Emailing - McLean Citizens Association

Date: 1/28/2024
Subject: CASINO UPDATE - ACTION REQUESTED
From: McLean Citizens Association

Dear Homeowner and Civic Association Leaders:

As you know, MCA has opposed Senate Bill 675 that, if passed, would authorize a casino to be built in Fairfax County, specifically in Tysons. We sent the communication below to MCA members and other interested parties. We urge you to forward the email to your members and encourage them to write letters as requested below.

We also encourage your Association to write letters and express your position regarding allowing a casino to be operated in Fairfax County. If you do so, please forward a copy to me at president@mcleancitizens.org. We are working with other civic groups to KILL THE BILL. Our efforts go beyond the boundaries of the MCA, so please forward this communication to your friends in other areas of Fairfax County.

If you are not a member, we urge you to join the MCA. You are always welcome to attend and participate at Commitee Meetings. Additionally, MCA will be accepting applications for our Board of Directors in February. We hope you will consider applying. More information will be sent out shortly on how to apply. It is times like these that we fully understand the importance and impact of citizen advocacy.

If you are no longer in a leadership position, please forward this communication and send the contact information for current leadership to membership@mcleancitizens.org.

United we stand. Lend your voice to our efforts - JOIN NOW!

Linda Walsh

President

(703) 300-0819

Dear MCA Members and Interested Parties:

Unfortunately, the "CASINO BILL" has progressed to the Virginia Senate Finance Committee. The bill has been referred to the Economic Development & Natural Resources Subcommittee, which is chaired by Senator Marsden, the sponsor of SB675. The vote in this subcommittee could be called as early as Monday afternoon. If it is approved, then it would go to the full Finance Committee.

CALL FOR HELP FROM SENATOR BOYSKO: Below is the email sent by Senator Boysko to her constituents. She is urging people to contact her colleagues in the Senate. She has provided a link to their contact information.

I urge everyone to write letters or call members of the subcommittee first, then to the other members of the Finance Committee, and lastly to the remainder of the Senators. I have provided the contact information for the full Finance Committee and identified the subcommittee members (see attached file and list at bottom of this communication).

In lieu of sending a form letter, I suggest you write a letter that identifies your concerns. I encourage everyone to forward this communication to all your neighbors and friends throughout the County! Let's fight this battle now and not allow the sponsor to keep moving the finish line from Reston to Tysons and elsewhere in Fairfax County.

If you are not already a member of the MCA, I urge you to join. YOU CAN MAKE OUR VOICE LOUDER! Click - JOIN NOW!

Regards,

Linda Walsh
President

VA Senate Finance Committee Contact Information

From: "Jennifer B. Boysko" <senatorboysko@senate.virginia.gov>
Date: January 27, 2024 at 1:53:03 PM EST
To: Constituent
Subject: Re: Seeking Information and Advice on Finance Appropriations CT action on Marsden Casino Bill

Dear Constituent,

This is a call to action. I bring to your attention my concerns regarding the possibility of bringing a casino to Northern Fairfax County and the bill that proposes it SB675. I have heard from thousands of you in our community and I share your strong opposition to this idea, as it does not align with our community's interests or character.

Not only do I oppose it on those grounds, but the process has been deeply flawed. Fairfax County supervisors, fellow current and former legislators, community associations, and residents in the Northern Fairfax region have repeatedly and vigorously expressed their opposition to the patron of this initiative as soon as we learned about it - beginning last summer. Our community association who represents tens of thousands of residents Reston Association, McLean Citizens Association, Great Falls Citizens Association, along with the town of Vienna, Fairfax County Supervisor Walter Alcorn, Fairfax County Supervisor Jimmy Bierman, and all of the Delegates and Senators (current and former) in our Northern Fairfax County, where the proposed casino is proposed, all stand firmly in disagreement.

I served for 4 years on the Gaming Subcommittee and in every other case, the major casino proposals that have come to the General Assembly for consideration have done so at the request of the local government representing that community. In this case, no local official representing Northern Fairfax County asked for it or wanted it. This is a case of one developer bringing a proposal to one legislator who does not represent any of this immediate region. It will completely bypass the local elected leaders and will go straight to a referendum to the entire 1.4 million residents of Fairfax County.

This is an urgent call for action. If you share this concern, please use your voice today to express your opposition to all of my Senate colleagues. You can find the list of senators here. The process may move very quickly and I ask you to stay informed about these efforts. SB 675 could be up in the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Economic Development as soon as Monday.

Rest assured, my opposition to opening a casino in Northern Fairfax County remains firm. Together, we can continue to work towards maintaining the integrity and well-being of our communities. Please share this letter with your neighbors and friends who are also concerned. Everyone needs to speak up now.

Regards, Jennifer B. Boysko
Senate of Virginia, representing District 38 Herndon,
Reston, Great Falls, McLean, Wolftrap, parts of unincorporated Falls Church and Vienna

Senate Finance Committee
L. Louise Lucas, Chair	senatorlucas@senate.virginia.gov	804) 698-7518
Subcommittee Members	Economic Development & Natural Resources Subcommittee
David W. Marsden, Chair	senatormarsden@senate.virginia.gov	(804) 698-7535
Barbara A. Favola, Vice - Chair	senatorfavola@senate.virginia.gov	(804) 698-7540
Richard H. Stuart	senatorstuart@senate.virginia.gov	(804) 698-7525
Bryce E. Reeves	senatorreeves@senate.virginia.gov	(804) 698-7528
Scott A. Surovell	senatorsurovell@senate.virginia.gov	(804) 698-7534
Other Members of the Finance Committee
R. Creigh Deeds	senatordeeds@senate.virginia.gov	(804) 698-7511
Mamie E. Locke	senatorlocke@senate.virginia.gov	(804) 698-7523
Adam P. Ebbin	senatorebbin@senate.virginia.gov	(804) 698-7539
Ryan T. McDougle	senatormcdougle@senate.virginia.gov	(804) 698-7526
Mark D. Obenshain	senatorobenshain@senate.virginia.gov	(804) 698-7502
Jeremy S. McPike	senatormcpike@senate.virginia.gov	(804) 698-7529
Jennifer B. Boysko	senatorboysko@senate.virginia.gov	(804) 698-7538
Todd E. Pillion	senatorpillion@senate.virginia.gov	(804) 698-7506
Ghazala F. Hashmi	senatorhashmi@senate.virginia.gov	(804) 698-7515

Website: mcleancitizens.org Email: Info@mcleancitizens.org

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