New Pr. William Arrivals Bitter

That kind of commercial development also would bring diversity to the county's tax base. Because more than 70 percent of the county's revenue comes from property taxes, Prince William has little choice but to increase residential tax rates when home values plummet.

Board Chairman Corey A. Stewart (R-At Large) said residents should not panic. "We are moving swiftly toward the Prince William that people expected," he said, noting that the opening of a Wegmans grocery earlier this month shows that commercial development is continuing.

County Executive Craig S. Gerhart said it's unrealistic to expect Prince William to be immune to national economic trends. He argues that the county is poised to recover quickly during an economic rebound.

"Government's job is to maintain consistent focus on the things that will benefit the long term. The underlying factors that made Prince William County a good place to move to are still there," he said, referring to its location, top-rated schools, county-funded road projects, commercial growth and triple-A bond rating. "There are a whole lot of things going for the county in general."

But Klepac and other Potomac Club residents' confidence in the county has slipped. Klepac paid $412,000 for his 2,100-square-foot townhouse. By the time he and his wife, Renee, moved in, the asking price for a similar unit was $319,000. His home was valued at $337,000 in March.

Brandi Walker hid her property assessment from her husband, Justin, for a month because she knew he would flip when he found out they lost $78,000 on their place. "I feel like I got took," she said.

Walker, 30, who has a 5-month-old daughter, now wishes she had moved farther south to Fauquier County. "We figured we would be here for a little while. I'm not feeling that now," she said.