Andrea C. McGimsey

Office sought: Potomac Supervisor
Party: Democrat
Age: 44
Residence: Sterling.
Web site:
http://www.andreaforpotomac.com
E-mail:
andreaforpotomac@gmail.com

Occupaton: President, Sidewalks and Cyberspace.

Education: BS, premed, literature, MIT; MA, professional service, interactive telecommunications, New York University.

Elected offices/civic activities: Member, Our Savior's Way Lutheran Church; founder, Campaign for Loudoun's Future; past member, Sterling Volunteer Fire Department.

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 long overdue for Northern Virginia, and it will allow local officials to direct how best to improve the region's transportation infrastructure. While I am opposed to the unfair abuser fees placed on Virginia drivers, I am confident that the next General Assembly session will fix this aspect of the bill, and we will be able to move forward with getting Loudoun County's urgent transportation needs addressed. Our elected officials must demonstrate specific fixes to our local roads and commuting corridors that will be built with these funds. There must be open disclosure of plans and progress, and measures of how these transportation fixes have improved our commutes and daily driving. Northern Virginia is in a transportation crisis that must be addressed decisively. I will work with my constituents to identify transportation problems and solutions, the funds needed for making those improvements, and work with state and federal leaders and agencies on implementing those solutions. I believe when there is strong public support for transportation solutions, they will happen. It is the role of a leader to build that support. Potential solutions include mass transit (metro and buses), an increase of telecommuting and flex-time scheduling by employers, and safe bicycle and pedestrian paths. Developers must pay their fair share of transportation improvements needed to support new homes. I support the creation of special tax districts such as the highly successful Rt. 28 business tax district. We must also have strict oversight of transportation funds and budgets so that our transportation construction is efficient and on time.

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

A: If elected, I would sign the Board of Supervisors' ethics agreement. I believe that all Board proceedings should be open to the public, and that we must end sweetheart deals between Board members and developers. I support tougher ethic rules prohibiting Board members from personally profiting from their votes on the Board.

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: As the Potomac Supervisor on the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors, I will push for a balanced, common sense approach to stop illegal immigration. Our limited resources must be used to keep our community safe, provide high quality services, and make sure our neighborhoods, our families, and our businesses thrive. I support legal immigration, and the diversity of talents and hard work that legal immigrants bring to our society. My mother is a legal immigrant from Germany, and my father's ancestors, the McGimseys, immigrated to America in the 1760s. I am very proud of my immigrant roots. I value and support the legal immigrants who are contributing to Loudoun's thriving economy and quality of life. I think it is a disgrace that the federal government has failed to protect our borders and address the problem of illegal immigration. We need to do what we can at the state and local level to stop illegal immigration. Put simply, illegal is illegal. Our first priority must be to deport any illegal immigrant who commits a crime and shut down the document mills that create false documents for illegal immigrants. Neighborhoods must also be protected from overcrowded housing. We must crack down on businesses that lure illegal immigrants to our community. People come here, because there is work and money to be found. This situation is not fair to honest businesses, which hire legal employees and must compete with unscrupulous businesses, which hire illegal immigrants for low wages.

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: I am a strong supporter of the county's current comprehensive plan, which was created through many years of hard work by citizens, elected leaders, and government staff, and is full of compromises on all sides. Our county has two physical characteristics that are often overlooked in the discussion of how and where we should grow. The county is roughly shaped like a fat letter "L." Eastern Loudoun is the bottom of the L, with Dulles Airport in the middle and the Potomac River on the north. Western Loudoun is bordered by the Potomac River on the north and on the east. Because a road grid cannot be built through the Potomac or through the airport, most of Loudoun's traffic funnels on to Route 7, the Greenway, and Route 50. Based on the physical constraints of the river and airport on our road system, I believe that we must stick with high quality suburban communities in eastern Loudoun with strong local businesses, a transition area, and a rural area with a strong rural economy.

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: Loudoun County is a wonderful place to live and work, near the nation's capital. I will work to make sure we maintain that quality of life and continue to attract businesses and their jobs for our citizens. I support Loudoun County's Comprehensive Plan, which outlines the amount and location of growth allowed in the county. The current Board of Supervisors has made numerous zoning decisions which do not comply with this plan. They have increased residential density throughout the county, which will lead to increased traffic and continued strain on our county resources. To achieve a balance of new homes and new jobs in the county, we need to 1) get residential growth under control and 2) focus on economic development and making decisions that support local businesses. The current Board majority has harmed our local economy by flipping commercial land to residential in eastern Loudoun and increasing residential density next to rural businesses. I will make zoning decisions that support our communities and local businesses. I will not waste years on irresponsible development proposals to open up new parts of the county to massive residential growth, like the Dulles South CPAM, which would drive our roads into gridlock. Under the current Board majority, the county's commercial tax base has decreased, placing more of a burden on citizens' property taxes. We need to change that direction. I have strong experience in this county in a Fortune 500 business, as well as my own small business. I will work to attract venture capital into the county, incubate and support small businesses, and attract large businesses through creating a business friendly environment. I will support the Small Business Development Center in Sterling and the county's Economic Development department. A major concern of local businesses and companies considering locating here is the increasing traffic congestion; we must work on transportation solutions, instead of adding tens of thousands of new car trips to our already congested roads. We must support Leesburg Airport. We need to increase broadband access throughout the county. We must also support fundamental local services, which their employees need, such as an excellent public school system and public safety to keep our communities safe.

Your Thoughts...

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