RICHMOND, Va. (AP) – A leading Virginia lawmaker said Monday that a proposed bill to clear the way for the NBA's Washington Wizards and NHL's Washington Capitals to move to Northern Virginia is dead as far as she's concerned. He said that.
Senator L. Louise LucasHe, who has great influence in the General Assembly as chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, spoke for the first time over the weekend. on social media She said the bill underlying the deal would not receive a hearing in her committee because it is “not ready for prime time.” The decision effectively invalidates the Senate bill due to this week's procedural deadline, but another bill is moving forward in the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives.
Lucas, along with the Senate majority leader, answered questions from reporters on Monday morning. Scott SurovellRepublican Gov. Glenn Youngkin said he made a series of mistakes in trying to push the deal through the General Assembly, which was completely Democratic-controlled after the November election.
That included a weekend speech at Washington and Lee University, she said. swiped widely The Democratic Party criticized him in unison, saying, “We do not believe in and do not want a strong America.”
Mr. Lucas and Mr. Surovell also said that lawmakers did not engage in discussions about the deal early enough, and that the Legislative and Economic Development Committee, which was considering the proposed incentives, announced the deal just before outgoing lawmakers left the committee. He questioned why the agreement was put to a vote.
Surovell said the caucus is concerned about whether the governor is willing to truly consider priorities such as establishing recreational marijuana sales and further raising the minimum wage in negotiations over the bill. Stated. Mr. Lucas is also seeking rate relief for the Hampton Roads area.
When asked if the deal was “dead,” Lucas bluntly replied, “As far as I'm concerned, it's dead.”
Lucas was asked whether changes to the House bill could make the proposal viable for consideration in the Senate if it passes a floor vote.
In contrast, she is adamantly opposed to the currently planned project financing, which relies on moral obligation bonds backed by the state and the city of Alexandria to backstop about one-third of the financing. I answered that I was. That means taxpayers could be in trouble if project revenues don't meet expectations.
“As long as the trust and confidence of this commonwealth is in full support of this project, my answer continues to be an absolute no,” she said.
Youngkin communications director Rob Damschen said in a statement that the governor remains confident that “the Legislature will come together because this project is good for the entire commonwealth.”
“This will create 30,000 jobs, generate billions of dollars in new revenue, expand toll relief in Portsmouth, increase funding for Interstate 81, and expand rural and urban areas across the Commonwealth.” This will free up new funding for schooling,” Damschen said.
Senate Republicans criticized Lucas for refusing to give the bill a committee vote, characterizing the move as a “pocket veto” of the governor's priorities.
“The only plausible explanation for this move is that there were not enough votes in the Senate Finance Committee to defeat the bill,” said Sen. Mark Obenshain, R-Rockingham. “This departure from Senate tradition is unfortunate and clearly demonstrates the deep divisions among Senate Democrats.”
Youngkin and entrepreneur Ted Leonsis, a former AOL executive and billionaire CEO of the team's parent company, Monumental Sports & Entertainment, reached an agreement in December to move the Capitals and Wizards. announced.
The proposed new venue in Alexandria is just a few miles from where the team currently plays in Washington.
A bill currently before Congress would create a sports and entertainment authority that would issue bonds to help pay for the project. The bond would be repaid with a combination of revenue from the arena and extensive development surrounding it, including ticket taxes, parking fees, concession taxes, income taxes on players performing at the arena, and naming rights from the district. . .
Monumental CEO Monica Dixon said in a written statement Monday that the company is having “healthy discussions” with General Assembly leaders and Alexandria City Council members, who also need to agree to the deal. He said there is. Dixon said the company was encouraged by Friday's vote in a House committee on the bill, which passed 17-3.
“This project will bring significant benefits to the city of Alexandria and the entire state of Virginia, including tens of thousands of new jobs and billions in revenue and economic impact,” Dixon said.
