by Dick Hall Sizemore

Governor Spanberger issued her first veto. It was a bill of high priority sponsored by one the Senate’s top Democrats.

Sen. Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax, the Senate Majority leader , presented legislation which would have authorized an in-county referendum on the establishment of Tysons Casino. Both Democrats and Republicans supported the bill, which was passed with wide margins by the House and Senate.

The governor is protected, even though the bill was one of the top priorities of one of her party leaders in the General Assembly. The governing body in Fairfax County opposes a casino in Tysons, unlike in the past when the city councils in cities that were authorized to hold casino referendums strongly supported casino legislation. A majority of the Fairfax County delegation to the General Assembly opposed the legislation as a result. Spanberger cited the following factors to explain her veto: “Local governing bodies should lead proposed casino development as it has been done in every locality with a casino.” Fairfax County’s Board of Supervisors, however, has opposed the legislation and a majority of General Assembly members representing Fairfax County voted against it.

It is obvious that Sen. Surovell has a lot of anger. He released a long statement that began:

“I’m deeply disappointed with Governor Spanberger for his veto on SB 756, This bill was Northern Virginia’s top legislative priority, supported by all major building trades in the region and endorsed by the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce. It was a bipartisan bill that passed the Virginia Senate with a vote of 25-13, and the House of Delegates with 59-41, and received votes from both Democrats as well as Republicans, who saw the tremendous economic opportunities this legislation presented for Northern Virginia and the Commonwealth .”

The statement continues to list the potential economic benefits of the establishment of a Fairfax casino and lament Maryland’s continued gambling revenue loss.

The Virginia Political Newsletter is to be credited for the reporting of this story.