The Politics Hour: VA State Sen. Scott Surovell on data center tax breaks and a Fairfax casino

This week marked a key milestone in the 2026 D.C. election season: The deadline for candidates to submit signatures to qualify for the June primary ballot. WAMU's Senior D.C. Politics reporter Alex Koma gave us the latest on the city's big elections, including the first open seats in years for mayor and D.C. delegate. Plus, we discussed another attempt by Congress to undermine D.C.'s ability to self-govern.This week, the U.S. House Oversight Committee advanced a proposal to ban D.C. traffic cameras. While the measure still needs to be passed by the full House and Senate, Koma said eliminating traffic would be “catastrophic” for the city’s budget and would require a complete rethinking of how D.C. controls traffic. “The impact can’t be overstated," he said.The Virginia General Assembly gaveled out of its 2026 session without a budget deal, leaving a plan to eliminate data center tax breaks in limbo. Virginia state Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell got behind the mic to explain the hang-up.The state senate is pushing to eliminate a data center tax exemption that costs the state nearly $2 billion in revenue. But the House left the exemption in, arguing the industry brings in significant tax revenue,  putting the chambers at odds. Surovell said the state needs the money but cited the importance of data centers to Northern Virginia’s economy. "They have a massive impact on the electrical grid, but they also create many jobs. They create a lot of investment. They create this local tax revenue. We have to figure out the right balance to achieve," he said.The General Assembly will aim to resolve the issue in a special budget session on April 23.The General Assembly also passed a slew of legislation that now heads to the governor's desk, including bills addressing affordability, a ban on assault-style firearms, and a mechanism to establish a legal marijuana marketplace. Virginia state Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell discussed it all, as well as his push for a Fairfax County casino.Send us questions and comments for guests: [email protected] us on Instagram: instagram.com/wamu885Follow us on Bluesky: bsky.app/wamu.org