GREETINGS, Everyone! This is an invitation. Save the Date! Sunday, August 11th, 5:30 – 8 pm at the beautiful Vineyard Estate at New Kent Winery, 6800 New Kent Highway.
The Partnership for New Kent 2030 (PNK2030) hosts a third, and final, Community-wide gathering of the summer to provide information important to every New Kent citizen and to introduce endorsed candidates running for public office.
So, you ask, WHO is PNK2030?
In sum, PNK2030 is made up of folks from all over the county, the nation and the world. We are businessmen and women, employees, retirees, entrepreneurs, and self-employed folks. We are farmers, engineers, secretaries, teachers, attorneys, military, financiers, mechanics, IT gurus and shop keepers. We are people with many life experiences and identities who believe in the worth and dignity of all. Whether generational residents or newly arrived, New Kent County is our chosen home. We love living here and raising our families here. We also know the county is at a crossroads. We’ve come together, in PNK2030, to assist in the orderly and smart growth of this extraordinary community. We welcome and encourage others to join this effort – for the benefit of every resident. We know you get the government and community you deserve and work for. We’re committed to obtaining the very best for New Kent.
Since forming last year, PNK2030 hired a private financial consultant to review county fiduciary processes and to provide a firm baseline for moving forward. We examined county records, analyzed shortfalls and provided data to county representatives and to the public. We’re anxious to share the results with you, too. It is essential all New Kenters understand where our tax dollars are being spent.
To that end, we hosted two previous County-wide meetings and this will be our third, and final gathering of the summer. Our chairman, John B. Poindexter, extends an invitation to everyone to attend – to learn more about PNK2030 initiatives and to discuss a way ahead for all county citizens.
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 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. A “healthy” ratio of personal property taxes vs business taxes collected for county functions is typically stated as a ratio of 70/30 ….. ours 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 newly formed, county-government run Broadband Committee, just held it’s first meeting and we’ll report on what happened there. Additionally we encourage everyone to participate in the county-wide questionnaire regarding your access – or lack of access – to Internet services. Your participation is VITAL to the success of improving broadband. Access the broadband survey at PNK2030.org or at http://www.co.new-kent.va.us/
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 for the opportunity to interview most all declared candidates running for elected county offices later this year. This interview process taught us much about each candidate. We are lucky in New Kent to have so many passionate citizens step forward and enter this election cycle. After careful analysis, we decided on a slate of folks we’ll endorse and help with their campaigns. Candidates we chose will be at the the August 11th meeting and you’ll have an 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 speak with our candidates, join us! And bring your friends and neighbors with you, too! Everyone is welcome.
· Date: Sunday, August 11, 2019
· Time: 5:30 – 8 pm.
· Location: Vineyard Estate at New Kent Winery, 6800 New Kent Highway.
Our PNK2030 chairman, John B. Poindexter, looks forward to meeting everyone.
Best wishes
Sandi Gauthier
Chairman, PNK2030 Citizen Outreach Committee
outreach@pnk2030.org
703-622-1107
PS – Come Hungry! We’ll have delicious finger food available.
PSS – We thank the Dombroski’s for offering their beautiful venue for this PNK function. You’ll enjoy experiencing this wonderful facility for yourself!
PSSS – Check out our facebook page (PNK2030) and website (PNK2030.org) to learn more about the Partnership organization. We believe in transparency. We believe all citizens benefit by sharing information and working together. We welcome your thoughts and your participation in our group.