Questions raised about Loving RVA’s Shockoe Ad
“I’m looking into whether or not it’s legal,” City Council President Charles Samuels.
Every year the city puts together a parks and recreation program guide. Every year that guide is unburdened with advertising, except this year. This year there is a full page ad (seen above) touting the virtues of the Shockoe Economic Development plan and directing readers to a pro-plan website. Needless to say, more than a few people realized that this ad was out of place and now some, including City Council members are questioning whether it was even legal.
The following is from Style Weekly.
“I’m looking into whether or not it’s legal,” City Council President Charles Samuels said. “It’s not right.”
The advertisement directs readers of the parks department’s winter and spring publication to LovingRVA.com, a pro-stadium campaign sponsored by Venture Richmond, a downtown booster group that’s been working with Jones to build support for his controversial proposal to locate a new ballpark in Shockoe Bottom.
Jones’ press secretary, Tammy Hawley, said in an email that she personally placed that advertisement on a page that would have otherwise been left blank when an ad promoting the city’s partnership with Bon Secours on the Redskins training camp fell through.
“I thought it [was a] good use to help inform the public of where they could go for more information on the plan,” Hawley said. “We have directed the public to LovingRVA.com at all of our public meetings and in all of our presentation as well.”
But like Samuels, 5th District Councilman Parker Agelasto said he’s concerned the ad appears to constitute a use of taxpayer resources to promote one side of the stadium debate.
Meanwhile in the RTD the executive director of Venture Richmond, the company that so far has spent $32,500 on Shockoe Economic Development Plan marketing, was questioned about the ad.
Jack Berry, executive director of Venture Richmond, said Monday that he had not heard about the ad and that his organization had no role in placing it in the program guide.
The city printed 10,000 of the guides at a cost of $7,903.37, officials said. The 24-page guides are available in all city community centers, libraries and government buildings, as well as Kroger and Martin’s grocery stores.
City Auditor/Inspector General Umesh Dalal confirmed that his office is looking into the issue.
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Non-issue
Haha it’s so passive-agressive (yes we ARE) and that’s why I love it.
Normally, if you have a good idea, it can stand on it’s own merits. The reality of the Loving RVA marketing campaign is that there continues to be deceitful and shameful tactics used by the proponents because as has been identified over and over again, the plan is a bust dropping $80-120 million of taxpayer dollars to subsidize a private sports business which as shown in poll after poll residents don’t even want. Power brokers in this city have realized that using traditional democratic methods to move their proposal forward wouldn’t have worked due to it’s marginal benefit (all the benefits come from developing the BLVD, not the Bottom) so the plan was constructed without public input, with misleading projections based off inaccurate tax rates ($1.29 per $100 rather than our actual tax rate of $1.20 per $100) and in a non-democratic fashion amongst one group in the city (the representation on Venture Richmond’s board aka-fat cats with big $$$). I understand their desperation, while certain aspects of the plan reflect much needed development in the city (although there are no guarantees) the philosophy that it’s good public policy to subsidize corporations with tax dollars, particularly when your own biased analysis can’t show even marginal benefits is one who’s time has come and gone. As the mayor stated, we need bold action, and this commenters opinion is that it’s time to quit paying for rich peoples toys on the backs of hard working citizens.
If there are actually serious investors or nearby property-owners involved shouldn’t they be more than willing to spend some chump change on a marketing campaign?
These new Tax Exempt/Non Profits ARE the new LOBBYISTS, hiding with protections
behind their tax Status. They form Consortiums of The Positively Richmond Who’s
Who, Big Corp, Big Business, Lawyers, Real Estate Firms, Advertising Agencies, etc.
that hold hand with elected public officials, under their Board Tables, with ALL local
Media outlets “serving the Boards” as their Partners/Ad Agencies. Their down and
dirty “deal” are done in hidden back rooms behind closed doors that Extort Taxes
for their Special Interests; their Games, the Play; Their Way, WITHOUT and REFUSING the Public/Tax Payers SAY. It is organized Corruption, Collusion,
and Extortion. Mayor Jones “serves” Venture Richmond as its President. Samuels
and Robertson, Head City Council, “serves” Venture Richmond as Board Members.
Councilwomen Newbille “serves” Richmond Sports Backers. Delores McQuinn and
Son “serve” Jones, along with Graziano . All set up, planned, orchestrated, construed,
with bonds maneuvered to take away Voters’ Say too. Then Tax Payers funds paying
for The Jones & Company promotionals. It’s down, dirty, despicable.
Corruption, Collusion, Extortion, and Gangs of Specials Interests that seeks Their
Interests over ALL OTHER RICHMONDERS, as loving, kind, caring and oh, so
benevolent. Just tell the poor, disenfranchised, poverty, low-income played for votes,
that IT’s for Them! WELFARE BIG CORPORATE DONORS , their Rich Friends, and Cohorts to their Profits and Enrichment. POSITIVELY RICHMOND…LOVE RVA
Doesn’t seem like consensual ‘love’!