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A bill that could clear the way for a casino in Fairfax County advanced in the Virginia Senate on a 5-2 vote Monday, even as county supervisors sought to reaffirm that they neither requested casino authority nor helped develop the proposal.
The Senate Gaming Subcommittee sent SB982 to the Senate General Laws and Technology Committee, which is scheduled to meet Wednesday afternoon.
Sen. Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax and the bill’s chief patron, told the subcommittee that the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors was continuing discussions with lawmakers.
“Fairfax County Board is continuing to talk to us, and they’re waiting for a bill, and we’re discussing changes to it, but they have not taken a position,” Surovell said.
Those comments prompted No Fairfax Casino coalition chair Lynn Mulston to send senators an urgent letter. She called Surovell’s characterization confusing and disturbing, arguing that it distorted the supervisors’ position.
Mulston also challenged claims connecting the casino proposal to recent property tax increases. She said those increases were driven by the need to offset inadequate state funding for public education.
Supervisors Point to Their Existing Position
The Board of Supervisors’ Legislative Committee discussed SB982 during its Jan. 17 meeting.
Chairman Jeff McKay said at least two state senators had suggested casino revenue could help prevent future property tax increases. He argued that recent increases instead resulted from Virginia’s failure to adequately fund public schools.
“The problems are with public education funding,” McKay said, pointing to a 2023 study by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission.
McKay also displayed a letter he signed in 2024 outlining the county’s position. He said little had changed and suggested circulating an updated version.
Supervisor Jimmy Bierman, D-Dranesville, questioned county staff and confirmed that Fairfax County did not seek permission to host a casino and had not been substantively involved in developing one.
Bierman also noted that the proposed division of casino gaming tax revenue remained unchanged, with 70 percent going to the state and 30 percent to the host locality. He said that distinction mattered because Fairfax County could generate substantial local tax revenue without a casino.
The 2025 proposal is also less expansive than the 2024 version, with tighter restrictions on the casino’s potential location and design.
“This has been our position now for a year,” McKay said. He added that the county needed to clarify its stance with members of its legislative delegation who may have forgotten or disregarded the earlier letter.
Supervisors discussed modifying the letter, securing board approval to resubmit it and ensuring that relevant state senators receive the county’s position.
The 2023 JLARC study examined Virginia’s education costs, identified shortcomings in the state funding formula and proposed short- and long-term changes. Fairfax County Public Schools has said the outdated formula leaves the school system underfunded.
Most legislation related to the JLARC findings was tabled during the 2024 regular session and referred to a joint subcommittee for longer-term consideration.