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December 10, 2025

Neighbors,

When it comes to a casino in Tysons, the Board of Supervisors has finally put their cards on the table. The Board now explicitly opposes casino legislation targeting Fairfax County.

At yesterday’s Board meeting, I successfully introduced a motion to our state legislative package to formally oppose a casino in Tysons. (The statement will be added to page 15 of the package.) You can watch my remarks in this video (or watch the much longer and lively board discussion here.)

I moved the following language that was accepted on a 5-4 vote:

“Oppose legislation in the General Assembly that authorizes a casino in Fairfax County without any request for such legislation from the Board of Supervisors, without implementation of a statewide Gaming Commission, and without a tax revenue split that substantially benefits Fairfax County as opposed to the Commonwealth. The designation and location of a casino is inherently a major land use decision and General Assembly intervention in Fairfax County’s land use processes would undermine decades of community consensus and economic success.”

Tysons is the economic engine for not only Fairfax County — and the state — and also has an ambitious long-term plan for integrating work, homes, and entertainment. State authorization of a casino in Tysons would short circuit these plans by chasing away employers, residents, and investors.  

Each station area already generates an average of about $30 million in local tax revenue — and even more for the state. However, I’ve talked to more than half a dozen major commercial property owners — who’ve cumulatively invested billions in Tysons — that say a casino would have a chilling effect on their business.

Furthermore, the county has never asked for a casino, and the previously proposed state legislation usurps the county’s land use authority by specifying where one should be located. This is a decision that should come from our community — not Richmond. (Watch this news story to hear from some of the many residents who steadfastly oppose a casino.)

While the board formalized our “oppose” position on a casino, we also unanimously voted yesterday (before my motion) to approve Chairman Jeff McKay’s updated letter to state lawmakers. It also lays out several additional reasons why a casino is a bad idea.

Thank you to everyone who voiced their concerns, and I have heard from literally thousands of residents on this topic during the past three years. I may provide occasional state legislative updates beyond this regular newsletter. To get these email updates, sign up today.  

Regards,

Walter

• In the Community
• Board of Supervisors Update
• Sunrise Valley Drive Sidewalk
• Get Free Video Streaming on WETA+
• Scam Prevention Presentation Dec. 17
• Offer Input on Strategic Plan to End Homelessness
• Upcoming Land Use Meetings
• What's News in Vienna
• Events and Activities

Jingle on the Lake: Festive Fun

As always, I enjoyed Jingle on the Lake, one of Reston’s unique traditions that welcome Santa and his helpers as they arrive by boat to Lake Anne Plaza.

Participating in Winterfest

Once again, my office sponsored a holiday tree for Reston Association’s Winterfest. My staff decorated the tree that was displayed in the Enchanted Forest, and it will be donated to a family in need.

The Board of Supervisors proclaimed January 2026 as Firefighter Cancer Prevention Month. Unfortunately, due to occupational risks, firefighters have a 9% higher risk of getting cancer, and this is just another reason we should thank these brave women and men for their dedicated service. The county is working to mitigate this risk through wellness programs and advanced screenings to detect cancers early. More than 1,500 firefighters and retirees have been screened.

The Board of Supervisors met yesterday Dec 9. You can watch the meeting and review the agenda and package.

Soapstone Connector Grant Funding Application

What’s happening: The Board approved the county to apply for $15 million in federal funding for the Soapstone Connector.

The Department of Transportation will apply for this money through the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, and this application ultimately must be approved by the Commonwealth Transportation Board which is anticipated to consider our request in June.

Totaling an estimated $245 million, this project is largely funded with state, regional and federal monies while the county is contributing an estimated $99.4 million.

What’s the Connector? This project will extend Soapstone Drive by about half a mile from Sunrise Valley Drive to Sunset Hills Road via a new bridge over the Dulles Toll Road.

The connector’s alignment was chosen following extensive study and federal approval, and the road’s current preliminary design calls for:

• Two lanes (one in each direction)
• Painted median
• On-road, 8-foot buffered bike lanes
• Shared-use path on the east side
• Sidewalk on the west side
• Room for future dedicated transit or adding another lane each way across the bridge

Additionally, the project will upgrade the traffic signal at Sunrise Valley Drive and Soapstone Drive, and it will install a new traffic light at the new road's intersection at Sunset Hills Road if warranted.

This road improvement was first proposed in 2008, and it was incorporated into the Reston Comprehensive Plan in 2014 and retained in the 2023 update.

Project timeline: It’s anticipated that the connector may begin construction in late 2032. In the meantime, however, the Virginia Department of Transportation plans to hold a public meeting on the project’s design as soon as March. VDOT previously held their last public information meeting in October. Review their presentation.

Grant Funding to Continue Fairfax Connector Express Bus Routes

What’s happening: The Board approved applying for money from the I-66 Commuter Choice program for five Fairfax Connector Routes. If approved by the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, the money would fund continued service for the Fairfax Connector express bus Route 598 and 698, as well as create a new route 400X:

• Route 598 ($2.6 million): This express bus that runs between the Reston South Park and Ride Lot and the Pentagon/Crystal City. This route features 10 morning and 10 evening peak-direction trips.
• Route 698 ($1.7 million): This express route runs between the Vienna Metrorail station and the Pentagon Transit Center. It provides 16 morning inbound trips to the Pentagon Transit Center and 17 afternoon outbound trips to the Vienna Metrorail Station.
• Route 400X (4.4 million): This proposed new route (see map) would run between the Tysons Metrorail station to the Franconia Springfield Metrorail and VRE Station. It would provide limited-stop bus service that would feature 20 morning and 25 evening peak-direction trips, providing access between major employment areas in Tysons and the greater Springfield area.

Background: Established in 2017, the Commuter Choice program is a partnership between the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission and the Commonwealth of Virginia. It reinvests toll revenues from the I-66 and I-395/95 express lanes into transit and multimodal projects in Northern Virginia.

Committing to Funding the Collective Bargaining Agreement with County Employees

What’s happening: The Board of Supervisors affirmed its “good faith commitment” to appropriate money for the county’s first-ever collective bargaining agreement with the Service Employees International Union Virginia 512.

The tentative three-year agreement with the SEIU totals $161 million with a contract cost of $53.6 million in general fund money in the first year. This cost will be incorporated into the county executive’s advertised FY 27 budget (that he’ll present on Feb. 14).

However, the board’s funding commitment is contingent upon what we ultimately adopt in our budget every fiscal year (per the county’s collective bargaining law.)

If ratified, the contract would take effect on July 1, 2026.

Highlights: The tentative agreement includes the following new pay, benefits and training opportunities for employees covered by the agreement:

• A 2% annual cost of living adjustment
• A gradual increase in the county’s living wage to $20 by fiscal year 2029
• An additional two floating holidays
• Six weeks of sick leave for birthing parents for the natural birth of a child or for the placement of a child for adoption or foster care. Eight weeks of sick leave for birthing parents who deliver by cesarean section. Non-birthing parents are also entitled to take the same amounts of leave.
• County training if employees are required to use new technology like artificial intelligence to do their jobs.

Background: Local government employees were granted collective bargaining rights by the General Assembly in 2020, and I voted to approve the county’s Collective Bargain Ordinance in October 2021. In May, county employees elected SEIU Virginia 512 to exclusively represent them as the General Government bargaining unit. (SEIU represents the county’s 11,000-plus general county employees while police and firefighters each belong to their own separate unions. Public school teachers are also represented by their own union.) Until state law was changed five years ago, local governments were banned from entering collective bargaining agreements with their employees due to a 1977 Virginia Supreme Court decision. (Read this Washington Post story from the time.)

What’s happening: As you drive along Sunrise Valley Drive, you may have noticed the ongoing utility work between Soapstone Drive and Reston Parkway. This is preparation to build a sidewalk along this stretch of Sunrise Valley Drive on the road’s north side.

Background: The Board of Supervisors accepted the land from developer JGB Smith last year (see my motion to accept the land), and this approximately $4.5 million project to complete the missing 1,500-feet of sidewalk is in the county’s Transportation Priorities Plan.

What’s happening: The Fairfax County Public Library’s partnership with local PBS station WETA means you can get free video streaming on WETA+.

Through the partnership, the library will also distribute up to 1,000 Roku streaming devices preloaded with WETA+ in 2026, as well as offer a select number of PBS Passport memberships.

What to watch: You’ll have access to hours of acclaimed PBS and WETA shows (not including shows that require a Passport membership). View local and national history shows, news, current affairs, documentaries, arts, food and travel, dramas, comedies and more, including:

• Travel shows like "Travel with Rick Steves" and “Get Out of Town”
• Cooking shows like “Signature Dish,” “America’s Test Kitchen,” and “Milk Street”
• News shows like the “PBS News Hour” and “Washington Week in Review”
• Mysteries like “Miss Scarlet”
• Documentaries like Ken Burns’ “The American Revolution”

How to watch: Watch now online or download the WETA+ streaming app that’s available for Roku, Apple TV and iOS, fire TV, Samsung, LG, Google TV and Android.

You’ll also be able to watch live streaming of every WETA channel, including WETA UK, WETA PBS, WETA Metro, WETA World and WETA PBS Kids.

Bonus feature: As part of the partnership, the Fairfax County Library is also offering specially curated book recommendations to go along with some of the programming on WETA+.

What’s happening: Learn about the latest scams and how to avoid getting duped by fraudsters during the Reston Police Station’s Community Advisory Committee Meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 17 at 7 p.m. at the North County Governmental Center (1801 Cameron Glen Drive, Reston) You’ll hear a presentation by the county’s Silver Shield team.

For more information, contact CAC Chair Dave Adams by email.

What’s happening: Offer your ideas and input to help the county shape its fresh vision for its next strategic plan to prevent and end homelessness. Attend an in-person community input session on Saturday, Dec. 13 from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at the Reston Regional Library.

The Office to Prevent and End Homelessness is gathering feedback as it assesses its current programs, initiatives and partnerships. This includes seeking input from people experiencing homelessness, homeless service providers and the Continuum of Care board.

Next Steps: As part of its engagement efforts, the office will also be holding more community meetings, offering an online survey and conducting other outreach. Following these activities, they will present a final report to the Board of Supervisors for our consideration in 2026.

Background: The county first put forth its 10-Year Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness in 2007, and this was followed by a retrospective report in 2018, examining the plan’s first 10 years in action.

Reston Planning & Zoning Dec. 15

Attend this virtual meeting on Monday, Dec. 15 at 7:30 p.m. Click here to join. To join by phone, dial 571-429-5982 and enter meeting ID 693 626 456# On the agenda:



• Commerce Metro Center RZ-2022-HM-00004
• Reston Station/Reston Row Sign Plan SE-2025-HM-00001

Hunter Mill Land Use Committee Is Canceled

Because there are no applications to consider, the Tuesday, Dec. 16 meeting has been canceled. The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 20.

For more information or questions, contact Mark Goldberg-Foss by email or call 703-478-0283, TTY 711.

Mayor and Town Council’s Holiday Reception Dec. 12

Come one, come all to the Mayor and Town Council’s Holiday Reception on Friday, Dec. 12 from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Chambers at Town Hall. Chat with elected leaders, friends, and neighbors, enjoy refreshments, and listen to the James Madison High School Madrigals and the Vienna Community Band perform holiday classics.

Watch “Home Alone” Dec. 12

Big Screen at the Center presents the movie “Home Alone” on Friday, Dec. 12 at 6:30 p.m. at the Vienna Community Center. Complimentary water and popcorn will be available while supplies last. Doors open at 6 p.m. No registration required, and seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Capacity is 200.

Holiday Tea at Crest Hill Tea Room Dec. 17

Celebrate the holidays with a trip to Crest Hill Tea Room in The Plains, Va! Adults 55+ can sign up for a day trip to this English style tearoom for a Holiday Tea featuring assorted tea sandwiches, tea bread and more. Register by Dec. 10

Vienna Appoints New Police Chief

Following a nationwide search, the Town of Vienna appointed Dan Janickey as the new police chief. Serving as the town’s deputy chief since 2014, Janickey will begin in his new position on Feb. 1 after the retirement of current police chief Jim Morris. Janickey has 35 years of law enforcement experience. Prior to working with Vienna, he served with the Fairfax County Police Department from 1989 through 2013. Some of his roles included McLean Commander, SWAT Commander, Hostage Negotiator and Internal Affairs assignments, among other responsibilities. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy’s international executive leadership program held in Quantico, VA.

📚 Join 28 local mystery authors for a talk about their work on Dec. 13 at the Reston Regional Library.

⛸️Go skating at the new Capital One Center Skating Rink until Feb. 28.

🎄Visit the Herndon WinterMarkt on Dec. 13 for traditional German food, music, dance, vendors and more.

🚒🎅The Vienna Volunteer Fire Department’s Santa Runs begin Dec. 13 at locations around town weather permitting.

🎺The Beltway Brass play holiday favorites on Dec. 13 at Reston Town Square Park.

🐉 Watch “The Journey to the West”, a Chinese song and dance extravaganza, on Dec. 14 at Capital One Hall.

🎼Listen to the Glorious Sounds of Christmas Concert on Dec. 14 at the Vienna Presbyterian Church.

🎸 Stomp your feet at the Old Crow Medicine Show’s Holiday Hootenanny on Dec. 16 at Capital One Hall.

🎼Join the Reston Chorale’s “Messiah” sing-along on Dec. 16 at St. John Neumann Catholic Church.

💃Watch the magic of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in “Singin’ in the Rain” on Dec. 17 for Senior Movie Day at the LOOK Dine-in Cinema.

👠Enjoy Spanish holiday music and flamenco dance during “Navidad Flamenca” on Dec. 20 at Reston Community Center.

🎅Watch “Miracle on 34^th Street” the musical on Dec. 26-28 at Capital One Hall.

🐦 Take the introductory Winter Bird Class on Dec. 30 at Walker Nature Center.

Find all events for these local organizations: Reston Community Center, Town of Vienna Parks and Recreation Programs, Tephra ICA and Arts Fairfax. Find other community events in the Reston Letter.