Archive for December, 2007

Things to Be Thankful For

Thursday, December 20th, 2007

Yeah, we know this blog can often be a bit critical about life in R-Town. But at this time of the year, it’s important to remember the things that Richmonders can be thankful for.

[For best results, please add pinch of hot pepper and three large cups of sarcasm before continuing...]

We’re thankful for elected leaders who are happy to confirm for us that things will never change in this place, and that City Hall will continue to be the same schizophrenic, combative, delusional and sinister stain on common sense and decency it has been for ages.

Because they are s-o-o-o eager to show the public that they are getting a bum rap over punk finances and incomplete audits, we’re really grateful that the Richmond Public School administration is currently doing everything it can to tighten its belt and show some transparency and wisdom — and is making it a top priority to show Richmond parents and its political foes that it is spending our tax money effectively.

We’re glad that we live in a community where civic leaders are responsible and trustworthy when it comes to the public dollars they receive, and don’t tell lies, fabricate data or indulge in sleazy political deals in order to bleed money from ordinary citizens to pay for pet projects. We’re especially thankful that these same leaders don’t try to cover up their slimy trail of exclusion and chicanery with cheap diversionary tactics and obvious obfuscation.

On that note, we’re thrilled that Richmond leaders will somehow find the resources to build a taxpayer-funded opera house without the benefit of a single economic impact study, while continuing to drag their feet and throw mudpies when it comes to renovating and building new schools.

We’re profoundly moved by the ongoing work of those who are currently using private initative — not public money — to help make downtown a thriving center for “street level” culture (helping to disprove the theory that downtown Richmond is “Bosnia”)… and we’d be even happier if these people would bookmark this website (click here) and start taking notes when it comes to their future show bookings.

We’re humbled to live in a place that has a business community that is upfront, honest and transparent in its dealings… peopled with leaders who are willing to stand up in the public arena and take responsibility for their public actions. We’re really happy that our biggest media companies are among these honest and truthful leaders.

And on that note, we are also very thankful today that this is the 59th largest media market in the U.S.

But seriously folks…

Happy holidays!

Posted in Richmond in the news, armchair philosophizin', come the revolution..., life is filled with sadness and disappointment, moments of civic brilliance, sheer terror, something smells funny in here, the free press, the inexplicably employed, whiners with websites | No Comments »

Now This is a GREAT Idea!

Tuesday, December 11th, 2007

Why don’t we all move to Henrico County for “social” reasons?

Richmond City Council positioned itself last night to consider allowing City Auditor Umesh V. Dalal to move to Henrico County.

By a 7-0 vote, City Council overrode Mayor L. Douglas Wilder’s veto of an ordinance giving City Council the power to set aside a city-residency requirement that applies to certain senior-level employees, including the police chief, city assessor and budget director. Councilman E. Martin Jewell abstained.

Dalal, appointed by the council in February 2006, said he and his wife would like to move from South Richmond to western Henrico.

“My entire community lives in that area,” said Dalal, a native of India. “We are socially disconnected right now. . . . It’s just for the social reasons.”

Even though I’m a huge admirer and supporter of Dalal, Mayor Wilder is right and City Council is dead wrong on this particular issue — although Hizzoner might want to consider being consistent and protesting ALL such waivers, not just the requests of those he fights with, like Mr. Dalal. Consistency isn’t just for good soup:

Asked if he believed Wilder’s veto was retribution for actions of his office, Dalal chuckled. “Could be,” he said. Wilder has criticized the auditor’s recent handling of investigations of school funding and city agencies.

“If he believes so much, why is he allowing his own directors to live outside the city?” Dalal added of the mayor.

City spokesman Linwood Norman declined to respond.

Two officials — Director of Justice Services David Avery and Director of Information Technology Gene Doody — have waivers from the city’s residency requirements, according to administration officials.

No matter who they are, this is b-a-a-a-d policy. The legislative body of the city should be standing tall with the Mayor on this point, instead of playing political games. It sends quite a message to have high-ranking city administrators in important positions of authority — overseeing the allocation of city tax money and resources is no small potatoes — and they can’t even live in Richmond.

Thanks to city council, that message is now a billboard-sized sign that reads: Our city sucks so bad that even the people in charge of running it won’t live here.

Posted in Richmond in the news, armchair philosophizin', life is filled with sadness and disappointment, moments of civic brilliance, politricks | No Comments »