Jim E. Clem*

Office sought: Leesburg Supervisor
Party: Republican
Age: 67
Residence: Leesburg.
Web site:
http://www.reelectjimclem.org
E-mail:
jimeclem@yahoo.com

* Incumbent

Occupaton: Supervisor, Leesburg District, Loudoun County Board of Supervisors; co-owner, Colonial Funeral Home, Leesburg.

Education: Course work, George Washington University.

Elected offices/civic activities: Loudoun County Board of Supervisors, 2004-present; Leesburg Planning Commission, 2002-04, 1986-87; mayor of Leesburg, 1992-2000; Leesburg Town Council, 1987-92; past president, Leesburg Host Lions; member, Lucketts Ruritan Club; past president, Leesburg Volunteer Fire Company; treasurer, Olive Branch Masons Lodge 114; member, Salvation Army board.

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: The transportation package was a fair compromise but it did not address the problems of Northern Virginia strongly enough. The transportation needs of our region are more complex and urgent than many of the other regions in the state. Loudoun County’s transportation problems are largely the result of people moving further out to satisfy their affordable housing needs and commute through our county to their employment. We have the longest commutes and highest population density, which adds to daily traffic woes and high accident rates. The NVTA should be an elected entity and not an appointed one. We have several options to help pay for transportation infrastructure such as Public Private Partnerships, separate tax districts for specific roadways, proffers from developers, and gas tax options. It is also my opinion that any moneys taken from the State Transportation Fund to pay for projects other than transportation needs or used to balance the State Budget should be fully replaced.

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

A: Yes I did sign the ethics agreement and would uphold that agreement if elected. Our County government officials are elected to serve the citizens of Loudoun County and therefore should be held to the strictest standard of ethics. Anything less is a blight on the Board of Supervisors and a disgrace to the citizens.

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: In a perfect world the appropriate role of local government would be to let the federal government enforce the laws that exist. Unfortunately this is not being done and it has now fallen on the shoulders of local government to address the issue. I believe the laws should be strictly enforced to protect the rights of the citizens, both of the County of Loudoun and the United States. Illegal immigration is costing the County millions of dollars in services while many people are losing their jobs to cheap labor. Crime has increased in many areas and neighborhood blight and housing foreclosures are also increasing at an alarming rate. Many of my constituents blame increased gang activity on illegal immigrants. That is not to say that all immigrants are problematic. Loudoun welcomes legal immigrants, those who come here to better their lives and go through the proper channels to obtain citizenship.

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: The comprehensive plan needs to be updated to allow for managed growth in Western Loudoun. The Eastern part of the County is already heavily suburban and should not be changed. A transition area would work with the proper zoning and planning. Many people in the western part of the county would like to have a little more control over their land. I would consider amendments to the comprehensive plan especially if it strongly encouraged clustering of 5 and 10-acre lots in planned configurations. Cluster developing would allow the landowners to better capitalize on some of their land, while keeping the remaining property in its natural Western feel.

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: Yes, we do need to control the pace of growth in the County. This out of control growth has resulted in gridlock, high taxes and has lowered the quality of life for our citizens. We could improve this situation by demanding more and better proffers from developers, making our County more attractive to employers by offering tax incentives to large corporations and planning adequate transportation infrastructure before allowing development to occur. This Board of Supervisors requires that all developers must have their transportation infrastructure in place prior to issuance of any occupancy permits being granted. A balance of 30% industrial and 70% residential development would work well. While these are tools to help control development in Loudoun County, one has to realize that many people are moving further out to find affordable housing because of Loudoun’s high land and housing prices.

Your Thoughts...

Are you happy that the school year is over?