Police Chief to Brief Board on Immigrant Policy

Meeting Comes After He Declined to Follow Chairman's Request Not to Meet With Mexican Consul

Police Chief Charlie T. Deane's appearance before the Board of County Supervisors on Tuesday could get heated, following a dust-up last week with Chairman Corey A. Stewart.

Deane is scheduled to give the board an update on the first month of police enforcement of laws directed at detaining illegal immigrants. But his briefing comes after Stewart (R-At Large) tried to prevent Deane from having an informational community meeting with Mexican Consul General Enrique Escorza.

Deane had the meeting Thursday over Stewart's objections, saying that the board had directed him to reach out to the community as police officers begin checking the citizenship status of criminal suspects they believe may be in the country illegally. He said the meeting was one of many he has had to clear up misinformation and to quell fears about the scope of the county's illegal immigration policies.

An advance copy of the chief's Tuesday presentation on the first month of enforcement was light on details. Deane was unavailable for comment Friday.

"He will have specific numbers on Tuesday," Assistant County Executive Susan L. Roltsch said. "He prefers to save that discussion for the board."

Several board members have come to Deane's defense since Stewart's questioning of the chief last week over the meeting with the Mexican consul.

Supervisor Maureen S. Caddigan (R-Dumfries) said Deane has the support of a majority of the board.

"Our chief is doing what we asked him to do. He's communicating with the people and keeping us out of a lawsuit," Caddigan said. "Stewart does not have the authority he thinks he has as chairman. He needs to concur with the board before sending out directives."

Stewart acknowledged he does not have the authority to issue a directive on his own.

"I asked him not to go. I'm not going to get board approval before asking questions," Stewart said. "People shouldn't misinterpret my . . . questions as a sign that I don't support the chief. I do."

Caddigan said that members of the anti-illegal-immigrant group Help Save Manassas "dictated" the illegal immigration resolution to the board, but that the group will not determine how the chief carries it out.

"That's not going to happen," she said. "They've gone over the line."

Tuesday will be the first time the board gathers since an emergency meeting last week to vote on an advertised tax rate. Supervisors agreed to advertise the real estate tax rate at $1 for each $100 of assessed value.

If that rate is adopted, it would boost the average homeowner tax bill by 8.25 percent in the coming budget year.

Prince William has been hit particularly hard as real estate values have fallen and home foreclosures have increased. County property owners will begin receiving their assessments in the mail this week.

Most residential property owners will see a decrease in house value. The average assessed value of "existing improved," single-family houses decreased 14.8 percent -- from $413,898 to $352,570.

The residential decline was counteracted by growth in new construction and commercial property. Existing commercial and industrial property appreciated 4.34 percent.