Living a Country Life with 21st Century Opportunities

“100 years from now I would like for people to cross the Orange County line into District 1 and know they are somewhere different . It would be unfortunate if our history, tradition, and landscape disappeared into the Northern Virginia sprawl that is now devouring the neighboring counties.”

- Jason Capelle, Planning Commissioner

Our Country Life

Whether it is the generations of families that have remained here or the new residents that have arrived here, we all choose Orange County as our home because we seek the country, small-town tradition, and way of life that Orange County provides.

We greet our neighbors with a wave and a smile whether we know them or not.
We know most of our public servants – supervisors, teachers, police, and others - by name.
We cherish our history and the majesty of our land and their incredible value.
We love the safety of our community, schools, streets, and neighborhoods so we and our children are free to safely roam and be outdoors.
We like our independence, we sometimes disagree, but when the chips are down, we come together as one community.
We do not need or want Northern Virginia or City stress and hustle.
We work hard and love our County (and Country) and our rural way of life.

As Northern Virginia sprawl, overcrowding, culture, high taxes, crime, and other unwanted impacts spread into the neighboring counties, Orange County now sits in the crosshairs. We must stand tall and push back. If we make smart, forward-looking decisions now we can avoid the COSTLY, unsightly, and damaging sprawl in the future - this is particularly achievable for District 1.

Let's Get to Work! I Need Your Vote November 4th!

A Rural Economy

I have a vision and a plan to secure an economic future for Orange County that rewards current landowners, creates opportunities for our children, and yet is completely different than the normal Northern Virginia sprawl that is fast coming at us. Here is what I will accomplish as your supervisor:

Promote agriculture and agritourism, as a primary economic activity in the Montpelier area and other appropriate areas.
Build on the Lee Industrial Park and better manage and strengthen the infrastructure (water, sewer, other services) all the way to the Town of Gordonsville.
Court new businesses that offer good-paying jobs, so we’re a thriving local economy and do not become a bedroom community.
Focus on Quality over Quantity – the exceptional businesses want to know their investments are protected from bad decisions that would impact them.
Partner with parents and the elected School Board to ensure our schools are funded, safe, focus on the basics, and provide excellence in education.
Align our Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs with current and future job markets; students should graduate with an industry certificate allowing them to walk into a career position.
Plan for balanced commercial and residential growth in key areas like the Towns of Gordonsville and Orange—without putting the cost on current taxpayers.
Include parks, trails, pools, and other family-friendly spaces in new developments.
Fight for better pay and equipment for our teachers, law enforcement officers, and emergency responders.
Work to bring a higher level of efficiency to local government and establish a local government culture of service.

These actions and others will allow our families and future generations to keep and retain our rural way of life without sacrificing economic opportunity. We can create a future where our families can not only endure but thrive in Orange County.

I will work with you and our community to attain a different economy, sense of place, and future than the same old Northern Virginia sprawl that will overtake us if we just do the same old things (like is happening in neighboring counties).