Chuck Colgan Says Manassas Needs To Speak Up About Rt. 28 Wishes

Candidate supplied profile:

 Born in Frostburg, Maryland, on September 25, 1926, Charles J. Colgan always had two dreams—to fly and to serve people. When Charlie was just five years old, he and his three siblings became orphans and were split among relatives. Chuck and his younger brother were raised on a farm by their grandparents who lost everything during the Great Depression.

In 1944, at age 27 while still in high school he joined the U.S. Army Air Corps Reserve Cadet Program, and was called into active duty at age 18. He served in active duty for two years, and later the Air Force Reserve. For 12 years he flew as a commercial pilot before founding Colgan Air, Inc., a regional airline that “the company was sold to Pinnacle Airlines Corporation in January 2007.” At the time the company was sold, Colgan Air employed 1,150 employees, operated scheduled air service into 14 states, and 23 communities.

In 1980, he became the 17th member to be inducted into the Virginia Aviation Hall of Fame. In 2003, he and his family were named the “Turboprop Airline Executives of the Year,” by the Commuter Regional Airline News Magazine. While fulfilling his dream of flying, he also turned to public service. In 1971, he was elected to the Prince William County Board of Supervisors where he served for one year as Chairman. Four years later, he was elected to the Virginia Senate where he still serves today.

The parents of eight children, Chuck and his wife Agnes were married for 52 years before she passed away in January 2001. These days, Chuck stays busy, not just with his devotion to public service and his company, but with his 24 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren. He was remarried in 2008 to his wife Alicia. Colgan has been named Prince William County’s best public servant by the Potomac News/Journal Messenger Annual Readers’ Poll. He was named the Virginia Senator of the Year by the Virginia Transit Association. He was the recipient of the Northern Virginia Community College Medallion Award for his work in building and developing the Virginia Community College System. In April 2011, he was honored by George Mason University with more than 500 people present, for his work in Higher Education and the development of George Mason University in Prince William County, in Manassas. The Park West Lions Club awarded him the Melvin Jones Award, which is the Lions highest award for community service. Over the decades, he has received many awards and honors for his work in the State Senate and his community.

Chuck Colgan's Facebook Page 

Question 1: What is your district’s No. 1 issue and how will you address it if elected

Foreclose is of great concern. Home values are declining. The weak economy is making it difficult for those who lose their home and have no where to live. The government must take some action to help with interest or other such actions. 

Question 2: Manassas Park is said to have one of the highest property tax rates in the Commonwealth, partially because of the lack of business in the city.  When elected, do you plan to work with locals to help spur any economic activity, or do you feel that’s something that needs to be handled by local government?

This problem must be addressed by both governments. Each year I meet with the Manassas Park City Council and Mayor and Department heads and listen to their concerns and then address them when the General Assembly meets in January. 

Question 3: What is your view of the No Child Left Behind Law?  VA-educators and pushing back and saying the law has outlived its usefulness.

I have some concerns about “No Child Left Behind.” Our children’s education has not seemed to improve as I hoped it would. Perhaps some adjustments to the law would suffice.

Question 4: Do you have any ideas to help traffic on Route 28?

Some have suggested that we operate three lanes in the morning going toward Fairfax, and three lanes in the evening coming home. It might be worth a try.  The best solution would be to add one lane each way. The city needs to make their wishes and recommendations known.

Question 5: Do you support the early efforts to study the feasibility of extending rail into Prince William County?

Yes.