Casino Bill: New Dranesville Supervisor Takes Stand On SB 675

MCLEAN, VA — Supervisor Jimmy Bierman (D-) told constituents that he did not support legislation that would pave the way for a casino to be built in Tysons.

"Like I told many of you while I was campaigning, I do not believe that a casino along the Silver Line is a good idea, nor did I or any of my colleagues on the Board of Supervisors ask for the authority granted in this bill to put forth a casino referendum," he said, in the Dranesville Dispatch newsletter on Thursday. "Locating a casino along the Metro is inconsistent with our County’s development strategy for Tysons and out-of-step with our county-wide efforts to create more attainable housing and transit opportunities for our workforce."

Bierman continued this sentiment at last Friday's meeting of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors' legislative committee, of which he is a member.

At that meeting, Chair Jeff McKay (D-At-Large) shared a letter he had written and later sent to the leaders of both the Virginia Senate and House of Delegates. In that letter, McKay pointed out that if Senate Bill 675, which seeks to clear the way for a casino to be built in Tysons, were adopted as is, less than 25 percent of the revenue would go to Fairfax County.

"As the law stands today, the Commonwealth would receive over 70 percent of the gaming tax revenue generated by a Fairfax County casino," McKay said, in his letter. "This is especially relevant given the fact that the location outlined in the bill has the potential to generate significant local tax revenue without a casino."

One of the rationales that the bill's sponsor Sen. Dave Marsden (D-Burke) and others have given for building a casino on the Silver Line was that it would offset the decline in value of the local commercial real estate market due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We feel the need to emphasize that Tysons and especially the Class A office space in close proximity to Tysons’ four Silver Line Metro stations continue to thrive," McKay said. "Tysons continues to attract new corporations and create new jobs. Tysons has a blossoming entertainment district, anchored by Capital One Hall, a premier performing arts venue, and a state-of-the-art baseball stadium."

When given the opportunity to speak, Bierman echoed the sentiments of the other members of the committee in their support for the letter. He even asked if his signature could be added to it.

"I would like to note that this bill is actually not about bringing more money to Fairfax County," he said, talking about a conversation he had with the bill's sponsor. Marsden was very clear that he's concerned that the [Local Composite Index] number has been going down for Fairfax County. Now, actually this year, it just went up."

The composite index is how the Virginia Department of Education calculates a locality's ability to fund education based on three weighted indicators:

• True value of real property (weighted 50 percent)
• Adjusted gross income (weighted 40 percent)
• Taxable retail sales (weighted 10 percent)

2022-2024 Biennium (November 2023)

• True value of real property: $284,219, 796,422
• Adjusted gross income: $66,129,016,866
• Taxable retail sales: $15,347,879,770
• Composite Index: .6532

2024-2026: Biennium (November 2021)

• True value of real property: $320,541, 621,008
• Adjusted gross income: $85,382,155,443
• Taxable retail sales: $15,457,961,860
• Composite Index: .6579

The education department uses the composite index numbers to keep the relative percentages of education funding of 45 percent from the locality and 55 percent from the state.

"But [Marsden] was concerned that with the LCI month number coming down from Fairfax County, Fairfax County was getting more money from the state, therefore we need to send even more money out to the state," Bierman said. "That really is the opposite of trying to find ways to get more money in Fairfax."

Elected last November to represent McLean, Great Falls, and Herndon, Bierman joined other local elected officials representing those areas in the Virginia General Assembly who have stated they opposed a casino coming to Tysons. These included Sen. Saddam Azlan Salim (D-37th), Sen. Jennifer Boysko (D-38th), Del. Rip Sullivan (D-6th), Del. Karen Keys-Gamarra (7th), and Del. Irene Shin (D-8th).

Del. Holly Seibold (D-12th), who represents the area identified as the proposed location for the casino, did not reply to Patch's multiple requests over the last week for a statement on the casino and her position on SB 675. When a response is received, it will be added to this story.

Related:

• Casino Opponents Travel To Richmond To Lobby Lawmakers: Report
• Casino Backers Kept Fairfax Supervisors In The Dark About Their Plans
• Casino Developer Gave $51K To VA Senate Gaming Sub-Committee Members
• Let's Stop Casino Bill SB-675 In Committee: Call To Action

Read all of Patch's reporting on Comstock Companies' plan to build a casino on Metro's Silver Line in Fairfax County at Silver Line Casino.