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Date: 1/25/2024
Subject: MCA OPPOSES SB675 & CONCERNS OVER LANGUAGE CONTAINED IN THE BILL
From: McLean Citizens Association


Dear Chairman McKay and Fairfax County Board of Supervisors:

In light of the Board of Directors Legislative Committee Meeting scheduled for Friday, January 26, MCA would like to reiterate our opposition to SB675 that would allow a casino to be built in Fairfax County, specifically in Tysons.  The attached letter was sent on January 9, 2024, to all Virginia State Senators and Delegates serving Fairfax County.  The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors was copied on that letter.

It is estimated that a casino would generate about $40 million of new tax revenue for Fairfax County.  The $40 million gain in tax revenues does not offset the negative impact to our community.  The MCA Board of Directors and our members have expressed concerns related to infrastructure capacity - from traffic congestion to overtaxing our first responders. Many are questioning how the existing Tysons business community, “the economic engine of Fairfax County”, would react to having a casino as a neighbor.  Would we be able to continue to entice Fortune 500 companies to Tysons?

We are very concerned with the wording of Bill 675 that appears to limit the authority of the Fairfax County Board of Directors and might allow for an off-cycle vote on the referendum. I have pasted in and highlighted the wording that is of concern at the end of this email for your reference.  The two major concerns are:
  1. If SB 675 is passed as proposed, what would be the role (if any) of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors? Would they have an opportunity to vote on this issue before seeking an order for a referendum? What happens if they vote to oppose the casino in Tysons?
  2. If the Board of Supervisors files a petition as described in SB 675, when would the referendum take place? According to SB 675, the referendum would take place on the date specified in the petition using “regular election officials”. A county-wide vote on a single issue at all of the polling places is very expensive to conduct and would probably have a low turnout of voters. It might be better to include the referendum as part of the next general election to be held in Fairfax County.

Opposing this Bill is the number one issue for our membership.  Your efforts to stop this Bill from progressing to the Full Senate for a vote would be greatly appreciated.


 
Regards,

Linda Walsh
President
MCA Opposes Legislation to Allow Casinos in Fairfax County
SB675 - LANGUAGE OF CONCERN
 

 58.1-4123. Local referendum required.

A. The Department shall not grant any initial license to operate a gaming operation in an eligible host city locality until a referendum on the question of whether casino gaming shall be permitted in such city locality is approved by the voters of such city locality.

 

B. The governing body of any city locality containing an eligible host city locality shall petition the court, by resolution, asking that a referendum be held on the question of whether casino gaming shall be permitted within the city locality. The court, by order entered of record in accordance with Article 5 (ง 24.2-681 et seq.) of Chapter 6 of Title 24.2, shall require the regular election officials of the city locality to open the polls and take the sense of the voters on the question as herein provided.

 

C. The clerk of such court of record of such city locality shall publish notice of such election in a newspaper of general circulation in such city locality once a week for three consecutive weeks prior to such election.

 

D. The regular election officers of such city locality shall open the polls at the various voting places in such city locality on the date specified in such order and conduct such election in the manner provided by law. The election shall be by ballot, which shall be prepared by the electoral board of the city locality and on which shall be printed the following question:

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