heavy-handedness of at least three members on the current board has hurt all of us. They don't want a consensus; they want power,” she said.
Said Higgins: “I think the acrimony on the board is unfortunate. I hope to change some of that.”
Burton and his Republican foe, Mark Albright, echoed the cooperation theme, especially regarding schools.
“The supervisors need to sit down with the town council and School Board to form a consensus. This new high school [at Fields Farm] has been six years in the planning; it should have been built two years ago,” Albright said. “The supervisors should work with the towns, not ignore them.”
The School Board is progressing with its plan to build a new school on county-owned land at Fields Farm, north of Purcellville, but the town has filed legal action.
Citizens wonder whether the Fields Farm site will get through legal hurdles, or is an extended courtroom battle on the horizon?
“There's a pocket of people opposed to this, but remember that 68 percent of folks in Purcellville voted in favor of the school,” Burton said. “We're on track for three new high schools in the west by 2017. There's no good site, but the Fields Farm site can be made to work.”
Some members of the board take a posture of blaming the very board that they serve i.e, Ms. Kurtz, and Mr. Burton. They have failed to compromise. They have failed to produce a high school for western Loudoun. They have failed to curb development. They have failed to address snarling traffic. They have failed to demonstrate their ability to solve problems, compromise, and get results. (Albeit, Ms. Kurtz got results when she subdivided her land into multiple parcels).
Posted by byebyeburton
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This article fails to mention that ALL candidates were invited to this debate. Since the Kool Aid right "Republican" candidates (Snow, Delgaudio, Tulloch and Statton) refused to participate, it made no sense for their opponents to show up. Remember these far right loons on election day.
Posted by MarkKay
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IT is sad but true that Kurtz and Burton have failed to stop development, but from their minority position at least they have tried. The majority Republicans on the BOS have tried and succeeded in making the flood of development even worse. If you are against high taxes and heavy traffic, how can you possibly vote for these pro-development zealots?
Posted by drwillia
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As a voter who has been actively involved over the past 4 years, I find it pathetic that Mr. Higgins (who has been completely absent from the local scene over the past 4 years, with ZERO involvement - not even attending a single Board meeting) had little to say last night except to blame Supervisor Sally Kurtz for Loudoun's problems of traffic, high taxes, and runaway development. That's laughable. Mr. Higgins, had you bothered to attend even ONE Board of Supervisors meeting you would KNOW that your own Party boys (the Republican majority on the Board- THE GANG OF 5) are the ones who have lined their pockets with Developer $$$ and blatantly disregarded the voice of the people. Supervisor Kurtz has fought to represent the interests of Loudoun residents over those of Developers, but when you're out numbered (5-4) it is of little consequence.
Since is was apparent that Mr. Higgins had little to offer Loudoun voters in the way of solutions, why don't we ask him this question...Mr. Higgins, will you continue to do as you did in the last election and take huge sums of money from the development industry??? Last election 54% of Mr.Higgins campaign contributions came from Developers (see VPAP website). Sally Kurtz does NOT accept $$$ from the Development industry.
Also, Mr. Higgins- How can you repeatedly say it is acceptable to DOUBLE the density of Loudoun's crown jewel (rural western Loudoun) when there has been NO TRAFFIC ANALYSIS, NO WATER ANAYSIS, and NO FISCAL IMPACT ANALYSIS??? If that's your idea of responsible land-use decisions, NO THANKS to you or your Developer friends.
Posted by 0001
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When asked about illegal migration, Supervisor Burton showed his usual i don't care attitude. Burton is the do nothing candidate on this issue .
Think long hard and hard before giving us another four years of Jim Burton
Posted by gstone
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It' very simple. If you want candidates who serve the greater good and represent LOUDOUN RESIDENTS instead of serving THEMSELVES by lining their wallets with Developer $$$,
VOTE NOV 6TH.
Good-bye Mr. SNOW, CLEM, DELGAUDIO, TULLOCH, and STATON. Your true colors are shining through.
Posted by 0001
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