Candidate Profile: Jonathan White Running For County Council At-Large

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MD — Candidates in the Democratic and Republican parties will be competing on Tuesday in their respective primaries to see who will be on the Nov. 8 ballot.

Patch has asked each of the candidates running in select races to fill out a questionnaire, sharing facts about themselves and why voters should choose them to represent their party in November.

Let's start with your name.

Jonathan White

What email should be used to contact your campaign?

jonwhiteforpgcounty@gmail.com

Does your campaign have a website?

https://www.electjonwhite.com

What city or town do you live in?
Upper Marlboro, Maryland

What office are you seeking?
County Council At-Large Seat

What is your party affiliation?
Democrat

Please share with us with your education.
bachelors, 2 master’s, and graduate certificate from the National Intelligence University

What is your occupation?
Retired veteran, served 20 years in the United States Air Force

Do you have a family? If so, please tell us about them.
I am married with adult children

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?
No

Have you ever held a public office, whether appointive or elective?
No

How old will you be as of Election Day?
48

Why are you seeking this office?

There are a few questions that I am asked the moment someone finds out I am running for office – “Why?” and “Why now?” Because I care” We need to be at the table. We need our voice to be strong and clear. We need to do this now. We need to have an elected official that truly listens to the residents and stand for the issues and concerns of their constituents and the people who elect them.

Today we see the results of electing people to public office who have made “poor” decisions. Those results are in the Washington Post and on TV daily. Like you, I have watched taxes go up with nothing being achieved, public safety in decay, and overall mismanagement of the county’s resources. My decision was not just to vote but to get involved to offer my experience in life in the hopes of a better place to live and raise our families.

Please complete this statement: The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is \_\_\_, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Recent uptake in crime in the area: Police say the occurrence of carjackings in the metro area is a frequent crime. The County Executive, all County Council members, the Prince George’s County Police, and civic leaders must increase discussion and take immediate action to curb this out-of-control crime wave. Public safety is my top priority, and I will ensure that we have the resources necessary to protect our community and keep us safe.This includes addressing our recent crime problem with a sensible approach that maintains the safety of our citizens and neighborhoods.

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

My time in the military prepared me well for this leadership role. In the Air Force (or any service for that matter) you have to work with, build, eat, respect, lead, and sometimes follow people who have different opinions from you. But, through it all the abiding sense of duty, service before self, and devotion beyond self-interests allowed us to build a team and accomplish any and every task great or small. I want to bring these team building skills and put them to work for our county along with a decision making process that is data driven. For me that means each vote I make will be looked at and studied through one lens. That lens comes down to one simple question. Is this vote “For the Good of the County?” This is the basis of my campaign and the reason for my candidacy. I wish to serve the people of Prince George’s County and use my voice and experience “For the Good of the County.”

If you are challenging an incumbent, in what way has the current officeholder failed the community?
The Council's controversial attempt to redraw district boundaries, the attempt to raise property taxes during a pandemic, and the complete lack of transparency. The biggest failure was the controversial map that redrew boundaries in a way that it pushed out several liberal candidates who are challenging more moderate members in the 2022 elections, this was wrong.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?

Economic Development is another top priority. We really need to do more to bring in more businesses so that they can help contribute. We can’t expect homeowners to shoulder the entire burden of the county’s budget. The county must also foster growth in higher-wage jobs and improvements of the long-delayed Landover area development. We need to work together, more as a team than we have in our recent past with the COMMUNITY and all stakeholders to vet the best possible developments for the Landover area and other areas of the county by employing all available discussion methods and town halls that are open/available to the public, and transparent decision-making instead of the backroom deals that exploit taxpayer money to reward a very few. I do not agree with many characteristics of the method used recently to advance previous projects involving our community. We need more transparency and wider involvement from the community. We need to demand more safeguarding of taxpayer’s money as well as a better return of cash and other benefits to the public for each dollar spent by the county and more public disclosure on exactly who profits from any county money earmarked or allocated. Next, we need to incorporate “GREEN” Data Centers into Prince George’s County as a way to increase revenue for the county. For example, look at our neighbors in Loudoun County, Virginia. Data centers are important to the Loudoun County economy. The industry is expected to generate $586 million in revenue for the county in 2022, creating $11.50 in local tax revenue for every $1 of services provided, according to the Loudoun County Department of Economic Development. There is a new area of Northern Virginia that could add yet another 56 million square feet (5,202,570 sq m) of data center space and one billion dollars of tax revenue annually, adding to the current $500m plus an estimated 70 percent of the planet’s Internet traffic flows each day through Loudon County and Prince George’s County needs a piece of it.

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

In both my public and professional lives, I have been a positive, decisive, innovative, gracious leader who understands the importance of cooperation and teamwork to achieve goals. I served my country and the federal government honorably for nearly 30 years. I have served as the Co-Chair of the Special Education Citizens’ Advisory Committee (SECAC) of Prince George’s County, my neighborhood safety committee, and I have been a high school lacrosse coach at a local high school.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?
A ”hard” truth is always better than an “easy” lie.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?
Prince George’s County has been under-served and under-represented in the past, now is our chance to make big changes. I want to be your advocate and part of the solutions to our problems. Even if I am not your candidate take a look at the other at-large candidates. They are a group of fine young men and they deserve at least a look and consideration.