Welcome to FIVE FOR FRIDAY: A weekly roundup of public policy issues and headlines from around the Northern Virginia Region, the Commonwealth, and Capitol Hill.
by Danielle Finley, Associate Director of Political Engagement
Welcome to FIVE FOR FRIDAY: A weekly roundup of Public Policy Issues and Headlines. In this Issue: 1. Fairfax County casino gets a second look—along with stern opposition 2. County Suspends Airport Noise Disclosure Requirements 3. Virginia groups worry over Supreme Court case that could allow localities to criminalize homelessness 4. Controversial Crystal City affordable housing near HQ2 project advances 5. A D.C. payroll tax will soon skyrocket by nearly 200%. Business leaders say it moves city in the 'wrong direction.'
Plans for a casino in Fairfax County could be back on the table [as] county leaders continue to look for ways to deal with an ailing budget. Last month, the Board of Supervisors approved a property tax increase to deal help close a budget deficit. Some leaders warn that if something isn’t done it will get worse in the future. That is where the plan for a casino may see renewed interest, but it faces increasing opposition. … This summer, the Board of Supervisors will revisit the plan first proposed by Fairfax County State Sen. Dave Marsden. “I’m not gonna waste my time down in Richmond unless I have support back here at home,” Marsden told WUSA9 by phone.
By HANNA PAMPALONI, Loudoun Now
Following legislation passed this year by the General Assembly, the Board of Supervisors last week voted to suspend a requirement in the county’s zoning ordinance which mandates that property owners of homes near Dulles International Airport be notified of their proximity to the airport during a sale.
By KATIE KING, The Virginian-Pilot
The Supreme Court is expected to rule this week on a case that will determine whether localities across the country can criminalize sleeping in public — even when shelters are unavailable and homeless individuals have nowhere else to go. Advocates who work with the local homeless population and on housing issues in Virginia are anxiously awaiting a decision, concerned about the potential reverberating effects. Mark Stevens, executive director of Standup for Kids — a nonprofit in Virginia Beach that offers a range of services for youth, including housing support — said he doesn’t believe the ruling would have an immediate impact in the city. … But he worries for those in other localities across the nation and state.
By Dan Brendel, Washington Business Journal
A proposed affordable housing redevelopment in Crystal City is forging ahead through Arlington County’s land use approval process, despite pushback from residents in the area. A joint venture between two nonprofits filed a rezoning and site plan application June 21 with the county’s planning department to redevelop a low-rise job training facility at 750 23rd St. S. with a five-story all-affordable apartment building. The project would also provide space for educational training and support services for people with disabilities.
The 4-year-old program, which the city has billed as a draw for residents and companies, will see its 0.26% payroll tax rate on businesses rise to 0.75% — a 188% hike — starting Oct. 1. The jump, baked into the D.C. Council’s recently adopted $21 billion fiscal year 2025 budget, is projected to drive to the District tens of millions of dollars more than Mayor Muriel Bowser’s earlier proposal would have. The budget, which the council approved Tuesday, now requires Bowser’s signature. The tax increase stands to impede the city’s ability to lure and retain businesses and, therefore, the city’s competitive prowess long term, Angela Franco, president and CEO of the D.C. Chamber of Commerce, said in a statement to the Washington Business Journal.