General Assembly | FFXnow

Published January 19, 2024 at 1:30PM

A speed camera on Kirby Road outside Chesterbrook Elementary School (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

As the Virginia General Assembly reaches its deadline for legislators to file bills for the 2024 session, Fairfax County’s representatives hope to pass bills on rent gouging, campaign finance reform and opioid prevention in schools.

The General Assembly convened in Richmond last Wednesday (Jan. 10) for a 60-day session ending March 9. With Democrats controlling the House of Delegates and the Senate, lawmakers could see at least some of their proposals become law. Here are some notable measures put forward:

News

NEW: Fairfax County casino push targets abandoned Tysons auto dealership

By Angela Woolsey

Published January 18, 2024 at 10:15AM

The former Aston Martin and Bentley dealership in Tysons has been proposed as a future casino site (via Google Maps)

The proposal to permit a casino in Fairfax County has honed in on one specific site: a former Aston Martin and Bentley dealership in Tysons.

Site criteria for the potential gaming establishment emerged yesterday (Wednesday), when state Sen. Dave Marsden’s long-awaited/dreaded bill was officially published online, just two days before the Virginia General Assembly’s filing deadline for the 2024 session.

Countywide

Report: New state legislation would allow casino in Tysons, but not Reston

By Angela Woolsey

Published January 17, 2024 at 1:30PM | Updated January 17, 2024 at 2:28PM

A proposed state bill would allow a casino to be built in Tysons, if approved by voters (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

(Updated at 2:30 p.m.) The new, much-debated state bill to allow a casino in Fairfax County has arrived with some limited but critical changes from its previous iteration.

Though the bill doesn’t appear to be available online yet, NBC4 reports that state Sen. Dave Marsden (D-35) has filed legislation that would add Fairfax County to the small list of Virginia localities eligible for a casino.

News

NEW: McLean Citizens Association joins opposition to impending casino bill

By Angela Woolsey

Published January 9, 2024 at 3:30PM

The Virginia General Assembly will convene in Richmond for its 2024 session on Jan. 10 (via Virginia House of Delegates/Flickr)

Opposition continues to mount against the possibility of a casino in Fairfax County.

With the Virginia General Assembly kicking off its 2024 legislative session tomorrow, the McLean Citizens Association has come out against a bill expected to be filed soon by state Sen. Dave Marsden, who has proposed adding Fairfax County to the list of localities where a gaming casino could be permitted.

News

Reston Association urges members to fight expected casino bill

By Angela Woolsey

Published January 5, 2024 at 11:00AM

State Sen. Dave Marsden is expected to file legislation authorizing a voter referendum on a casino in Fairfax County for the 2024 General Assembly session (via Michał Parzuchowski on Unsplash)

State Sen. Dave Marsden (D-35) has yet to unveil his planned bill to authorize a casino in Fairfax County, but Reston Association is going all in to prevent it from becoming law.

Following up on a formal statement of opposition approved in October by the board of directors, RA CEO Mac Cummins released a letter to the organization’s members yesterday pledging to take “decisive action” to block the possibility of a casino, which he characterized as a potential threat to “the residential character of our community.”

Countywide

An incoming Virginia delegate wants to expand use of speed cameras

By Nathaniel Cline / Virginia Mercury

Published January 3, 2024 at 1:15PM

A sign signals the start of a school zone in Fairfax monitored by a speed camera (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

When they reconvene this month, Virginia lawmakers will consider a proposal to allow local governments to install speed cameras wherever they deem them necessary, with penalties of up to $100 for violations.

Bill patron Del.-elect Mike Jones, D-Richmond, said the legislation is intended to increase speed enforcement and reduce the number of traffic fatalities.

Countywide

Youngkin budget calls for income tax cuts, sales tax increases

By Virginia Mercury

Published December 21, 2023 at 9:30AM | Updated December 21, 2023 at 5:00PM

The new Virginia General Assembly Building in Richmond (via Virginia House of Delegates/Flickr)

At the halfway point of his administration, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin unveiled a budget proposal that calls for significant income tax cuts, increases in state sales and use tax — and a push to get rid of the car tax, which the Republican called “the single most hated tax” in Virginia.

“The car tax belongs in the trash can and not in your mailbox,” he said.

Countywide

N. Va. officials search for path to save Metro from ‘catastrophic’ budget cuts

By Fatimah Waseem

Published December 18, 2023 at 9:30AM

A train at the McLean Metro station platform (file photo)

Local and state officials in Virginia say the path to dig Metro out of its looming $750 million deficit is uncertain — but action is necessary to avoid the significant service cuts, systemwide fare hikes, layoffs and station closures laid out in the transit agency’s newly proposed budget.

Leaders in Fairfax County — which already faces lean economic times — say they don’t plan to offer up additional funds unless jurisdictional and federal partners can throw some more skin into the game.

Countywide

Virginia Board of Education backs new funding formula for school divisions

By Nathaniel Cline / Virginia Mercury

Published December 15, 2023 at 11:00AM

Students in a classroom (via Taylor Flowe on Unsplash)

The Virginia Board of Education is asking the General Assembly to develop a plan for changing the state’s existing school funding formula to help divisions strapped for money but isn’t backing a proposal to remove a cap that limits the number of support positions the state will fund.

According to an earlier report by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission, which conducts analysis and provides oversight of state agencies on behalf of the General Assembly, changing the formula could help address the underfunding of schools.

Countywide

Dems reintroduce bill to let Virginia localities fund school capital projects through sales tax

By Nathaniel Cline / Virginia Mercury

Published December 12, 2023 at 3:30PM

Fairfax County Public Schools' current capital projects include construction on an addition to Louise Archer Elementary School in Vienna (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Democrats are again pushing for legislation that would allow local governments to hold referenda on increasing their sales and use tax to pay for school capital projects such as construction and renovations.

The party hopes the effort, which has been tried twice before but defeated by Republicans, will be successful now that Democrats are set to control both the House of Delegates and the Senate following the November elections.