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Fairfax County leaders and residents pressed state lawmakers on school funding, public transit, local authority and a proposed Tysons casino during a Jan. 4 public hearing ahead of Virginia’s 2025 General Assembly session.

Nearly all members of the county’s legislative delegation attended the hearing, which began at 9 a.m. at the Fairfax County Government Center and was also livestreamed. About 70 people testified, while written comments could be submitted by email.

Supervisor James Walkinshaw represented the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, and Melanie Meren spoke for the Fairfax County School Board.

School funding dominates the hearing

Walkinshaw said Virginia’s funding system leaves Fairfax County short by the equivalent of $3,100 per student. Fully implementing recommendations from the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission, he said, would provide Fairfax County Public Schools with nearly $569 million more each year.

That gap exceeds 10% of Fairfax County’s entire operating budget for schools and county services. FCPS serves nearly 183,000 students from prekindergarten through 12th grade.

Walkinshaw said Virginia spends $1,900 less per student than the national average and argued that the state’s Standards of Quality formula does not reflect the actual cost of public education. In fiscal 2021, the formula provided $6.6 billion less than local school boards collectively spent.

He said the formula still incorporates cost reductions dating to the Great Recession, undercounts students living in poverty and fails to account adequately for students with greater needs, local labor expenses and the cost of living in places such as Fairfax County.

Walkinshaw also criticized the governor’s proposed budget amendments for failing to address JLARC’s recommendations. He urged lawmakers, school divisions and local governments to secure a substantial initial investment in education during the coming session.

Meren said the state shortfall shifts a heavy burden onto local taxpayers. Citing the Board of Supervisors, she said the effect could amount to about $1,300 on the average Fairfax County homeowner’s real estate tax bill.

Fairfax spends about $1.18 billion beyond the state-supported level, she said, because the county seeks to provide more than an average education.

Meren thanked legislators for supporting the Virginia Literacy Act and local authority over policies such as a prepared-food tax. She said those options were far preferable to bringing a casino to Fairfax County.

She also called for more state funding for pedestrian safety on public roads used by students traveling to and from school.

Transit and local control

Walkinshaw asked lawmakers to protect additional WMATA funding secured the previous year while continuing to examine possible savings and efficiencies in regional public transportation.

He also urged the General Assembly to preserve and expand Fairfax County’s authority over land use and taxation, arguing that local governments need sufficient tools to make decisions for their own communities.

Residents bring competing priorities

Public testimony covered voting rights, food insecurity, labor organizing, racial and gender equity, data centers, special education and the proposed Tysons casino.

Connor Cummings, who identified himself as autistic, urged lawmakers to protect the voting rights of people placed under guardianship. He said voting gives people with disabilities a voice regardless of how they communicate.

Michelle Jefferson of the Community Action Advisory Board called for more resources to fight food insecurity. She said stable housing, quality child care and reliable access to food are essential to residents’ well-being and economic productivity, citing a need of at least $3.19 billion.

Sally Horn, representing National Security Leaders for Fairfax, opposed a Tysons casino. She pointed to the concentration of intelligence organizations, defense contractors and military personnel in the area and warned that gambling addiction could make people in sensitive positions vulnerable to exploitation. Many problem gamblers do not seek treatment, she said, particularly when disclosure could threaten their jobs or security clearances.

Nelson Aguilar of the Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters supported the proposed Tysons entertainment center and casino. He emphasized the developer’s commitment to employing local union workers.

Jennifer Falcone presented the Great Falls Citizens Association’s legislative priorities. They included maintaining local authority, improving oversight of behavioral health facilities and group homes, expanding state revenue sharing, protecting tree canopy and imposing strong environmental requirements on data centers.

The association also supports more aid for recruiting, retaining and training first responders, along with broader use of technology to enforce speed and vehicle-noise laws.

David Broder, executive director of the SEIU Virginia State Council, urged lawmakers to expand collective bargaining to all public employees, including home-care workers. He said more than 80,000 Virginians had organized in support of local collective-bargaining ordinances and more than 50,000 had negotiated first contracts, including over 27,000 educators in Fairfax County.

Dr. Sarah Langley of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women asked lawmakers to address gender inequality and racial disparities together. She called for meaningful representation of Black women and other marginalized groups in leadership, along with mentorship programs, equitable-pay policies and safe ways for employees to raise concerns.

Kevin Hickerson advocated for additional state special-education funding. He said the resulting local savings could support special-education teachers, instructional assistants, bus drivers, custodians and cafeteria employees struggling to make ends meet.

Data centers raise energy concerns

Environmental policy specialist Ken Sandler warned that rapid data-center expansion driven by artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency could derail Virginia’s clean-energy targets.

Without the data-center boom, power demand was projected to rise about 15% by 2040, Sandler said. With unconstrained growth, the forecast reaches 183%—more than 10 times that rate.

Citing JLARC’s examination of the industry, Sandler called for strict energy-efficiency requirements and firm clean-energy sourcing plans. He also urged lawmakers to reconsider tax incentives for data-center developers, require the industry’s electricity rates to cover infrastructure costs and accelerate wind, solar and energy-storage development.

A year’s work compressed into 30 days

Virginia’s General Assembly was scheduled to convene Jan. 8 for a 30-day session because 2025 was an odd-numbered year. The session could be extended with a two-thirds vote in both chambers.

Even-numbered years have 60-day sessions. After adjournment, lawmakers reconvene six weeks later to consider the governor’s actions on legislation.

Bills and joint resolutions for the 2025 session could be prefiled from July 15, 2024, until 10 a.m. on Jan. 8. The deadline to introduce bills and certain joint resolutions was Jan. 17, giving legislators only a few weeks to draft, file, amend and pass a year’s worth of proposals.