W.S. "Wally" Covington III* (R)

Office Sought: District Supervisor Brentsville
Age: 44
Residence: Greenwich.
Education: BS, agricultural economics, Virginia Tech; JD, University of Richmond.
Occupation: Brentsville supervisor; lawyer, private practice.
Web site: None given.
E-mail address: wcovington@pwcgov.org
Offices and positions held: Brentsville District supervisor, 2004-present; Pr. William Co. Electoral Board, 1996-2003; board member, PRTC, VRE, VACO Transportation; VSA soccer referee; member, Boy Scouts of America District Council, Pr. William Co. Bar Assoc., Pr. William Co. Chambers of Commerce; past officer, Farm Bureau Board of Directors; past treasurer and vestry member, Trinity Episcopal Church; past president and member, local Ruritans.

Why should voters elect you?

Specific goals promised, e.g., Sudley Manor, during '03 campaign were delivered. Future goals include enhanced commercial development, infrastructure, education and community quality of life.

What do you think is the most urgent problem facing your jurisdiction?

Balancing commercial and residential growth with adequate infrastructure. PWC has actively targeted, successfully attracted, industries in the biotech and information tech fields. Evidence of our success points to GMU's life sciences campus and Innovation business park. The state's new forensic lab has broken ground with many private companies nearby. The BOCS has, as a team, slowed residential development in western PWC, concurrently adding significant travel lane miles to PWC roads and support for VRE. PWC has achieved and maintained a AAA-bond rating by Fitch. The challenge will be to stick with the basics of infrastructure and stay the course.

What is your plan to address the traffic problems in Virginia?

The Washington Post dubbed PWC the “King of Road Building.” Incensed that the state has dropped the ball, PWC funded our own transportation department. Additionally we created a template, backed by public support of local road bond referendums, to support public private road building partnerships (PPTAs), channel federal money into additional lane miles and demanded developer road proffers upfront prior to construction of subdivisions. Working regionally with other jurisdictions, we have supported VRE to help take thousands of cars off the road with this growing transit operation. PWC continues to make transportation our #1 legislative priority, petitioning Richmond to channel our tax dollars back to Northern Virginia. This continues to be the road block to the regional transportation solution.

Do you think current policies governing growth & development in your area are too restrictive, not restrictive enough or just right?

just right

-- The Washington Post | Submit a correction request.