Republican Del. Jackson Miller of the 50th District that includes parts of Bristow and the City of Manassas is running for re-election touting his strong support for supporting business growth in Virginia.
“We all go down (to Richmond), and we have niches,” said Miller.
He explains that his niches include public safety, business and the economy.
On Public Safety
Miller feels strongly about public safety because before he became a Virginia Delegate in 2007 in a special election, or even began his career as a real estate agent, he was a Prince William County Police Officer. There he responded to crimes and helped to keep Prince William County residents safe.
On Business and the Economy
However, as a delegate, it is through his other niche, business, that he believes he can have the biggest effect on the well-being of Virginians. That is because he believes a strong economy helps all aspects of a society.
“When you have a population that is well-employed and well-paid, everything else seems to go a little better,” said Miller. “Smaller businesses flourish because they have more customers who earn more money.”
Miller said that education is also improved because there is more money to fund it, and crime goes down because more people are employed.
To help promote that prosperous economy in Virginia, he is a strong believer that legislators should not over-tax businesses or impose “burdensome regulations.”
Miller said that it is incredibly important that Virginia remain a Right-to-Work state in order to keep the Commonwealth competitive with neighboring states. While Maryland businesses are attracted to relocating to Virginia for this reason, Virginia also has to compete with North Carolina, whose corporate tax laws are even more enticing to businesses.
Miller is concerned that Democrats would reverse the Right-to-Work status, favor labor unions and raise taxes, moves that he believes would hurt Virginia’s economy.
On the Transportation Bill
When it comes to transportation, Miller stands behind his stance to not support the Governor’s bipartisan transportation plan because he said it is a bad deal for Prince William County and Manassas.
Miller explained that the Northern Virginia region saw a 20 percent increase in sales tax and a 150 percent increase in grantors tax, a tax on homes sold in the area. However, he does not believe that Prince William County and Manassas will see the return on that investment.
As the outer edge of the Planning District 8 region, he feels his district will not receive its fair share of transportation dollars. He asks residents to consider that 70 percent of the new tax revenue will go toward Northern Virginia overall. Those are funds spent in Fairfax, Loudoun, Arlington and Alexandria.
Moreover, counties such as Stafford and Fauquier, which do not fall within Planning District 8, will not see those taxes. He believes from a competitive standpoint, this is an incentive for businesses and people to move into those outer suburbs rather than into Prince William County and Manassas.
“Businesses will move and relocate based on tax structure. Fairfax is not our competitor as much as Stafford and Fauquier. creating an environment where Stafford and Fauquier attract businesses easier,” Miller said. “This is a bill that is punitive to Prince William County and Manassas more than any other jurisdiction.”
On the Bi-County Parkway
However, Miller is serious about improving transportation, so serious that he takes a controversial stance on the Bi-County Parkway.
“Generally, I’m in favor of it. I know I’m in the minority with my colleagues, and it does affect my district [in terms of traffic.],” Miller said.
He is proponent of the parkway because he believes it will be needed in the future and also because he believes it will bring jobs and ultimately help bolster the area's economy.
“I’ve always preferred the Godwin Drive Extended, also called the Tri-County Parkway,” said Miller, explaining that if that does not become an option, he will support VDOT’s current plan for the road, saying, “because I believe if either one of those roads will be built, it will increase connectivity to the airport-which would be a kick-start and a benefit to our economic development challenges.”
Miller thinks that Prince William County and Manassas need to get serious about attracting businesses that will bring high-paying jobs into the area.
“I want well-paying jobs in Manassas and Prince William County, so my constituents don’t have to drive to Reston, Tysons Corneror Washington D.C,” Miller said.
He also said that people should take a big-picture view of the parkway because in the long run, he expects it will benefit everyone, from jobs, to home prices, to easing traffic congestion and bringing in more revenue for schools and services.
On Education and Public Schools
On schools, Miller is proud that the Virginia Education Association (VEA), PWEA and City of Manassas Education Association are supporting his campaign.
“I’ve worked hard to keep Virginia Public Schools strong, and I have worked hard to make it that we have not made it unattractive for teachers to come here,” Miller said.
He realizes that nothing is worse for Virginia than having bad public schools and nothing is worse for the schools than having teachers who are not invested in the process.
“I’ve stood up for on several occasions when my party was going in a different direction. It’s crucial to me that people in public education are motivated and there is not bad morale,” Miller said.
On Pro-Life Legislation
“I am completely prolife. As a police officer for almost 18 years, my job was to support life, and I view unborn children as life that needs to be protected,” Miller said.
While he focuses more on creating bills that promote public safety and the economy, Miller said he has and would vote for prolife legislation.
On Marriage and Homosexuality
He also will vote to define marriages in Virginia in the traditional sense.
“I do think marriage should be between a man and a woman, but that doesn’t mean homosexuals should be discriminated against,” Miller said.
While he does not agree homosexuals should be categorized as a protected group, he would not discriminate against them in hiring. He said he is one of the few Republicans who supported the appointment of openly homosexual judge Tracy Thorne Beland because he believes individuals should not be judged by their private lives, but on the merit of their work.
Although that was unpopular, Miller said he always has to vote his conscience.
On Being Involved in the Community
Miller said he has been proud to be serving the community for his three and a half terms in office, a community that he has been active in through his church, his son’s schools and as a police officer. He said while his opponent is new to District 50, he has been an active member of the community for a long time.
“It’s an incredible honor that the people of the 50th House District sent me four times, and I would love to go back to bring jobs along with public safety,” Miller said.
More information on Del. Jackson Miller can be found at www.jacksonmillerva.com.
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