D.M. "Mick" Staton Jr.*

Office sought: Sugarland Run Supervisor
Party: Republican
Age: 39
Residence: Great Falls Forest.
Web site:
http://www.mickstaton.com
E-mail:
mjr@caplink.com

* Incumbent

Occupaton: Vice president, Capitol Link.

Education: BA, political science, MA, public administration, West Virginia University.

Elected offices/civic activities: Member, Sugarland Run District, Loudoun County Board of Supervisors, 2004-present; founding member, Loudoun Taxpayers Coalition, 2001-02; chairman, Loudoun County Young Republicans, 2002; district chairman, 2002, precinct captain, 2001, Loudoun County Republican Committee; third-degree member, Knights of Columbus; Eagle Scout.

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 do not support the so-called transportation bill that was passed this year. That bill gave an unelected body called the NVTA the power to raise our taxes, and spend them on bus shelters, sidewalks, and traffic calming, but won’t be building any major road improvements that will get you home from work faster. I am also opposed to outrageous driving fines that charge you $1,000 from failing to use a turn signal. I led the Loudoun Board of Supervisors to file a legal challenge on constitutional grounds. Loudoun is the only jurisdiction that is standing up for its citizens in this way. I support working with the private sector to come up with partnerships to get our roads built. I support innovative solutions like the Route 28 tax district and using local bonds to build roads. I do not support turning over our money to an appointed body that is unaccountable to the voters, and is already planning to ask for more taxing power and possibly even the power of eminent domain.

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

A: It is more important to act and behave ethically, as I have over the last four years, than to worry about who has signed a so-called ethics agreement that cannot be enforced. Some Board members have signed a code of ethics, and they have routinely violated it over and over again. They seem to follow a “Do as I say, not as I do” philosophy. I feel that actions speak far louder than words, and I will continue act in an ethical manner.

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: The Federal Government has failed to do its job when it comes to the problem of illegal immigration, and local governments are forced to deal with the day to day problems of overcrowded housing and increased crime and gang activity to name a few. It is time local governments stood up for themselves and took their own action to address the problem, and that is exactly what I am trying to do in Loudoun. Passing our resolution in July was just the first step, but it has already created a groundswell that is reverberating all across the Country. Mere weeks later the Bush Administration announced tough new rules to crack down on employers who hire illegal immigrants. For the next step in Loudoun, I am pushing for all new Land Use Applications to include a proffer commitment that they will guarantee and verify that no contractor or subcontractor is hiring illegal immigrants to work on a project, and to provide that verification to the County.

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 authored the compromise plan that cut 27,000 potential homes out of Western Loudoun County and protected the rural economy and our rural countryside. I also voted against the CPAM that would have added 34,000 homes to the Transition area. I am sponsoring my own CPAM that will protect Eastern Loudoun from redevelopment and Urbanization, so that we can keep our Suburban 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 need consistency in our land use plans and how they are applied to the development community. Wild swings back and forth in policy, or passing extreme measures create the most turmoil. Since I have taken office growth in Loudoun has slowed by more than 50%. We are collecting more from developers than ever before in Loudoun's history. We are getting more road improvements from developers than ever before, and more of them are being built up front, before any homes are built. I am already creating a better balance between new homes and new jobs in the County. Over the last four years, I have approved over 12 Million new square feet of commercial development for Loudoun County, and while the residential growth rate has slowed by more than 50%, the Commercial growth rate has stayed strong. Development and land use issues need to be based on a partnership with the Government, the citizens, and the development community. It should not be an adversarial one. Only by working together can we achieve the vision we have for Loudoun County in the future.

Your Thoughts...

Are you happy that the school year is over?