2023 Candidate Profile: Deshundra Jefferson For Supervisors Chair

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, VA — Deshundra Jefferson is a first-time candidate running for the Chair of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors this November.

Jefferson defeated incumbent Chair At-Large Ann Wheeler in June's Democratic primary. Now, Jefferson will face current Brentsville District Supervisor Jeanine Lawson in the general election.

Patch sent the following questionnaire to Jefferson and Lawson to help inform voters about their candidates in November's election.

Name

Deshundra Jefferson

Town of residence

Dumfries

Party affiliation

D

Family? Names, ages and any other pertinent details you wish to share

I'm a single mother raising a 15-year old son.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No.

Education level

Master's.

Occupation, including employer and years of experience

I'm an independent public affairs consultant; my professional background is in journalism. 20+ years in journalism and public affairs.

Campaign website

electdeshundra.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

I decided to run for this office because I think residents should expect more from our local leaders. Too many Prince William residents feel they are being priced out of our community. Residents cannot continue to shoulder the tax burden while we’re willing to give huge tax breaks to data centers compared to our closest neighboring counties. A data center tax rate that puts us in line with neighboring jurisdictions will allow us to rely less on property and meals taxes and invest in public safety, public education, and affordable housing, and intervention programs for our at-risk youth and young adults. I also believe that our elected officials should be accessible and responsive to the community, which I have found lacking in some of our current representation on the Prince William Board of County Supervisors.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

The rising cost of living is hurting too many working individuals and families. Data centers can provide a huge benefit to the county if - and only if - they are located in the right areas and are taxed appropriately. We need a data center tax rate that is on par with neighboring counties so that we can take the financial burden off of residents.

A very close second would be to invest more in public safety. Our police and first responders should not need to lobby the board for better pay and working conditions, nor should they be priced out of living within the county. I would also like to create a summer jobs program for at-risk youth to keep them on the right track.

How do you think local officials performed in responding to recent issues (i.e. the pandemic)? What if anything would you have done differently?

My Republican opponent opposed using $90 million of federal pandemic funds to invest in mental health services, transportation, job training programs, family-owned businesses, parks, and food for the hungry. There’s no reason we shouldn’t use money that has been allocated by the federal government on essential services. The Democratic members on the board made the right decision to invest that money in our community.

However, I question their decision to implement a new 4% meals tax during the pandemic. I support reducing or eliminating the meals tax and replacing the revenue with increased data center taxes.

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

My opponent has spent years talking out of both sides of her mouth on critical issues like data centers. She claims to be a data center opponent, but has approved multiple controversial projects and taken significant money from data center developers and landowners. She has also opposed raising taxes on data centers, even though our tax rate is well below Fauquier County, which is not a bastion of liberal taxation. It’s clear that we need to tax them more appropriately in order to fully fund schools and public safety.

Speaking of schools and safety, I am a strong supporter of expanding collective bargaining so that our teachers and first responders can have a full seat at the table to ensure they can earn the benefits and pay they deserve. My opponent opposes collective bargaining.

Housing affordability and the rising cost of living is a crisis for our county. I believe we need more housing at all income levels, and we need to put homeownership within reach of more people. My opponent has consistently opposed most housing projects and has not acknowledged affordability as an issue; her issues page talks only of blocking the “incursion” of housing in our county and nothing of housing affordability itself (other than taxes).

I also believe that we need to embrace the wonderful diversity of our county. My opponent seems to see it as a threat - she has refused to condemn white supremacy, opposed building mosques in Prince William County, and didn’t even know who WEB DuBois was.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)?

As I described above regarding why I am running, I ran against (and beat) Ann Wheeler because we need to be more careful about siting data centers and improve our communication with the community, two areas where I would have liked to see her do better. My Republican opponent Jeanine Lawson is not the incumbent chair, but she has struggled to deliver even for her district. Brentsville is the only district in the county without a public library.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

My previous answers have outlined my issues of focus: keeping data centers away from schools and homes, working to address high housing prices and costs of living, investing in public schools and public safety, and treating diversity as an asset rather than a threat.

When working to address those issues, I will prioritize communication. I am committed to genuine conversation with all my board colleagues, and I will partner with board members in each district to hold town halls twice a year. The Board of County Supervisors is there to serve the public and needs to do a better job of ensuring every voice is truly heard.

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

I have a long record of experience working in both local and federal government. I spent much of my early career as a journalist working to hold public officials accountable. I worked on Capitol Hill, which prepares me to help build relationships with other levels of government. Here in Prince William County and Northern Virginia, I have served on the boards of the Nob Hill Townhome Association, Virginia Poverty Law Center, Northern Virginia Planned Parenthood Advocates, and on a middle school boundary committee. I have been active in local political advocacy for years and have strong relationships with community organizations, local businesses, and labor groups in the county.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Listen as much as you talk.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I am running to help bring our community together and lead Prince William County towards a brighter future. I moved here many years ago because the county offered a safe, pleasant, affordable, and diverse community with good schools to raise my son, and I hope to make the county an even better place to live, work, and play for all of our current and future residents. I encourage voters to visit electdeshundra.com and reach out to learn more.