Where's Lee Young When You Need Him?
Remember when being embarrassed about Richmond politicians was fun?
Former and current Council member Reva Trammell “discussing crime” with a cop at 4 a.m. at the Virginia War Memorial. A shirtless Stephen Johnson, then chairman of the School Board, posting naughty bits about himself on gay dating Web sites. Former Councilman Chuck Richardson getting busted … again. Former Mayor Leonidas Young embezzling from his congregation so he could live large, in more ways than one. Former Sheriff Michelle "Miss Buns" Mitchell … well, just Michelle Mitchell. Former Councilwoman Gwen Hedgepeth, convicted of bribery-related charges. Former Councilman Raymond Royall who faked his own death to avoid federal tax charges. Faked his own death!
Aaah, the good old days.
I guess it was so entertaining precisely because we knew most of these people were dopes and that things would turn around as soon as the citizens of Richmond decided to start caring about things like elections and electing people who, you know, weren’t dopes.
Well, somewhere along the way, Richmonders got serious. They started electing big-brain, capable people to the council and the School Board. They elected a venerable former governor for mayor, for crying out loud.
So what do we get for our trouble? A mayor so embattled with the school board that he is blackmailing them into a second audit of the school system by withholding the funds they need to run the schools. We’re talking half of non-payroll funds. (That’s money for food, instructional supplies, special ed providers, or to keep soap in the dispensers, by the way. You know, nothing important …) A mayor who has backed the school board so far into a corner the only way they can scratch their way out is with a lawsuit. A City Council stuck in the middle, paralyzed like deer in the headlights.
Kind of makes you pine for the dopes, doesn’t it?
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QUOTE OF THE WEEK:
Acting Chief Administrative Officer Harry E. Black, responding to claims from school officials that his office has ordered Consolidated Bank & Trust to deny school finance employees access to the Richmond Public Schools bank account:
"The concern is the disingenuous nature of the individuals involved in this and their looseness in regard to dealing with the truth."
He certainly wouldn't want to call anyone a liar ...
posted by Janet Freisner @ 3/23/2007 12:09:00 PM
2 Comments:
Ah Richmond...
As far as lawsuits go, I wish the focus was back on making sure RPS get ADA-compliant. That should be the number #1 priority of everyone, before Richmond becomes even more 'legally challenged'.
Hey, when are you guys going to mention the $100 contest sponsored by the Richmond Greens? Or is that 'too political'?
Here are the details:
GREEN PARTY OF RICHMOND
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Greens Announce A $100 Contest
At Monday's Richmond City Council meeting, the Chairperson for the Richmond Green Party, Scott Burger, addressed city leaders about the City's residential water rates. Today, the Richmond Greens put their money where their mouth is by sponsoring a $100 contest to find any city in the entire United States that has a more regressive minimum water and sewer rate than Richmond's.
Richmond's utility charges each citizen $43.55 in minimum water and wastewater service charges.
At the City Council meeting, Burger asked the Richmond City Council to eliminate the high volume discount rate in its residential service for over 100 CCF of water usage, and to greatly reduce the minimum water and sewer rates to actually reflect the minimal cost of providing water service. He asked that Richmond emulate Henrico County by offering a deep discount for those customers who use 6 CCF or less of water per month. By implementing the bi-monthly water billing schedule found in Henrico County, the City of Richmond could save further expenses.
Reforming Richmond's draconian water rate structure is both a conservation issue and a social justice issue. By acting now, the City of Richmond will minimize water shortages in the future.
The contest is to discover minimum service charge rates for a city's residential water and sewer, which, like Richmond, do not include any water (For example, Baltimore's minimum rate is actually higher than Richmond's but it includes 10 ccf's of water.) The first person who names a city with a verifiable minimum water and sewer utility rate more regressive than Richmond and contacts Richmond Green Party Chairperson Scott Burger at his email address, scottburger@mac.com, will receive a $100 cash. The contest will last 30 days. If there is no winner the money will be donated to Richmond's Earth Day celebration.
The purpose of this contest is to garner more discovery and discussion of the City's services. "We believe this issue deserves more public attention and the contest is a way to make sure that it receives it", says Burger.
hey you butt head
i don't know you and you don't me... but leave Mister Young along...he had done this time for his crime.....
watch him now and see what he does...
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