Several Annandale precincts move into Del. Watts’ district
Del. Vivian Watts, a member of the General Assembly since 1998, has a whole lot of new constituents in the Annandale area.
In the latest redistricting that took effect in 2022, her district now includes more precincts in the Annandale area and fewer in Springfield.
The Bedford, Bristow, Brook Hill, Columbia, Heritage, Hummer, Lincolnia, Masonville, Parklawn, Poe, Saint Albans, Weyanoke, and Woodburn precincts have been moved to the newly renamed 14th District represented by Watts.
She will continue to represent residents in the Camelot, Canterbury, Chapel, Ravensworth, Wakefield, and Bren Mar precincts.
Watts is up for re-election on Nov. 7, as are all members of the House of Delegates. So far, there isn’t a Republican candidate for District 14.
At a campaign event on April 15, Watts talked about the importance of ensuring enough funding for education and healthcare for Northern Virginians. She is working to make sure there is adequate staffing for assisted living facilities, noting that Virginia is one of the few states that doesn’t cover assisted living facility costs for people on Medicaid.
Education is important for Watts because she grew up in a rural area where several students ended up in prison or were killed in drunk driving crashes and “only one or two of us went on to college.”
Many lawmakers in Richmond don’t understand the challenges we have in Northern Virginia, she says. She has met students from Annandale High School who have gone through traumatic hardships in their home countries and are headed for successful lives only because of the education they are receiving.
“We must make our tax system modern, fair, and make sure it absolutely meets the resource needs of Fairfax County, which our colonial-time real estate tax system does not do,” Watts said. It’s not fair that much of the money Fairfax County contributes in taxes ends up in other parts of the state.
While it’s important for legislators to follow their hearts, Watts, said, “I’m a numbers person. You can care a lot but for me, it’s always been about how do I get it done.”