Steve J. Snow*

Office sought: Dulles Supervisor
Party: Republican
Age: 64
Residence: South Riding
Web site:
http://www.votesnow.com
E-mail:
votesnow@aol.com

* Incumbent

Occupaton: Loudoun County supervisor, Dulles District; project manager, Dietze Construction Group.

Education: BA, Ariz. State; MA, bus. mgt., Central Texas Univ.; Industrial Coll. of Armed Forces, Army inspector general courses.

Elected offices/civic activities: Loudoun County supervisor, Dulles District, 2004-present; Loudoun Youth Initiative; Dulles South Youth Football League; Boys and Girls Club of Loudoun; chairman, Loudoun County Sanitation Authority.

Questions & Answers

Q: Do you support the transportation package passed by the General Assembly this year? What other ideas do you have for generating money to pay for road improvements in Loudoun?

A: I opposed the package, because of its outrageous and abusive "abuser fees," because its huge increase in the granter tax would add thousands of dollars to the cost of selling a house in an already downward spiraling market, and because it cedes taxing authority over Loudoun to an unelected regional authority. I would seek to finance road improvements, first of all, by continuing to fight for our share of tax revenues from Richmond. But more important, I would continue to do what I have done my entire term: lead the way in creating partnerships to obtain tens of millions of dollars in federal, state and local funding and up-front, private-sector proffers to address our most pressing transportation needs. These efforts have led to improvements or acceleration of improvements to Loudoun County Parkway, Tall Cedars Parkway, Shellhorn Road and Croson Lane, as well as the expansion of Commuter Bus service to Dulles South. In particular, proffers I have obtained have led to construction of or enhancements to sections of the Loudoun County Parkway, Route 50, Claiborne Parkway, Braddock Road, Route 659, the East-West Connector from Route 659, and interchanges on Route 50, Croson Lane, Sycolin Road, Poland Road, Tall Cedars Parkway and East Gate Drive. I'll also continue to push public-private partnerships like those that produced recommendations for extensive improvements in the Route 50 corridor, including four-miles of six-lane road, and will help get the four-lane Belmont Ridge Road built at least 10 years ahead of schedule. Since then, I have initiated similar efforts to address congestion in the Waxpool Road corridor and around Dulles Airport. To paraphrase Mark Twain's comment about the weather, everyone is talking about traffic, but no one is doing anything about it -- at least, not much useful. I've been getting things done and will continue to work day and night to speed the commuters in my district home to their families at night.

Q: Did you sign the Board of Supervisors' ethics agreement? Would you sign it if elected? Why or why not?

A: To me, ethics is about a very different kind of code -- the code of honor I learned growing up from my parents and which was even more deeply instilled in decades of service to our country. Applied to public service, that code of honor means always putting the people first, and promoting good government and the best possible service for constituents. I voted against, and did not sign, the Board of Supervisors' "ethics code" because it is so vague as to be virtually unenforceable, yet creates the means for untold political mischief on a Board that is already notorious for its divisiveness and game-playing. What, for example, is "the appearance of a conflict of interest? I proposed instead that the Board of Supervisors adopt the workable, previously vetted Code of Ethics approved and employed by Stafford County that provided a truly useful guide to practice, as opposed to mere political posturing.

Q: What is the appropriate role for local government in enforcement of federal immigration laws, and how do you view the current debate in Loudoun on the issue of illegal immigration?

A: Illegal immigration has degenerated into a "wedge issue" on both sides of the political spectrum. My point of view on this issue, as on so many others, is rooted in my high view of community and of traditional American values. Earlier this year, I joined the other members of the Board of Supervisors in 9-0 votes to investigate the extent of County spending on illegal immigrants and the use of a Herndon laborer site suspected of promoting employment of unlawful aliens in Loudoun. Proponents of more liberal immigration rules argue that we should be compassionate toward unlawful residents, who are said to work at jobs Americans don't want. Critics of illegal immigration express concern about its costs to government, the threat to security and the manner in which it undermines of the rule of law. Here's how I see this issue: throughout our history, both America and Loudoun County have benefited from the contributions of immigrants from around the world. And I want newcomers to continue to feel welcome here and to be able to share the same high quality of life all the citizens of Loudoun enjoy. But illegal immigrants cannot, by definition, be true members of our community. Their status consigns them to a dark world that is below second-class citizenship and keeps them from assimilating into the community the way past generations of immigrants have. That in turn can create challenges for our schools and has the potential to breed resentment and ultimately, gangs and crime. Our goal needs to be to show true compassion, which always requires upholding that most basic of values, the rule of law. We need to ensure that immigrants come and live here in a legal, orderly fashion that allows them to fully integrate into our community.

Q: Do you support the county's current comprehensive plan and the notion that Loudoun should be suburban in the east and rural in the west, with a transition area in between? If not, what do you think is a better approach?

A: That approach sounds perfectly reasonable in theory. But what has happened instead is that an extreme anti-growth movement -- led by special interest groups based outside our County -- has turned the so-called "transition area," much of which is in my district, into a veritable "Dead Zone." Of course, all of us are in favor of preserving Loudoun's unique character and the scenic beauty of the western part of the County, and balancing the opportunity for quality growth with the need for open spaces. But we can achieve all that, and avoid "by-right sprawl," by working in partnership to create world-class communities with all the design advantages, amenities and public services needed to ensure the highest possible quality of life.

Q: Do you believe that any additional steps are needed to control the pace of growth in Loudoun? What would you do to create more of a balance between new homes and new jobs in the county?

A: I believe we have an extraordinary opportunity in Loudoun, and especially the Dulles District, to create the best place in the nation to live, work and raise a family. One key is to provide the opportunity to bring jobs close to home in well-planned, mixed-use communities with the infrastructure, affordable housing, road network, schools, amenities and, most important, pro-business posture that will help us attract world-class companies with well-paying jobs. It's an embarrassment -- and an insult to Loudoun taxpayers -- that when Fairfax County attracted the North American headquarters for Volkswagen, our County's economic development director boasted that we would benefit from proximity to well-paying jobs, especially in the service sector. In other words, our neighboring county will get high-paying jobs and the economic benefits, and we will get more low-paying jobs and traffic flowing through our neighborhoods. We need to lay the groundwork and build the professional economic development process to be competitive for outstanding jobs.

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