SAMPLE EMAIL LETTER

To send to Senators on the General Laws & Technology Committee, the Finance & Appropriations Committee, and the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.  (Email addresses at the bottom)

SUBJECT: No Casino in Fairfax County
 

I understand that an updated version of SB 675 may be introduced when the General Assembly reconvenes that would authorize a casino along one of the four Metro Line Corridors in Fairfax County, and most likely in Tysons along the Silver Line Corridor. I am writing to urge that you decline to act on or pass any such legislation.

Here are just a few reasons why a casino in Tysons or elsewhere along a metro line in Fairfax County is misguided and not needed for economic development:

• In 20 years of careful planning for Tysons, no casino was ever envisioned, nor has it been asked for now by those who live, work or visit here. The same goes for anywhere along Fairfax County’s Silver Line Metro.
• The Silver Line Corridor in Northern Fairfax County is one of the most important economic success stories in the state. This vibrant center of economic growth, which has attracted high-tech, world-class businesses that wish to co-locate with exciting new communities, is not the right place for a casino. 
• The Tysons locality has many homes, Class A offices and schools within walking distance of the Metro stations. Tysons now accounts for 8% of the taxes collected in Fairfax County in total and 10% of the sales taxes, a substantial portion of which is sent to the Commonwealth. Indeed, placement of a casino in this unique region likely would have severe negative economic impacts that would far exceed the projected tax revenues.
• Tysons is meeting the goals that were set to create a business-friendly, family-friendly community. Fairfax County is a defense and intelligence industry hub in the United States, attracting skilled professionals with military and tech experience, and is home to 17 Fortune 1000 companies. A casino would upend all this progress. Do you want to risk causing existing high-tech businesses that support the defense and intelligence communities and our domestic economy to move out of Fairfax County? 
• As corporations continue to call workers back to the office and return to normal post-Covid operating environments, the commercial office market is rebounding, just as it has in the past. 
• Hosting a casino in Fairfax County would not be a good deal for homeowners or businesses nor would it lower their tax burdens. The evidence is that for every $1 in casino tax revenues, the Fairfax County community would face $3-5 or more in costs, and those costs would be borne by everyone in Fairfax County. 

In every case of the five other casino licenses, the local government petitioned the General Assembly to formally request authority for a casino referendum. That is not the case in this instance. The SB 675 bill addresses districts that the patrons for the bill do not represent, setting a dangerous precedent in the Commonwealth.

Respectfully,

Your Name

Your Address

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Email addresses for General Laws & Tech and Finance & Appropriations Committees Senators and Fairfax County Board of Supervisors: (copy and paste into your email) 

senatoraird@senate.virginia.gov, senatorboysko@senate.virginia.gov, senatorcarrollfoy@senate.virginia.gov, senatorcraig@senate.virginia.gov, senatordeeds@senate.virginia.gov, senatorebbin@senate.virginia.gov, senatorfavola@senate.virginia.gov, senatorfrench@senate.virginia.gov, senatorhashmi@senate.virginia.gov, senatorhead@senate.virginia.gov, senatorjordan@senate.virginia.gov, senatorlocke@senate.virginia.gov, senatorlucas@senate.virginia.gov, senatormarsden@senate.virginia.gov, senatormcdougle@senate.virginia.gov, senatormcpike@senate.virginia.gov, senatorobenshain@senate.virginia.gov, senatorpillion@senate.virginia.gov, senatorreeves@senate.virginia.gov, senatorroem@senate.virginia.gov, senatorrouse@senate.virginia.gov, senatorstuart@senate.virginia.gov, senatorsubramanyam@senate.virginia.gov, senatorsurovell@senate.virginia.gov, senatorvanvalkenburg@senate.virginia.gov, clerktotheBOS@fairfaxcounty.gov