Council Ordinances, Fox on Track, and the Deflock Project
Cheers RVA!
Temperatures continue to cool today with sunshine but a high of only 55, and a slight breeze. The evening is expected to drop to 39.
the juice:
City Council voted to keep the property tax rate unchanged, but did approve three tax relief initiatives including a one-time rebate that is expected to save the average homeowner $150.
The Council voted 5-4 against the proposal sponsored by Reva Trammel, who has consistently called for a lower rate. The ordinance to keep the rate as is passed unanimously.
The Council also voted to officially designate the Shockoe Hill African Burying Ground as a cemetery.
the pulp:
A man was shot near a gas station on Jahnke Road Tuesday afternoon, from channel 8. The injuries are not considered life-threatening.
Construction is on-track at Fox Elementary according to channel 12, with a “topping off” ceremony planned when the new cupola arrives in December. The school is expected to open in Fall 2025.
the dive:
An open-source project named Deflock has mapped thousands of Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs), with locations beginning to pop up in Eastern Henrico.
The project notes the contrast between other types of cameras, such as traffic cameras which monitor traffic flow; speed and red light cameras which capture violations; and toll cameras which are used for billing purposes.
As of spring of 2023, there were 188 cameras operating in the Richmond region, with 87 in Henrico.
While the surveillance cameras are not without controversy, a Federal Judge upheld Richmond Law Enforcement’s use of the cameras back in October.
Flock Safety, one of the main operators of the surveillance systems, is backed by Andreessen Horiwitz and has raised over $680 million in funding.
The company acquired drone startup Aerodome last month for $300 million.
An article by the ACLU notes that in some cities ALPR data is deleted after anywhere from 48 hours, to five years, to no policy for deletion.
In Richmond, the data is stored for 30 days.
the vibe:
“Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they aren’t after you.” - Joseph Heller in Catch-22
Have an inconspicuous day RVA!
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