Only $25 per person / $40 per family

Includes Mexican-style hors d’oeuvres, piñatas & mariachi entertainment and cash bar with Happy Hour Prices!

Please make checks payable to “Friends of Mike May” and send to 12322 Mulberry Court, Woodbridge, VA 22192

E-pay using the links above, or pay cash, check, MC / Visa at the door!

Only $25 per person / $40 per family

Includes Mexican-style hors d’oeuvres, piñatas & mariachi entertainment and cash bar with Happy Hour Prices!

Please make checks payable to “Friends of Mike May” and send to 4005 Brussels Way, Woodbridge, VA 22192

E-pay using the links above, or pay cash, check, MC / Visa at the door!

By Lauren Jost
Published: August 19, 2011

Prince William County is ranked 13 out of 25 counties nationwide for job growth from 2000 – 2010 by CNN Money the county announced Thursday.

According to money.cnn.com, Prince William County had a job growth rate of more than 40 percent, with the growth rate increasing more than 7 percent between 2009 and 2010.

The ranking is featured in the magazine’s annual “Where the Jobs Are” list, which ranked Prince William County 17 in 2010 and 23 in 2008.

“Prince William County likes to give companies the royal treatment, and it shows,” said the list.  

“Prince William County is well established as one of the most pro-business communities in the nation,” said Corey Stewart, Chairman of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors in a prepared statement. “National accolades, like this year’s announcement by CNN Money that Prince William County is a national leader in job growth, serve to underscore the strength of our business community, as well as to highlight the incredible opportunities that exist in Prince William County for future job growth.”

Highlighting the strengths of Prince William County, CNN Money described Prince William County as “business-friendly” and expounded the benefits of Innovation Technology Park, the County’s proximity to Dulles and the AAA bond rating awarded to the County by all three major rating agencies. 

Originally posted August 19, 2011 at: http://woodbridge-va.patch.com/articles/pwc-ranked-13th-nationwide-for-job-growth

Source: Potomac Local

Published: July 19, 2011

OCCOQUAN, Va. –– A Prince William County Supervisor who is running unopposed held a campaign kickoff Sunday.

Republican Mike May said he’s made progress on the Board of County Supervisors over the past four years, and noted his vision to make Lake Ridge a more pedestrian friendly.

Occoquan District Supervisor Mike May held his formal campaign kick off on Sunday, July 17th. In announcing his re-election bid, May noted the progress that has been made in Prince William over the past four years, including: keeping taxes low while maintaining quality county services; overseeing the county’s bond rating upgrades to AAA; making Prince William a more attractive place for business; working to control the pace of growth and protect open space and the environment; keeping the crime rate low; and improving pedestrian access and walkability in the Occoquan District.

Still, May noted that there was more work to be done. “It’s all about protecting our quality of life and making county government more transparent and responsive to the needs of our citizens,” said May.

Even though May is currently unopposed for the seat, the incumbent gave no indication of slacking off on the campaign trail. “We will not take anything for granted,” said May. “Our campaigns have never been about who the opponent is—they have always been about reaching out to the community and discussing our positive message for the Occoquan District and Prince William County. So, it doesn’t really matter whether we have an opponent or not. We will still aggressively bring this positive message to the community by going door to door and meeting as many folks as we can on the campaign trail.”

May gave a special note of thanks to his hardworking staff and his supportive family. He thanked them for the sacrifices they have made to give him the opportunity to serve the citizens of the Occoquan District and concluded his speech by saying, “I look forward to continuing to serve for another term. Together, we can continue to make a positive difference for Prince William County,”

For more information, please visit votemikemay.com.

-Press release

Originally posted July 19, 2011 at: http://potomaclocal.com/2011/07/19/unopposed-may-we-won%E2%80%99t-take-anything-for-granted/

By Lauren Jost
Published: July 14, 2011

After 30 months of construction, the recently completed fourth lane of Interstate 95 was officially celebrated Thursday morning.

The six-mile stretch from Route 123 in Occoquan up to Fairfax County Parkway will improve commuting for more than 220,000 vehicles during the rush hour northbound in the morning and southbound in the evening.

Virginia Department of Transportation celebrated the project’s three-month-early completion date with a ribbon cutting ceremony in the Route 123 commuter parking lot in Woodbridge, complete with representatives from around the I-95 corridor.

Virginia Megaprojects spokesperson Mike Salmon said that the additional lane would shave off 10 to 20 minutes during the morning and evening rush hours.

“It will prevent the bottlenecking southbound at the Springfield interchange,” said Salmon of the lane improvement.

The $122 million project began in 2008, and according to Secretary of Transportation and Prince William County resident Sean T. Connaughton, was petitioned for nearly 10 years ago when he was on the Prince William Board of County Supervisors.

“This will help the region and people traveling the East Coast,” said Connaughton. “We are actively pursuing the HOT [high occupancy toll] lanes to Stafford County.”

Connaughton mentioned that next year the Route 1 redevelopment project would be fully funded, something Senator Toddy Puller (D-36) lauded.

“This project will help people get home to their families while they’re not in a bad mood,” Puller joked.

Occoquan Supervisor Mike May (R) congratulated VDOT for completing the fourth lane project with little disruption to traffic, a point that was echoed by Springfield Supervisor Jeff McKay, representing Fairfax County Board Chairman Sharon Bulova.

“We are on the cusp of something great for BRAC, that’s the type of economic growth Springfield needs but we need to make sure the people can get there,” said McKay.

Senator George Barker (D-39), Senator Dick Saslaw (D-35), Occoquan Mayor Ernie Porta, Supervisors Frank Principi (D-Woodbridge), John Jenkins (D-Neabsco), Fairfax County Supervisor Pat Herrity and VDOT project manager Maria Sinner joined in on the ribbon cutting ceremony.

Originally posted July 14, 2011 at: http://woodbridge-va.patch.com/articles/fourth-lane-of-i-95-celebrated-with-ribbon-cutting#photo-6999669

By David Pierce
Published: July 14, 2011

Motorists driving on Interstate 95 near the Occoquan River are now finding it easier to get around.

The Virginia Department of Transportation held a ribbon cutting Thursday at the Va. 123 commuter lot in Woodbridge for the completion of the long-awaited I-95 widening project, finished three months ahead of schedule.

One lane was added each direction starting at the Va. 123 and I-95 interchange in Woodbridge. The now four-lane expressway spans six miles north to the Fairfax County Parkway in Newington, according to VDOT mega projects communications director Steven Titunik.

VDOT expects that the new lanes will relieve “chronic bottlenecking” by cutting 10 to 20 minutes of commuting time for the over 220,000 drivers that pass through the stretch of roadway each day — both for northbound I-95 traffic in the morning, as well as southbound traffic during the afternoon rush.

Titunik said before construction started in 2008 that plans to widen came “just in time,” since the daily traffic volume in the affected span is expected to increase to 320,000 vehicles a day by 2030.

Transportation officials and local leaders cut a ribbon to signify the opening of the new lanes in the commuter parking lot, which is situated next to the southern terminus of the new lanes.

The $123 million project was divided into three phases.

Phase one opened in Dec. 2009 and included a new on-ramp to the Fairfax County Parkway, according to VDOT documents.

The second phase, opened in Oct. 2010, accounted for an I-95 overpass widening over Furnace Road in Lorton, as well as the addition of a new lane to various ramps at the adjacent I-95 and U.S. 1 interchange, the documents state.

The final phase, which was completed on July 4, added an additional lane for both directions on I-95 to the Occoquan Bridge.

A new acceleration lane spanning from Va. 123 southbound to I-95 southbound was also added to ease congestion, Titunik said.

A total of 235,700 square feet of sound walls, 145,000 tons of asphalt, 18 new overhead sign structures were constructed during the 30-month project, VDOT documents state.

VDOT said that 10 bridges were also widened.

Local politicians lauded the launch of the newly-widened I-95.

 “Our constituents are all traveling along these roadways, and it is a benefit…to everybody passing through,” Supervisor Michael May, R-Occoquan, said.

“It is going to relieve the people of Prince William County and allow them to get home to their families while they are still not in a bad mood [from traffic],” said state Sen. Toddy Puller, D-36^th. “They can get home a little bit faster [now].”

Area motorists saw overnight road closures, delays and lane shifting on I-95 during the construction process.

Staff writer David Pierce can be reached at 703-530-3905.

Originally posted July 14, 2011 at: http://www2.insidenova.com/news/2011/jul/14/4/i-95-widening-project-completed-ar-1172888/

By Rachel Leon
Published: July 17, 2011

On July 17, Supervisor Mike May officially announced his campaign for reelection as the Occoquan District County Supervisor at a kickoff at the Occoquan Town Hall.

“We’ve had a great four years,” May said. “But there’s a lot more work to be done. It’s all about protecting our quality of life and making your county government more accessible to you.”

May pointed to low taxes, low crime rates and better pedestrian access as the some of the results of his work with the other county supervisors.

“We’ve kept an open door with the constituents and done what we could to keep you involved and engaged,” he said.

May is running unopposed.

“Some people have asked me today, and in the past, ‘Why would you have a campaign kickoff if you don’t have an opponent?’ That’s a good question,” he said. “The answer is not just because I want to make my staff work, but also because our campaign has never been about the other guy or gal who’s running. It’s always been about reaching out to the citizens of the Occoquan District and putting forward our positive vision of the things that we want to do. This campaign will be no different. We’re going to knock on all the doors, talk to everyone.”

May gave a nod to other elected officials in the room.

“Being in public service is a sacrifice, but it’s a sacrifice that we all choose to make because we want to make our community a better place,” he said.

On Aug. 6, Rita’s on Minnieville Road will be donating 50 percent of all proceeds made between 3 p.m. and 10 p.m. to the May campaign. For these Rita’s coupons, contact the Mike May office.

Originally posted July 17, 2011 at: http://lakeridge.patch.com/articles/supervisor-may-kicks-off-reelection-campaign-in-occoquan

By Lauren Jost and Dan Telvock
Published: July 12, 2011

Prince William County is able to sustain a low unemployment rate chiefly because of its educated work force, said a spokesman for the Prince William County Department of Economic Development. 

A new report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that the national unemployment rate rose to 9.2 percent nationally. The increase came as a surprise to economists because it is the fourth time in a row that the national rate increased a small amount. March was the last month when there was a small gain reported for unemployment, bringing the rate to 8.8 percent.

Although the national jobs report seems to be stuck in neutral, Prince William County’s outlook has remained strong.

Brent Heavner, Prince William County’s DED spokesman, said that while it is difficult to project exactly what June’s local unemployment numbers will be, it is reasonable to expect the county will continue to trend significantly below the national average.

“Compared to the nation, this is a well-educated work force,” Heavner said. The advantage of having nearby federal employment is another benefit for county workers, nearly two-thirds of which commute out of the area for work.

“For the last 24 months, the unemployment rate in Prince William County has, on average, been 3.9 percent below the national unemployment rate,” Heavner said. “Likewise, the statewide unemployment rate has trended at around 2.7 percent below the national unemployment rate for the last two years. Prince William County, in turn, has trended at about 1.2 percent below the statewide unemployment rate.

The national report states that the nonfarm payroll was “essentially unchanged in June” leaving the number of unemployed persons at 14.1 million.

Prince William County has a rate of 5.1 percent unemployment in May 2011, placing it between Fairfax County ­– which had a rate of 4.3 percent unemployment in May – and Fredericksburg, with 8.9 percent unemployment in May for localities off Interstate 95 in Virginia.

Comparatively, the county’s unemployment rate trended almost a full percentage point from a year ago in May 2010, which was 5.7 percent.

County officials in June credited the “combined strength of the federal government and private sector industries” that provide the region with a “diverse and robust marketplace that generates a number of job opportunities.”  

Chairman of the Board of County Supervisors Corey Stewart released a prepared statement that boasted the county’s highly skilled workforce needed to fill jobs created in the Northern Virginia region. 

“We are committed to providing solutions for the federal government and private sector industries – particularly with regard to BRAC, the life sciences, data centers and government contractors – which continue to bring quality jobs to Prince William County and the rest of the Northern Virginia region,” said Stewart in the release.

Originally posted July 12, 2011 at: http://lakeridge.patch.com/articles/prince-william-county-unemployment-rate-still-low

By Timothy Wilson
Published: July 11, 2011

Prince William County received a “AAA/stable” long-term rating Tuesday from Standard & Poor’s for its upcoming bond offering that will go toward building institutions of learning and upgrading existing campuses in the fast-growing school system.

The county’s $43.235 million bond sale, which will be July 19, also received AAA and Aaa ratings from Fitch Ratings and Moody’s Investor Service, respectively.

The bonds will cover construction-related costs for four schools: T. Clay Wood Elementary in Nokesville, Piney Branch Elementary in Bristow and Ronald Reagan Middle School and PACE West in Haymarket. Wood and Piney Branch are complete and will open in September. The county held groundbreaking ceremonies for Reagan and PACE this year, and they are slated to open next year.

The bonds will also finance classroom additions at several schools, a bus parking lot at Gar-Field High School in Woodbridge and design work for future school facilities.

Bonds sold through the Virginia Public School Authority, a unit of the state treasury that provides financing options for public schools, are usually pooled together from several jurisdictions that might have different credit ratings. This year, the county will be the only jurisdiction to offer bonds through the authority’s stand-alone policy. The policy requires issuers to offer $20 million in bonds and have at least an A rating from a rating agency.

Steven A. Solomon, county director of finance, said access to financing as a stand-alone jurisdiction allows the county to respond promptly to the need for more school facilities.

“Because of the growth in Prince William County, we have a demand,” he said. The offering “allows us to act rather quickly.”

Corey A. Stewart (R-At Large), chairman of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors, said the high ratings would attract investors and allow the county to borrow money for much-needed school construction at the most competitive rate.

The bond funds “will allow our residents to continue enjoying the high quality of life they have come to expect at the lowest cost available,” he said in a statement.

County officials said that they did not know the exact amount the county would save by having a higher credit rating, because they didn’t know what rate they might get on the upcoming bonds offering. But even an interest rate lowered by .25 percent on a hypothetical 20-year $50 million bond could yield significant savings over time.

With this rating, Prince William joins Arlington County and 34 other counties in the country to have received the highest rating from each agency.

Connie Vaughan, a public finance analyst with the authority, said that because most jurisdictions are not eligible for the lowest interest rate, “it’s typically cheaper for them to get in a pool.”

The county’s bond offering comes as municipal bonds across the country have fallen by about half of last year’s volume. The Bond Buyer, a daily newspaper that reports on public finance, wrote that for the first six months, volume was down about 44 percent and that about $115 billion in municipal bonds have been issued through June, compared with $205 billion over the same period last year.

The county issued more than $56.9 million in bonds last year for public improvement projects, including road work along Route 1 between Joplin and Bradys Hill roads.

Originally posted July 11, 2011 at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/prince-william-county-bond-offering-gets-highest-credit-rating/2011/07/07/gIQArEeo8H_story.html