A FOIA Response, Running along the River, and 'Richmond Gets Robbed'
Cheers RVA!
Today we’ll see a mix of sunshine and clouds, with a high of 63 and a low of 32. The week ahead looks mostly sunny and pleasant with highs in the low 70’s.
the pulp:
The Virginia Department of Health may have used a Freedom of Information Act exemption improperly when a response to the Richmond Times Dispatch regarding communications between state and local officials during the water crisis was heavily redacted, per the Mercury.
The RVA Black Restaurant Experience kicked off yesterday at Monroe Park with over 60 food trucks as part of Mobile Soul Sunday. Check out the full passport below.
More than 2700 runners participated in the second annual River City Half Marathon and 5k on Saturday, via WWBT. The event was sold out for the second year in a row with participants traveling from 30 states and five countries to attend.
RVA Mag reports on Friday’s Richmond Renaissance Fair fundraiser, noting the event has raised over $2.5k, about one third of its gofundme goal so far.
the dive:
The editorial board of the Richmond Times Dispatch asks who will defend Richmond after the mayor and legislature are silent while the state “robs Richmond.”
While RPS Superintendent Kamras has asked for $31 million more for the school system budget, Mayor Avula has stated some difficult decisions will need to be made:
“We’re in a really different place than we have been in recent years,” Avula told City Council on Feb. 24. “We have some real hard decisions to make. In the uncertainty of this moment, federally; in the uncertainty of this moment, just as we figure out how to prioritize — there’s going to be a lot of challenges in the day ahead.”
The editorial notes the city has already spent $5 million on upgrades to the water treatment plant, with the cost of a sustainable long-term solution still unknown.
The city is owed $56 million by VCU from a failed real estate deal in 2021, but the state budget proposal (which still needs to be signed by the Governor) voids that agreement.
The comparison of size and taxable real estate between the city and surrounding counties is noteworthy: the city of Richmond is confined to 62 square miles, with 22% of its real estate (comprised of state government buildings and VCU) off the tax roll.
The loss of tax revenue is estimated to cost the city $122 million annually.
Henrico at 244 square miles loses about $42 million in tax exemptions annually, while Chesterfield at 423 square miles loses about $35 million, with both counties containing significant green space that can be developed for additional sources of tax revenue.
In addition to tax exemptions costing the city revenue, half of the proceeds from gambling parlors in Richmond go to New Kent county. The article notes the city will get a larger share of that revenue in the proposed state budget.
Read the full editorial here.
the vibe:
A view of downtown from 1985.
Have a go-getting day RVA!
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