Meet the Candidates: A conversation with Blaine Dunn, Candidate for Virginia Senate – District 1

Meet the Candidates is a series on the Royal Examiner where we will sit down with each candidate in our local election and discuss issues that are important to all of us. In this Meet the Candidates session, our publisher Mike McCool speaks with Blaine Dunn.

Blaine Dunn, Vice Chair of the Frederick County Board of Supervisors, is a well-known personality in the Northern Shenandoah Valley area, and his accomplishments speak for themselves. A special election in 2015 brought him to the Board of Supervisors, where he has been re-elected for two more terms in 2017 and 2021. Dunn is also the owner and president of Dunn Financial Advisors, LLC, which offers fee-only financial advice to individuals and small businesses. He started the business from scratch and is a Certified Financial Planner. Dunn holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Distribution from Clarkson College of Technology and a Master of Arts degree in Diplomatic History from the University of Massachusetts. Before establishing Dunn Financial Advisors, LLC, he served as a technical representative, history teacher, and legislative director/staff for three members of Congress and two federal agencies.

As of January 2023, Dunn was elected Vice Chairman of the Board of Supervisors and is currently the Chair of the Human Resources Committee, a member of the Finance Committee, the Technology Committee, and the Northern Shenandoah Valley Regional Commission. Dunn is a strong advocate of accountability on budgeted spending versus actual spending, advocating for budget transparency, supporting funding for school maintenance and improvements, and advocating for joint Board of Supervisor and School Board meetings to resolve differences. He has also opposed funding for Deep Equity (CRT). Dunn supports school choice, which he believes would create competition that would benefit students. He has also supported School Resource Officers to keep students safe in schools.

Dunn is a visionary who understands the problems facing Northern Shenandoah Valley, especially the challenge of paying for the growing population. He proposes an alternative to increased real estate taxes. Existing residents should not have to subsidize the cost of new home developments. Instead, he suggests that new residents pay the capital costs the counties incur and advocates for impact fees to pay the capital costs of new growth. Existing proffers on houses would reduce the required impact.

Dunn is known for his financial expertise, and he understands the intricacies of how to allocate resources to maximize the growth and welfare of the county. He has been a tireless advocate for the people of Frederick County and will undoubtedly continue to work hard for the betterment of the county in the years to come.

To learn more about Blaine Dunn and the campaign for Virginia Senate, please visit BlaineDunn.com.