General Assembly | FFXnow

Published November 8, 2023 at 11:45AM

Vote dividers at a Fairfax County polling place for the 2023 general election (file photo)

Propelled by a near-sweep of races in Northern Virginia, Democrats have retaken control of the Virginia House of Delegates and retained control of the state Senate.

With a few races still to be called early Wednesday, Democrats appear to have won at least 51 seats in the 100-member House and 21 seats in the 40-member state Senate, according to results compiled by the Virginia Public Access Project. This will mark the third consecutive election that control of the House has shifted — Democrats wrested it away from Republicans in 2019 but lost it in 2021.

Countywide

BREAKING: Herrity is lone GOP victor as Democrats dominate Fairfax County elections

By Angela Woolsey

Published November 7, 2023 at 10:30PM | Updated November 8, 2023 at 12:39AM

Fairfax County voters went to the polls today for the 2023 general election (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

(Updated at 12:35 a.m. on 11/8/2023) The Democratic Party’s hold in Fairfax County remains strong, despite Republican efforts to make headway by centering issues from high taxes and “parental rights” in public education to highway tolls.

Preliminary general election results show that candidates supported by the Democrats, either officially or through endorsements, are in line to win every seat on this year’s lengthy ballot — except for Springfield District supervisor.

Countywide

School board approves raises for FCPS staff but says state funding still inadequate

By Angela Woolsey

Published October 30, 2023 at 3:30PM

Fairfax County Public Schools (file photo)

All Fairfax County Public Schools employees will get a bump in their paychecks, starting next year, after the school board unanimously approved 2% raises last week.

The additional pay was made possible by the budget that the Virginia General Assembly belatedly adopted in early September, which provided money to raise teacher salaries across the state. But school board members and FCPS workers argue that overall state funding for education falls far short of what they need.

Countywide

Virginia to consider Metro’s funding request to address projected $750 million shortfall

By Nathaniel Cline / Virginia Mercury

Published October 30, 2023 at 9:30AM

A Metro train at the Vienna station (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

As Metro considers ways to address a looming $750 million shortfall and stave off changes to its operations, officials are requesting jurisdictions, including Virginia, review their options to help address the funding deficit that threatens thousands of jobs and various services.

Metro hopes policymakers in the commonwealth will consider adjusting the state law that sets a 3% cap on the growth of Virginia’s annual payment to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. Dedicating more funding to Metro and overlooking the demands of other transportation projects, however, concerns some lawmakers and transportation leaders.

News

Alcorn seeks answers on Comstock’s reported plans for a Reston casino

By Fatimah Waseem

Published October 25, 2023 at 3:30PM

Reston Station from the Wiehle Avenue bridge (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn is pressing for more answers on the possibility of a casino at Reston Station.

At a Fairfax County Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday (Oct. 24), Alcorn emphasized that it’s still unclear if there will be legislation on the issue next year.

Countywide

Local Republican candidates for General Assembly pitch changes to I-66 tolling

By Angela Woolsey

Published October 25, 2023 at 2:30PM | Updated October 26, 2023 at 9:31AM

Republican General Assembly candidates, led by Senate District 37 contender Ken Reid, propose changes to Virginia's I-66 and I-495 tolling policies (via Ken Reid/YouTube)

(Updated at 9:30 p.m. on 10/26/2023) Several Republicans campaigning to represent parts of Fairfax County in the General Assembly have vowed to change up Virginia’s interstate tolling system if they’re elected on Nov. 7.

With the McLean Metro station in Tysons as a backdrop, the candidates unveiled a “Tolling Equity and Relief Plan” last Friday (Oct. 20) that they argued would reduce congestion and lower the cost of using the Express Lanes on I-66 and the Capital Beltway (I-495).

News

Senator makes case for casino in Tysons as part of future entertainment district

By Angela Woolsey

Published October 11, 2023 at 3:30PM

A train pulls into the Spring Hill Metro station in Tysons (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

If Fairfax County were to get a casino, state Sen. Dave Marsden would prefer to see it in Tysons, not Reston, as has reportedly been proposed.

The prospect of a casino has drawn strong pushback from both residents and some elected officials, but Marsden argues that the county needs to consider all options to diversify its commercial tax base, as the office market continues to lag in the pandemic’s wake.

News

2023 elections bring new scrutiny of Virginia’s ‘sore loser’ rule

By Graham Moomaw / Virginia Mercury

Published October 2, 2023 at 1:30PM | Updated October 3, 2023 at 12:23PM

Election Day at Cunningham Park Elementary School in Vienna (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Virginia’s so-called “sore loser” law is supposed to ensure that when a candidate is defeated in a Republican or Democratic primary, they can’t drop their party affiliation and appear on the general election ballot next to the person who beat them.

As the state’s closely watched election season, which will determine control of all 140 seats in the General Assembly, ramps up, both the letter and spirit of that law are being tested. A handful of unsuccessful primary candidates have tried to keep their campaigns alive after defeat while attacking their own parties for allegedly corrupting the process.

News

Report: Comstock wants a casino in Reston, but state legislation still needed

By Angela Woolsey

Published September 26, 2023 at 3:30PM

Reston Station from the Wiehle Avenue bridge (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

A casino may still be on the table for Fairfax County, though it faces some long odds to becoming a reality.

According to a new report by Patch, the real estate company Comstock is interested in building a casino in the Wiehle-Reston East Metro station area, where it owns nearly 80 acres of land for the still-growing Reston Station development.

News

Revised Virginia laws delay hearings, decision on Reston Comprehensive Plan

By Fatimah Waseem

Published July 11, 2023 at 3:00PM

In front of the Fairfax County Government Center (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

The years-long process to overhaul the Reston Comprehensive Plan will take a little longer than expected.

At a Fairfax County Board of Supervisors meeting today (Tuesday), Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn announced that changes to Virginia’s laws regarding public notice and hearing requirements will push public hearings on the long-running update to the plan into September.