BOYS SOCCER: Battlefield sets sights on dethroning Osbourn. SPORTS, PAGES 22, 23
April 11, 2024 | Vol. 23, No. 15 | www.princewilliamtimes.com | $2.00 Covering Prince William County and surrounding communities, including Gainesville, Haymarket, Dumfries, Occoquan, Quantico and the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park.
Residents tell supervisors: Hike data center tax rate By Jill Palermo Managing Editor
Speaker after speaker on Tuesday urged the Prince William County Board of Supervisors to hike taxes on data centers to give homeowners a break and provide more services to residents during the first public hearing for the county’s proposed $1.58 billion budget. “I’m here today in hopes that you will maximize the data center rate and use the resulting proceeds to lower our property taxes,” said Marilyn Karp of Haymarket. “That’s what you’ve been promising for years.” Those voicing support for raising the county’s tax rate on “computer and peripheral equipment” from the current $2.15 to $3.70 per $100 in assessed value — a more than 70% increase — included several western Prince William County
TIMES STAFF PHOTO/JILL PALERMO
Prince William Board of County Supervisors Chair Deshundra Jefferson, left, explains why she supports hiking taxes on data centers.
residents who opposed the massive Prince William Digital Gateway and said their side of the county has been besieged by data centers. “Why should I pay a $3.70 tax rate on my car, but the data center pays $2.15? I call the B.S. card,” said Donna Gallant, who lives near several data center projects in Bristow. “You need to tax them equal to — if not more — than what we pay.” County Executive Chris Shorter’s proposed budget would keep the data center tax rate flat at $2.15. But there is support for raising it to $3.70, matching the “car tax rate” among the county supervisors. In February, the board voted to formally propose a $3.70 data center tax rate at the urging of Board Chair Deshundra Jefferson. Once a rate is advertised, the board can reduce it but cannot raise it. See TAX RATE, page 2
‘You couldn’t ask for a better day’ Eclipse watchers enjoy the view from the Manassas battlefield By Jill Palermo Managing Editor
The wide-open fields at Manassas National Battlefield Park offered the perfect spot to spread out a blanket and peer toward the heavens Monday afternoon to watch the moon slowly pass by the sun. And to the delight of hundreds who made the trek to rural Gainesville, the clouds cooperated, clearing the way to a near perfect view of Northern Virginia’s partial solar eclipse. Andrew Bentley, the battlefield’s chief of interpretation, noted it was a pleasant 73 degrees during what would be the last glimpse of a solar eclipse for a while. Virginia isn’t expected to see another one until 2078.
TIMES STAFF PHOTOS/JILL PALERMO
The Acker family, of San Francisco, were traveling in Washington, D.C., for spring break and stayed an extra day to see the eclipse at Manassas National Battlefield Park. SEE PAGE 4 FOR MORE PHOTOS
See ECLIPSE, page 4 88 DULLES, VA
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Local restaurant competes on the Food Network, page 7 News
Woodbridge native turned reality TV star visits Potomac Mills, page 7 Scan below to check out The JAM