The Partnership for New Kent 2030 (PNK2030) is a citizen-centric group formed late last year. This dedicated group of folks, mostly businessmen and women, are determined to help New Kent County be the best place possible for our families and friends to live and prosper and grow. Since we formed up, PNK2030 has been busy examining county records, analyzing shortfalls and providing data to county representatives and to the public.
To that end, we’re hosting a New Kent County-wide meeting on Saturday, June 15, from 6-8:30 pm at Gauthier Vineyard Winery. Our chairman, John B. Poindexter, extends an invitation to everyone to attend this gathering – to learn more about PNK2030 initiatives and to discuss a way ahead for all county citizens.
To begin, PNK2030 hired a private financial consultant to review county fiduciary processes and to provide a firm baseline for moving forward. We’re anxious to share the results with you. It is important we all understand where our tax dollars are being spent.
One vitally important initiative of PNK2030 is to obtain broadband access for all New Kent residents – for EVERYONE. Did you know our students are provided expensive Chrome Notebooks at taxpayer expense? However, when too many of them go home to do their homework with those electronic devices, they have no internet access so cannot complete their assignments? This must change.
Broadband is also paramount to attracting new businesses to New Kent County. Did you know a “healthy” ratio of personal property taxes vs business taxes collected for county functions is typically stated as a ratio of 70/30 ….. ours here in New Kent is 88/12. That means only 12% of our property taxes come from businesses. To put it simply, New Kent does not have enough businesses paying taxes. PNK2030 believes Broadband Access for All must be achieved to help the county attract new businesses and improve the taxing ratio. By attracting new businesses, less pressure for taxes will fall on individual citizens – that’s you.
We look forward to sharing with you what is happening as a result of concentrated efforts to bring high quality, affordable broadband – internet – access to New Kent.
The Partnership has also been working on Land Use issues with the county. We’re helping develop a Strategic Vision for county development from which an updated Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Ordinances must flow. Without such guidance and direction, haphazard growth occurs. We’ve all seen it! For the second consecutive year, New Kent is the second fastest growing county in the Commonwealth. It is best to guide that growth instead of getting run over by it.
On a high note, PNK2030 is grateful to have had the opportunity to interview most all declared candidates running for elected county offices later this year: Commonwealth Attorney; Sheriff; Treasurer; Commissioner of Revenue; School Board; Board of Supervisors; and Soil & Water Conservation District. This interview process taught us much about each candidate and how they would contribute to the future growth of our county. We are lucky in New Kent to have so many passionate citizens step forward and enter the election cycle. After careful analysis, we decided on a slate of folks we’ll endorse and help with their campaigns. Each candidate we chose will be at the meeting and you’ll have the opportunity to meet with and hear from each of them.
So, if you’d like to learn more about the Partnership for New Kent 2030 and have the chance to hear from candidates running for local elected office, please join us!
- Date: Saturday, June 15, 2019
- Time: 6-8:30 pm.
- Location: Gauthier Vineyard, 5000 Farmers Drive, Barhamsville.
Our PNK2030 chairman, John B. Poindexter, looks forward to meeting everyone.
Best wishes
Sandi Gauthier
Chairman, Citizen Outreach Committee
outreach@pnk2030.org
703-622-1107
PS – Check out our facebook page (PNK2030) and website (PNK2030.org) to learn more about the Partnership organization. We welcome your thoughts and your participation in our group.