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    • Aug 4, 2022

Letter to PWC's Planning and BOCS:"I am very aware of the gap in services we are unable to provide.


From: Patton Donna

Date: Fri, May 13, 2022 at 6:51 PM

Subject: Digital Gateway

To: Bailey, Andrea <abailey@pwcgov.org>,

Franklin, Margaret <mfranklin@pwcgov.org>,

Lawson, Jeanine M. <jlawson@pwcgov.org>, <VSAngry@pwcgov.org>,

Hello. My name is Donna Patton, I live in the Coles District and am a lifelong resident of PWC. I worked for the PWC Department of Social Services for 41 years and have volunteered with Smart Beginnings GPW for the past 6 years. I understand how difficult it is to be poor in a rich community. I am very aware of the gap in services we are unable to provide.


I've listened to many BOCS meetings over the last 2 years, and as a result have been following the debate over the PW Digital Gateway. I would like to share with you some of my observations and opinions.

1. We have many unmet needs in our county, not only in early childhood services, but in mental health and other needs. As our population has increased, so has our need for resources to provide and enhance these and services. How can we achieve this? It is apparent that the best way is to increase commercial tax revenue. We have done that somewhat with our current data centers, but evidently it is not enough since we now have a meals tax and increased residential tax bills. And I've heard many people and organizations ask for financial assistance for their causes and their charitable organizations. From what I have learned, the Digital Gateway could be the answer.

2. I have listened to public comments at the Board meetings, most notably those from residents of a development called Heritage Hunt, which I understand used to be a big farm. I do not agree with their depiction of the farmers on Pageland Lane as "greedy -------" and other ugly descriptors. I understand the pressures Pageland Lane residents must feel. They are expected to “keep things the same” while the county and Northern Virginia is changing around them. Since the Gateway seems to be proposing extensive and unprecedented mitigations to residential areas and parks, and is even proposing more park land and trails, I find that many of the opposition's fears are unfounded.

3. I've been forwarded 2 emails that I would also like to comment on:

The first was concerning Kim Hosen and her comments concerning Chair Wheeler and her planning commissioner. She sent it to the Fairfax Water Authority, making derogatory comments that make me wonder just what her affiliation and sway is with that Authority. Also, I did read the newspaper article concerning Fairfax Water's objections to the Digital Gateway and thought their opinions were premature and self-serving and makes me wonder if they have some motive for keeping our county down.

The second email was an internal one within the Authority wherein one of their high ranking staff revealed that her parents live in Heritage Hunt. This also makes her motives suspect in any contribution she made to the Authority's letter to PWC officials.

Thank you for taking the time to read this, and I will close by saying the successful future of Prince William depends on the Digital Gateway.

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