2023 Candidate Profile: Puneet Ahluwalia For Dranesville Supervisor

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA — Puneet Ahluwalia, the Republican nominee for Dranesville District supervisor, is running to serve on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors in the general election on Nov. 7.

Ahluwalia and his wife, both first generation Americans, raised their family in Fairfax County, where they sent their children to public schools. He also built a business in Fairfax County.

Along with supervisor, Dranesville District voters will get to vote for the district's seat on the Fairfax County School Board. The Dranesville District includes McLean, Great Falls, Herndon and some areas of Vienna and Falls Church. It runs from the Arlington County border to the Loudoun County border along the Potomac River.

The general election ballot in Fairfax County will also include countywide races for Board of Supervisors chairman, three at-large School Board representatives, Fairfax County Commonwealth's Attorney, Fairfax County Sheriff, and Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District.

Early voting for the general election began on Friday, Sept. 22. More information on how to vote is available from the Fairfax County Office of Elections.

Patch asked the candidates running for Dranesville District supervisor to fill out a candidate questionnaire with the same questions. Here are Ahluwalia's responses:

Name

Puneet Ahluwalia

Campaign Website

www.puneetforfamilies.com

The single most pressing issue facing Fairfax County is the need to hold our political representatives accountable.

I’ll work to repeal the 30% pay raise and county cars supervisors gave themselves. At the same time they’re raising their own pay, they’ve allowed taxes to go up at 3 times the rate of household incomes. I’ll bring people of different backgrounds, experience, and viewpoints together to find real solutions to our problems. Many proposals are never discussed by the Board, simply for lack of a second. With no discussion, the press doesn’t cover them and residents never hear about them. I’ll bring the diversity of opinion we need on the board and get those proposals on the record.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidate seeking this post?

Neither my wife nor I were born in this country, we are Americans by choice. We came here with nothing, struggled, and sacrificed to provide for our family. I started as a pizza delivery guy. But, together, Nadia and I have built several successful small businesses.

There’s nothing wrong with being born to wealth, as my opponent was. It just gives him a different perspective than mine.

My background has reinforced the idea that you can achieve anything if you’re willing to put in the work ... that being better as a person, an employee, a student or a business owner first and foremost requires accepting personal responsibility ... and that the real secret to America’s greatness is people caring for, and serving, one another.

My opponent is endorsed by the Commonwealth Attorney and the same members of the Board of Supervisors who raised their own pay 30% while boosting our taxes, who allowed our police force to lose nearly 300 officers, and who refuse to hold administrators accountable for deficiencies in our schools.

My opponent seems like a good man who will get along well with the overwhelming majority of the sitting supervisors. I’ll be different. I’ll work with those who care about fixing the real problems confronting our families, and rock the boat when other supervisors promote personal or ideological agendas ahead of the needs of residents.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Fighting Crime: I’ve been endorsed by the VA Police Benevolent Association because they know I’ll stand with them in fighting crime. I will work to fill the nearly 300 vacancies that currently exist in the Fairfax County police department. I’ll find ways to hold our Commonwealth Attorney responsible for prosecuting criminals. Too many of our children are being poisoned by fentanyl and other drugs. I’ll work to bring more drug rehabilitation resources to our county, crack down on gangs, and get tough with those who sell drugs.

Improving Schools: The Board of Supervisors provides more than 50% of the public school budget, but fails to hold accountable administrators for the failure of our schools. SAT scores in our county are 27 points lower today than before Covid — far worse than the statewide average. I’ll insist our schools set aside social experimentation that is turning our children against society, and instead focus on preparing them to compete against the best students in the world. Instead of penalizing merit, we should reward it. And rather than discouraging parental involvement, we should aggressively pursue policies that encourage parents to be more involved with their children’s education.

Economic Development: Fairfax County’s proximity to the federal government, the Pentagon, and America’s major national security infrastructure makes us ideally suited to become the capital for development of Cyber Security and AI technologies. I’ll promote a plan that brings companies involved in cyber and AI to Fairfax County.

Traffic and Planning: We need to do a lot better job of easing traffic congestion in our neighborhoods and business areas. Building more condos and apartments without providing adequate infrastructure and roads is self-defeating and reduces the quality of life for all our residents.

Affordable Housing: I support affordable housing, but the first priority should be workforce housing so teachers, police, and fire-fighters can live closer to the communities they serve rather than having to commute from surrounding counties, or even other states like Maryland and West Virginia.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

As a job creator, I’ve had to build and operate small businesses, serve customers, and meet payrolls. Coming to America with little, scrimping, saving and sacrificing to provide for my family and care for my employees shows my commitment to hard work and entrepreneurship. Putting three children through public school, making a home here for 20 plus years, and committing my time and resources to non-profits working for religious freedom have all prepared me to serve my neighbors on the board of supervisors.

Why should voters trust you?

Before coming to America, I worked as a writer and a journalist, where I gained a unique appreciation for the value of speaking truth against corruption, self-dealing, and avarice in public office. I’ve seen some of the worst behavior imaginable when politicians are left unaccountable and unchecked. I’ve also seen the very best of human nature when leaders put honesty, decency, and the well-being of those they serve above themselves.

My experiences as a journalist, an immigrant, and an entrepreneur have given me a unique perspective and helped shape the kind of representative I hope to become.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Harry Truman was fond of saying, “It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.” I don’t know if the saying originated with President Truman, but I’ve always admired as him as someone who lived up to that verse and accomplished much as a result.