GOLD FOR FIVE COUNTY WRESTLERS: Cade Eversley, Carson Miller win titles for Forest Park. Page 7
February 26, 2020 | Vol. 19, No. 9 | www.princewilliamtimes.com | 50¢ Covering Prince William County and surrounding communities, including Gainesville, Haymarket, Dumfries, Occoquan, Quantico and the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park.
Va. Senate poses a possible roadblock for Rosie’s 5-year moratorium on expansion proposed By Daniel Berti
Times Staff Writer
A bill to allow Rosie’s Gaming Emporium to expand its planned off-track betting parlor in Dumfries to as many as 1,950 “historical horse-race” betting machines hit a roadblock in the Virginia Senate this week as a result of a proposed state budget amendment. If approved, the amendment
would put a five-year moratorium on any expansion made possible through the proposed casino bills making its way through the Virginia General Assembly. The casino bills pave the way for casinos to open in five Virginia cities – Portsmouth, Richmond, Norfolk, Danville and Bristol -- as long as voters in those localities approve ballot referendums to allow them this November. To mitigate the competition new casinos are expected to pose to off-track betting facilities, the bills
would also expand the number of slot-like betting machines allowed in Virginia’s pari-mutuel betting parlors. In towns the size of Dumfries, current Virginia Gaming Commission rules allow only 150 betting machines. Under the casino bills, the Dumfries operation could add as many as 1,800 more. Dumfries voters approved a referendum allowing pari-mutuel betting in November 2019. After initially voting against it, the Dumfries Town Council narrowly approved a conditional use permit Feb. 18 to allow
Polar Plunge 2020
Colonia Downs to open a Rosie’s Gaming Emporium in the Triangle Shopping Plaza later this year. The Dumfries Rosie’s is currently limited to 150 betting machines, but a Colonial Downs spokesman said the company would consider pursuing a larger facility if state law allows it. Sen. Scott Surovell, D-36th, who represents the Town of Dumfries, said he isn’t happy about the effort to delay a larger Rosie’s in Dumfries. See ROSIE’S, page 2
County board pitches tax hike to fund schools, other needs By Daniel Berti
Times Staff Writer
PHOTOS BY MIKE BEATY
Taking the plunge for Special Olympics: Dozens donned colorful costumes and ran into the chilly Potomac River at Leesylvania State Park in Woodbridge Saturday, Feb. 22, for the “Polar Plunge,” an event that raised $91,000 for the Special Olympics. Participants included members of police and fire departments from Prince William County, the Town of Haymarket, Manassas, Manassas Park, Fairfax County, Stafford County and Arlington County as well as community groups. Top left: Members of Prince William County Police Department’s recruit session 46 run back toward the shore after making their way into the frigid Potomac River. Bottom left: A team of employees and friends of the Fairfax County Park Authority dressed up as Star Wars characters for the event. Bottom right: Rick Jeffrey, president of Special Olympics Virginia; Prince William County Police Chief Barry M. Barnard; and Prince William County Sheriff Glendell Hill display the donation check. INSIDE Business...............................................9 Classifieds...........................................13 Library Page.......................................10 Obituaries...........................................12
Tax and fee hikes on real-estate property, data centers, vehicles, boats and trailers could be on the way to provide additional funding for Prince William County schools and other needs after the board of supervisors voted last week to advertise a package of higher tax rates ahead of public hearings on the proposed 2021 budget. Board Chair Ann Wheeler, D-At Large, said the advertised rates represent a ceiling on possible new tax increases and would allow the county to provide the extra $15.3 million needed to fully fund the budget Superintendent Steve Walts presented to the school board earlier this month. “There are unmet needs in the school system that have been there for years, and I’m trying to make sure that we have some flexibility to address those going forward,” Wheeler said. “We may not end up doing any of these things.” The supervisors will discuss the budget and tax-rate increases in a series of meetings in the coming weeks. Once the advertised tax rate is set, the board can choose to lower the tax rates, but cannot raise them. Walts presented a spending plan to the school board Feb. 5 that asks for an additional $31 million in local funding above the county’s long-standing revenue sharing agreement to cover employee pay raises, new spending for economically disadvantaged students and the expansion of the county’s preschool program, among other things. Under the advertised tax rates, residential property tax rates would rise from $1.125 to $1.17 per $100 in assessed valuation, generating an additional $65 million in real estate tax revenue, according to county government spokeswoman Nikki Brown. See TAX HIKES, page 2
Opinion.................................................5 Public Safety.........................................5 Puzzle Page..........................................6 Real Estate..........................................11 Sports...................................................7
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