Live blogging a mayoral forum: part three
Hello good people! I’d think, by now, you’d know the drill. The candidates say things and we write it down while, as one reader put it, “contributing worthless static.” Tonight’s the last mayoral forum, so if you like noise music, GET EXCITED. Also, feel free to join in.
Hello good people! I’d think, by now, you’d know the drill. The candidates say things and we write it down while, as one reader put it, “contributing worthless static.”
Tonight’s the last mayoral forum, so if you like noise music, GET EXCITED.
Also, feel free to join in.
-
Recommend this
on Facebook -
Report an error
-
Subscribe to our
Weekly Digest
Ross Catrow
Founder and publisher of RVANews.
Notice: Comments that are not conducive to an interesting and thoughtful conversation may be removed at the editor’s discretion.
Alright. I am here. I don’t see any alcohol. Anyone sneak any in? Shot glasses? I figured we could take a shot every time someone says ‘green’.
I am going to jump the starter by posting this personal opinion (we’ll see if any of this is picked up):
main City of Richmond environmental issues:
1. Downtown Master Plan: as it pertains to the James River Park easement, keeping developers at bay, establishing greenways (including the East Coast Greenway through Richmond, more info at greenway.org).
2. Stormwater Utility: There are many citizens who are concerned that the City is ignoring better ways to handle stormwater problems- mainly from a preventive point of view.
3. Green Building:There is already a Green Building Advisory Commission in place that has already made a recommendation to the City about including green building in City building codes. None of the new buildings that VCU has built have really embraced green building. It would be wonderful if Richmond could renovate public school buildings with more green building and energy-conservation (along with ADA).
Yes, there are pressing State issues like transportation (more passenger rail), energy (less coal, more renewables), and global warming (see energy), but the above ones are the City’s, AGAIN, IN MY HUMBLE, PERSONAL OPINION. I do note the recent Richmond City Council resolution on opposing the Wise County coal plant that Jewell and Hilbert put forward, and Pantele went out of his way to block.
Here live. Grey just came on by and said hello to everyone. Looks the same as he does on TV.
Guys I met Jack! *THAT* Jack.
Is clean coal like Bush’s No Child Left Behind and Clear Skies Act? I’m so glad I’m not voting for Pantele.
We you able to talk to him or were you hypnotized by the moustache?
I now know Jack.
Grey, not Jack.
The Public Health Director Don Stern just gave us some paper copies of Powerpoint on the City’s Health.
Jack from Jack Goes FOrth is here. Let’s talk sexually transmitted disease with Mr. Stern. Just kidding, Jack.
Still waiting. Comparing notes. I would like to take this time to congratulate the organizers of this past weekend’s Richmond Zombie Walk (how’s that for public health?).
Speaking of zombies…
http://www.takebackmytv.com/zombies/
“Urban Mayor” Williams just stopped by to say hello.
Mr. Williams introduced himself and gave a nice hello.
Pantele just walked in to Living On a Prayer!
Have not seen place to recycle my soda can, otherwise State Library is nice.
Jack appeared to have a “P” carved into his cheek – run-in with overzealous Pantele supporter?
Pantele is around, has not said hello yet, are there too many of us?
Spam-
Sierra Club holiday fundraising dinner Dec. 8. Get tickets now.
Still waiting for start…
Meanwhile, bikers represent!
http://www.vabike.org/richmond-mayoral-candidate-responses/
When is GWAR going to come in and wreck this place?
The theme for tonight is “Living and Working in Richmond”
More spam:
A 90 minute downtown Ghost Walk, including famous legends, tales of 19th century Richmond, 1.25 wheelchair accessible miles, Thursday, October 30th at 6:30 pm with Ann Johnson, historian (writer for Dan Robert’s A Moment In Time). We will gather near the Capitol Building, cost $10 per person, this fundraiser benefits the Falls of the James Sierra Club, make checks to “The Falls of the James Group”, contact tamara.smith47@comcast.net, 804 562 5200
Okay everyone I AM FINALLY LOGGED IN and ready to roll.
Doug Smith is up giving the welcome.
Nathan Burrell for Mayor!
http://urbanviewsweekly.com/archives/236
—————
Intros have started and spiel about “community involvement”
President of LoWV Lynn Johnston is up for the introduction
Room is starting to really fill up…I guess food is all gone?
Allow me to say that I have already said a couple of awkward things to the girl handing out Style Magazines at the entrance, so that’s embarrassing. But I think I’ve gotten it out of my system now and I can focus on actual mayoral things.
I think Jack Goes Forth may be the youngest guy here
Style’s Jason Roop is now up to say hello to the room.
About half the room say they’re first timers to Mayoral Forums.
Guys, RIP Goldman = (
If I shook Jack Goes Forth’s hand, would we both explode in the instantaneous conversion of the matter composing our bodies directly into energy?
Candidates make grand entrance
Journalist Panel:
Scott Bass – News Editor – Style Weekly
Jeremy Lazarus – Staff Writer – Richmond Free Press
May-Lily Lee – Host/Sr. Producer “Virginia Currents” – Community Idea Stations
First Goldman reference from moderator!
Grey first with opening remarks.
Grey says he is experienced, maybe as much as Jack Goes Forth
Grey – Only candidate to be leader in various organizations in the city to get results, work in an agency where he had to develop and manage multi-million dollar budget. Been able to work in different areas and group with diverse interests to achieve results. Fiscal hold of responsibility to city. City Stats (used in Baltimore and elsewhere) is neat.
Opening statements!
Grey:
* Only candidate who has been on legal org’s in the city
* Important to think about new style of leadership
* Worked in a business, handled multimillion dollar budget
* Only candidate that is advocating that the city take a fiscal hold of its responsibility to you.
* Use CityStats a transparency data program
Williams’ speech is confusing but well-meaning. Talks schools and neighborhoods.
Williams – COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Williams:
* Williams wants to be mayor for sixteen years?
* Is an architect and community planner
* We will need a good urban mayor
* Been involved in local politics
* COLLEGE FOOTBALL?!?
Whoa, Williams dropped the first baseball reference, advocating for a mixed use baseball/football facility. I’m not sure what football team he wants to play there, though. Maybe VCU?!?!
Williams sounded more like a concession speech.
Pantele thinks its great that people have expressed interest in election.
Where’s Salomonsky sitting?
Pantele – decide between “heat or eat” – his “drill here/drill now”?
Can someone ask Robert Grey about his involvement in Dominion Power’s use of Appalachan mountain top removal in pursuit of coal and global warming catalyzing coal burninging power plants? How will his leadership in those efforts benefit Richmonders?
Pantele:
* You will define where we go for the next four years
* How do we handle an economic downturn, public saftey progress, impact of economy on the poor, “heat or eat?”
* More accountability in our city government
* Has the experience and the confidence
Pantele loves Richmond almost as much as Ross does apparently.
Jones has the biggest laugh of the night in his first line.
Will someone please ask them how they are going to handle the budget shortfalls resulting from the $700 BILLION bailout and the $3 BILLION Virginia shortfall …… will this confluence of events make the “City of the Future” go up in a puff of smoke and mirrors?
Jones speaks with deep voice and cites truism that all politics is local.
Jones dropped his notes but finished well.
Jones:
* “Tickled pink” that we only have 7 days left
* All politics is local
* Need a mayor that is experienced, has vision, has intentionality
* Been involved in every facet of life in the city of Richmond
* Chairman of the School Board
* Crupi report says “Richmond will grown by default or design.” A leader needs to put a plan in place so we can become a world class city. We need a courageous leader to take the risks necessary to get us to be a world class city.
Where-oh-where will the $$$$$money come from for these great plans for the Boulevard & the Bottom?
Ha. Jones says Richmond needs to grow by design instead of default.
I would be careful using the word ‘default’ given the current economic climate.
So far, comparing the candidate’s speaking style, I’d rank their stage presence as follows:
1) Jones
2) Williams
3) Grey
4) Pantele
There’s a pretty big gap between (1) and (2) though in my opinion. I don’t know if that’s important for your mayoral choice.
Q1. As mayor how will your administration encourage creating jobs for the city’s poorest residents
— Scott Bass
I agree with your no. 1, disagree with your no. 2
Grey says new jobs have to match educational opportunities available. Isn’t that backwards?
What did School Board accomplish when Jones was Chairman?
Pantele’s “police and firefighters” shtick is playing on TV adnauseum. The mailer with the same pandering theme just hit. Didn’t he get the memo that invoking 9/11 is passe?
Grey talks jobs for youths.
I say GREEN JOBS NOW.
Grey – What do we do to encourage kids to be entrepreneurs? Teach them skills to start their own business. Apprenticeship.
Williams – Hire good economic director and pull in blue collar jobs. Have his staff approach small businesses to see what they need and how to help (instead of businesses coming to city). Diverse technical schools and high schools.
Williams plugs small businesses and technical education. He also mentions City Jail.
(How do you pay for it though?)
Pantele – Develop critical mass in terms of jobs. Understand biotech value at MCV and grow that medical services industry here in Richmond. Wants focus on medical center. Waiting for him to pull his face off and reveal Tranni underneath.
Pantele says he wants to grow ‘medical industry’ with VCU.
More VCU expansion, really?
Not exactly, Jason. Knowing there is a job that pays a decent wage can certainly be an incentive to stay in school and study hard. Knowing there a dedication for an educated workforce can inspire companies to provide job opportunities, internships etc. etc…
This question on jobs for the poorest residents is interesting. So car Grey and Williams are taking the education angle, but how do you take the absolute POOREST and get them jobs if they’re adults?
Williams also focused on helping small businesses and has a good point about using jails for that I guess, but I feel like the easiest employed of the poorest aren’t going to be found in a jail or a middle school.
GREEN JOBS NOW …. GREEN SCHOOLS ….
Jones – Thinks next President will focus on infrastructure that will create jobs – so is question above his pay grade?
Jones says Richmond needs Mayor for all people, not just big shots.
Q1. As mayor how will your administration encourage creating jobs for the city’s poorest residents
— Scott Bass
Grey
* Put more focus into training students for the jobs of the future — technical training in the public school system
* Technical training center
* Public Private Partnerships between corps and the education system so students get jobs when the leave the system
* What are we doing to allow kids to become young entrepreneurs? Change the paradigm of “always working for someone.”
Wiliams
* Hire a very good economic development director
* Recruit blue collar jobs
* You’d have a mayor that is sensitive to small, women, minority owned businesses — he owns one.
* City would *approach* small businesses
* Need diverse technical schools
Pantele
* We should understand the value we have in BioTech and MCV. Look to grow that medical services industry here in Richmond. Make Richmond the most important medical center between DC and Atlanta
* Toursm. Take advanted of history, arts, architecture, river.
* Will lead a major tourism initiative that will create tons of jobs
Jones
* Many opportunities to provide employment
* Rebuild infrastructure which creates jobs
* Take advantage of local venues that are doing these things — cites Boaz and Ruth, and Unions
* JOE THE PLUBMER
Roop – Would you hire Goldman? Pantele only outright no.
More Goldman references!
Pantele’s focus on specific industries to boil up jobs seems interesting, but honestly who do I know who works in biotech or in tourism? Nobody.
Jones seems to be the only one who had a familiarity with an actual program to get poor people into jobs in Richmond.
Q1.5 Would you hire Paul Goldman in your cabinet
Grey
* Yes, we’d find a place for him
Williams
* I’d work with him as an elder
Pantele
* No, but I’d call him a lot
Jones
* No promises have been made. Would be an advisor
Q2. Should people be concerned about unfair taxation (tax assessments). If you decrease assessments how do you handle the shortfal.
May-Lilly Lee
Lee question – Property tax rate lowered but assessment bumped up. More or less, what are you going to do about it? Williams first up.
May-Lily Lee is asking a question. I am suddenly nervous and have the desire to buzz in and answer. Is this a toss up? Whoa memories.
Pantele: Assess the Assesor?
Where’s GWAR when you need them?
Justin: is that a battle of the brains joke?
Pantele – Assessors office is doing fine job. What to do about shortfall? Auditor showed potential savings through relatively simple changes. TAX RELIEF. Budget cutter?
What about water rates, guys?
Dude between 1995 and 1999 she asked me a ton of questions, is all I’m saying.
Being poor doesn’t mean you are stupid. It just means you haven’t been educated and trained …..
Ahh, Jones just kicked in about utility rates! Excellent.
Here is a quote from Adam Smith about property taxes:
“A tax upon house-rents, therefore, would in general fall heaviest upon the rich; and in this sort of inequality there would not, perhaps, be anything very unreasonable.”
Jones – Concerned for sr. citizens who will be driven from their homes, points to national recession, high sewer and gas fees, lobbying general assembly and relationship with state government.
Jones seems to be trying to plant things in the broader national context but also look elsewhere for solutions.
Adam Smith: sounds like a damn socialist.
Grey has overtaken Williams in the stage presence ranking. Updated Morgan Stage Presence Poll:
1) Jones
2) Grey
3) Williams
4) Pantele
Grey – Just took a BIG swipe on Jones – Why would you work with the state when Mayor when you’ve been working in the state (Delegate) for a while now? Ouch.
EDIT: Grey – Aimed at Jones for not doing more to work between state and city as Delegate and is just now making promises to do so.
Jones
* No promises have been made. Would be an advisor
Q2. Should people be concerned about unfair taxation (tax assessments). If you decrease assessments how do you handle the shortfal.
May-Lilly Lee
Williams
* Promote neighborhoods, get middle class back in there to create tax revenue
* Concerned about senior citizens
Pantele
* Has reduced real estate taxes in City Council, prepares to keep moving the rate down
* Assessment is determined by the market. The assessors office has been audited and is doing a fine job
* Expect that the assessments will come down next year
Jones
* The city should try to hold the line
* Concerned for senior citizens
* We have outrageous water and sewer fees and real estate taxes
* Lobby state gov to get an incentive
Grey
* Baffled by city council reps that should have been working on this problem all along
* People need to know that if they pay for something they should get something
* Got to get our house in order, have a more efficient city hall. If we do that then people will live in the city.
Ross: yeah, Adam Smith is as red as they come.
I should have eaten some of the food before this thing started. I wonder if there are leftovers out there…
This question is kind of quiet and rambly and I feel slightly guilty about typing during it.
Q3. Will you retain Brian Norwood (the new police chief). Given the fact that we are facing a down turn in assessments, do you plan to continue to fund public safety at its current (high) level?
Jeremy Lazarus
Jason: you can’t bring food in though. The girl at the door said so when I was asking her goofily if she worked for Style.
Others also seeing Jones statement as swipe against all current officials: why haven’t you done more already?
More crime talk from Pantele. I think he is ducking Jeremy’s question.
I love that the moderator is making them answer the question.
Pantele wants to audit police next and isn’t sure about keeping new police chief, will determine.
Grey’s mustache is fantastic. I just noticed this.
Jones – More cops and larger public safety budget doesn’t fix crime as long as you fail to look at prevention side. Fund social services and parks at a greater level, prison system determines what prisons are built based on 3rd grade failure rate. First must deal with education! (All those young biotechs…)
Grey talks about honoring responsibilities. Should I talk art center now?
Grey is getting excited. I like it.
Grey – Will give Chief chance to succeed and would support him. Again goes at Rev. Jones re: 3rd grader stand. “Fat cats” helped develop a program to help kids read by the 3rd grade, went to the chamber of commerce for more and they came up with it – pushing public/private partnership.
Grey cites ‘business community’ support and ‘private/public partnerships’.
Justin – I coulda snuck something in my manbag.
Grey is fired up and going after Jones (or it seems that way to me)
Q3. Will you retain Brian Norwood (the new police chief). Given the fact that we are facing a down turn in assessments, do you plan to continue to fund public safety at its current (high) level?
Jeremy Lazarus
Pantele
* We have to search for efficiencies in govt to save money
* Next round of audits will be at the police department. Need to make sure we are spending money correctly.
* Need more police on the street.
* Bring our Rec & Parks department up to give youth opportunities
* Would be irresponsible to make much comment about Chief Norwood. Would put together a transition team and review that position as he would all other positions
Jones
* Have not met the chief, but looks forward to meeting him. His resume is impressive.
* Will continue to have crime as long as we fail to look at the prevention side
* Fund Parks & Rec at a greater level
* Prison system determines where prisons should be built by failure rate of children in 3rd grade. So we need to work on education
Grey
* Finds it odd that we would invite someone (Norwood) to move here without giving him a chance.
* This is what the Fat Cats did: the chamber of commerce gave millions of dollars to help kids read. Then Grey went back and asked for a million more.
* Public Private Partnership for life!
Williams
* Would get to know Norwood first before he decide if he remains or stays
* Look at issues of crime in neighborhoods
* Get some new planned middle schools to correct some of these problems
Williams likes to talk with his hands.
Scott – Spirit fingers from Williams
Q4. Does the historic tax abatement cost the city too much, would you support extending it in 2010.
Scott Bass
Has he mentioned middle schools or being an architect yet?
This is where Jones said he lived:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=5509+devonshire+road+richmond,+va&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=36.042042,79.101563&ie=UTF8&ll=37.523546,-77.47932&spn=0.017631,0.038624&z=15
Bass question – Tax abatements good or bad?
Jones – Tax abatements OK as it puts properties back on the roll.
Val – Architect was dropped once earlier. DRINK.
Grey – City Of The Future – always makes me think of 50’s/60’s advertisements…
What is the future of Richmond’s suburbs?
http://freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/08/12/what-is-the-future-of-suburbia-a-freakonomics-quorum/?scp=2&sq=architect&st=cse
Williams – Phase out tax abatements reasonably fast.
Someone needs to start the wave or something. Wake this crowd up.
Pantele throws up devil horns, dangles tongue, then answers question.
I found a word document on the internet about tax abatements. Lets see what it says.
Pantele gets a bit too detailed, knows what he’s talking about but loses folks by almost knowing too much.
Yo Pantele,
What about Salomonsky and the abuse of historic tax credits?
Q4. Does the historic tax abatement cost the city too much, would you support extending it in 2010.
Scott Bass
Jones
* Lived in a historic house, received a 15% tax abatement. That encourages people to revive blighted houses.
* He will continue the program.
Grey
* Important for a city our age with the architecture we have.
* Need to figure out every way to restore historic properties
* It takes awhile but eventually the houses generate revenue for you to fund other things.
* When you get money from houses as they come back on the tax roll, use the money wisely.
Williams
* Would look at the issue, because time is of the essence.
* We will need the money for city of the future.
* Would like to phase out the program so we can use the money for other programs
* His priorities are communities and learning campuses
* We need to delicately adjust these issues
Pantele
* Richmond’s tax abatement was the most generous in VA
* The program had a huge roll in attracting new development
* The program allows for business to happen (confusing example)
* Would extend the program
Q4.5 Do you support Echo Harbor as presented
Jason Roop
Grey
* No
Williams
* No
Pantele
* No plan has been presented
Jones
* No.
Pantele says the tax abatement program helped this corner:
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=meadow+and+broad+richmond,+va&ie=UTF8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&ll=37.55635,-77.458656&spn=0.008812,0.019312&z=16
Teen Pregnancy question tease. More at 11?
The moderator said that they were going to have a question about teen pregnancy and we LAUGHED AND LAUGHED!
Honestly I don’t know why that was funny.
Q5. What is your specific strategy so citizens can get the best efficient services for what they pay.
May-Lily Lee
Lee question: city services suck but cost more than anywhere else. Whatchu gonna do about it?
Does anyone have a link for this CityStats?
Now Grey is talking with both hands about improving services. He looks like he is pulling a jackpot at a poker table.
Grey – Cites CityStats again, I can’t find anything about that on the Googles.
I guess you can’t go straight from tax abatements to teen pregnancy. You need to insert something about the quality of our schools first I guess.
Jones is forceful.
http://www.richmondgov.com/citizen/city_gov/mayor/cao/richmondworks/index.aspx
Williams’s response always sounds like Grey scared him.
Does he mean this?
http://citystats.blogspot.com/
Citystats Market Astrology
Market Astrology quite simply measures the various aspects made by stellar entities and correlates them to the markets.
Richmond has the highest minimum water rate in the country.
I strongly challenge Williams’ contention that we can’t compare Richmond with other localities.
http://floricane.typepad.com/buttermilk/2007/03/accountability_.html
Talk about Baltimore’s CitiStats involvement:
http://www.lagniappemobile.com/article/517
Pantele loves auditors.
“Services in the city are simply inadequate, and taxpayers don’t feel that they are getting good value.” -Pantele
What percent of cities would agree with that statement? 90 percent?
Pantele is talking auditing of City services, which is a great point, but what about auditing the Center Stage/arts center deal?
Jones shares frustration. Feels your pain. Mentions how “citistats” is already in place – “computer program is not what is going to make us a great city.”
I can’t decide if I prefer excited Grey or under-control Williams in their answers on this.
Q5. What is your specific strategy so citizens can get the best efficient services for what they pay.
May-Lily Lee
Grey
* CityStats — Grey loves CityStats
* Biweekly meetings with the agencies and the mayor.
Williams
* Stop comparing ourselves to the counties
* Expand RichmondWorks so it is centrally based. Easily see response times and cost of response times
* Need to be a working mayor? A mayor that looks very closely at every department.
Pantele
* Will be a hands on mayor.
* Service are inadequate, tax payers aren’t getting their value.
* Find activities and programs that aren’t relative
* Implement existing audits, push for more audits
* Reinstitute neighborhood teams
Jones
* We already have this “statistical computer program in place.”
* “A computer program is not going to make us a great city.”
* We’ve lost lots of human capital, including institutional knowledge.
* Need a transformational leader, to provide impetus
* The customer is always right.
Jones – People of Richmond are customers, customers are always right. Or are they?
http://notalwaysright.com/
WHup, mention of Boulevard development.
I am going to throw this out there while we wait for long question to end…
http://scfoj.tumblr.com/post/31352643/so-about-those-richmond-braves-and-the-diamond
Will CitiStats ask if one would like to play a game? Will it be Sim-City?
Q6. Is there anything you would do to change (paraphrase) the lack of black business that employ poor people in the eastern parts of town. (i think?)
Jeremy Lazarus
Williams mentions his website – first mention of website by any candidate.
What I want to know is, who started this whole popular elected mayor thing? I wish someone would tell me.
Williams – after 30 years our leaders have not built anything substantial in our neighborhoods
What if they worked out some rotational programs with local businesses? Like I feel like there are some internal efficiency consultants at various local companies that could take a whack at our city operations for six weeks and might find interesting opportunities for us. Like is expertise the issue?
Another mention of “architect”.
Speaking of neighborhood sustainability…
http://www.worldchanging.com/archives/007941.html
Pantele wants a strategic plan. How many plans does this city need?
Scott: I love it. Although the planned new ballpark is supposed to be 20 feet under ground level. Does solar still work if you’re 20 feet further away from the sun?
We need a strong hull street and broad street, says Jones. How about a strong O street?
Jones says we need more neighborhood development than just downtown development. Yah!
Jones takes on fat cats for taking most of resources! Yah!
Jones is ready for this, his strong suit, neighborhood development needs to be strong as well as downtown. Spread the wealth! (Not that he said that last part…)
Make citizens part of government no matter where they are. City is guilty of feeding the fat cats who have run the city for years, fat because they’re the only ones at the table eating.
Doesn’t know who the economic developer is today because city employees can’t talk about it.
Big tent.
I feel like Grey thinks everything is interesting or odd.
Jones likes to use metaphors. In one sentence people were muzzled, ate at a table, and were in a tent that needs to grow.
Justin, I am not for moving the Diamond to the Bottom.
Grey – It’s interesting how folks wanna blame but no one wants to propose solutions. Er, Grey has been throwing and lot of points.
Permits and other services ON TIME will promote businesses, even minority.
Q6. Is there anything you would do to change (paraphrase) the lack of black business that employ poor people in the eastern parts of town. (i think?)
Jeremy Lazarus
Williams
* This is why you need an urban mayor
* Need new middle schools, community learning campuses.
* Nothing new in neighborhoods, business community needs to help
Pantele
* Biggest problem with economic development is there is no strategic plan
* Another problem we have is “distraction” aka, baseball and boulevard stuff. So a lot of our neighborhood business districts are left wanting.
* Divid economic development into two parts: Part 1for large projects / public private, Part 2 small business include local Minority business
Jones
* Need to be concerned with development in neighborhoods as in development downtown
* Make citizens feel included, all citizens
* City is guilty of feeding the “Fat Cats”
* Need a strong economic director. He couldn’t name the current economic director because the employees have been “muzzled.”
Grey
* We can recruit business to this city if we “get our house in order.” Aka, level of professionalism.
* It will take persistence and thoughtful leadership, like he provided in the American Bar Association
Jones seems to be talking about community up business development, Grey a bit more business down.
This question is awesome.
Pantele may or may not have gone forth when he was younger.
For those of you at home, we’re talking about our mid twenties.
Q7. What was your life like in your mid-twenties and what do you think is missing from the Richmond recreational scene?
Jason Roop
Whoa what? Pantele doesn’t think we have realized the value of the James River. You mean the riverwalk didn’t realize it?
Seriously I’ll tell you what I didn’t realize: there are some huge catfish up under that river. Like millions of them as big as your car. I swear!
Ok, pandering to youth vote. But what about slightly older people who are looking for decent schools for their kids and future kids?
Jones says he’ll take care of the things that people in their mid twenties want. If he promises to find me a date this weekend he’s got my vote.
Pssh whatever Scott. We all know that no one over 30 ever votes.
If you remember your twenties you weren’t there.
Williams drops Harvard credentials. Snob!
I was hoping someone was going to say a paintball field in City limits.
I am surprised no one has said anything on behalf of bicyclists.
Time for A Moment In Time with Justin Morgan: In 1989, Richmond lost a supreme court case about minority owned businesses, because Richmond tried to help them too much.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_of_Richmond_v._J.A._Croson_Co.
City of Richmond v. J.A. Croson Co., 488 U.S. 469 (1989) was a case in which the United States Supreme Court held that the city council of Richmond’s minority set-aside program, giving preference to minority business enterprises (MBE) in the awarding of municipal contracts, was unconstitutional under the Equal Protection Clause.
Q7. What was your life like in your mid-twenties and what do you think is missing from the Richmond recreational scene?
Jason Roop
Pantele
* Graduated from UVa law school
* Enjoyed “fan things”
* City used to be blighted, but is much better now
* We have not understood the value of the James River
Jones
* Made a point to have the 20somethings involved in the campaign.
* Young people are INTELLIGENT (WOO PANDERING TO ME SPECIFICALLY)
* Young stuff (my words) wants stronger cultural attractions, don’t want to drive to Norfolk or DC.
* He was so poor in his mid twenties in Richmond so all he did was work three jobs.
Grey
* Law school (UVa), then went to DC
* Came back to Richmond and started a law firm, taught at VCU also
* Had the best time of his life
* The leaders need to listen to the leaders of the community
* Doesn’t know if we have anything missing in our recreation scene
Williams
* Just graduated from Harvard
* On cambridge: “Now there’s a city”
* Got his first job as an “architect”
Williams: “Richmond is a great place to court.”
I think that means date?
Beisbol question.
Justin – also a great place to litigate.
Honestly. Honestly. The first question from the audience is about baseball? That’s our #1 priority? I care about it, too, but is that really our #1 problem?
Q8. How do you justify spending millions on baseball when there is no evidence that it economically helps the city? Also would you support the new stadium in the bottom?
To Jones, From Audience (Via Bass) – How do you justify spending money on baseball when there’s no record of positive impact, especially in current economic times? And would you support it in the Bottom?
Jones – would be nice if we were building schools.
Jones says education is more of a priority but also talks favorably of sports.
Cites Downtown Master Plan! Yah!
Wait, was that from the audience? I can’t see the questioners so I can’t tell where the questions are coming from.
Oh gotcha it was from the audience, via a stage guy.
Grey – devil is in the details. Pantele throws up horns again.
Grey talks about working with developers, but what about neighbors and citizens?
Ughhh
Why did we build a biotech park before we built schools? That’s what I want to know.
Grey – Reach out to regional partners.
Justin – Biotech park can allow us to develop a new form of life that can build the schools for us on the cheap!
Williams – Not a “baseball stadium” but a “multi-use stadium” – can put a football in there too. College football in Shockoe Bottom.
It is interesting that some candidates are saying the ballpark proposal came in the dark of night, while Williams says he has had the opportunity to review it.
Pantele is doing Buddha pose with hands before launching answer.
What college?! ANSWER ME THAT, WILLIAMS!
Pantele – Baseball will lose the city money. For quality of life, not so much economic development. Gives love to Boulevard plan. Sports tourism package. Again with the tourists. Where’s the love for the locals?
Pantele – Initial SB plan included 30 national chain restaurants in Shockoe Bottom. Disaster.
Pantele and Grey talk about reviewing numbers of proposals.
WHAT ABOUT CENTER STAGE numbers?
Q8. How do you justify spending millions on baseball when there is no evidence that it economically helps the city? Also would you support the new stadium in the bottom?
Jones
* Our core responsibilities are: education, public safety, transportation. Then there is culture, and then sports.
* To be a great city you need sports
* Make it his duty to get baseball back
* Would be nice to build new schools instead of “two economic engines”
* Downtown Master Plan is a good paradigm for finding out where the stadium should go
Grey
* Business have developed and flourished around stadiums in other cities
* It is a public/private project, so we need to demand things from our private partners. Get things in sync.
* Reach out to our regional parters aka counties
Williams
* Role of good mayor is to promote the city and encourage as much investment in the city as possible
* At this point he thinks the proposal has merit.
* The stadium can make sense in the Bottom. Would support it if it is thought of as a multi-use stadium aka COLLEGE FOOTBALL!?
Pantele
* Baseball is not going to be a money generator for the city. It is a regional entertainment amenity.
* The boulevard plan made so much sense because it was a sports tourism packages with retail and etc
* Is interested that after voting for the Master Plan council got a proposal that seemingly violates it
Green Richmond question but no name on it. I blame Scott.
Green question- drink up!
So far little talk of actual environmentalism from candidates though.
Grey’s not really answering environmental concerns.
Williams – “Mr. Grey, this type of green is very important.” waives $20. Grey asks if he can have it.
Oldie but goodie:
Goldman for Mayor – 29 May 2008 – For Immediate Release – Contact 804-833-6313
Goldman says “he was shocked” by what Councilman Tyler suggested was happening in Richmond at his constitutent meeting in Mary Munford School last night.
“We need more trees in Richmond, not less, and as Mayor, I will work with Mr. Tyler to make certain there is no doubt this is happening.”
(Richmond) – Paul Goldman, candidate for Mayor, said he “was shocked” by what Councilman Tyler told constituents last night “in terms of how city leaders appear to be condoning a policy that apparently cuts down more trees than get planted every year in Richmond.”
”If Mr. Tyler is right – and he indicated that this was his best judgment – then the shocking fact is that we have a net loss of trees every year in Richmond due to the policies of City Hall and City Council.
”This is unacceptable, and as Mayor, I will move immediately to change not only this result, but to completely overhaul this whole area of city government.”
”Richmond needs a leader committed to having City Hall lead by example on environmental and green issues.
”Surely, it is a sad day for Richmond when a City Councilman examines this area of government policy and believes it reasonable to conclude that existing city government policy actually results in a net loss of trees.
”Enough is enough already. My opponents have been power-brokers in city politics for years. That is why long-standing, failed policies will only be finally brought to an end with the start of a Goldman Administration.”
Sorry guys I didn’t pay attention for a while because I was staring at a satellite image of shockoe bottom’s cracked parking lots longing for SOMETHING fun to happen there.
Wait, can’t we just like start showing up and playing baseball there a few times a week? Anyone interested? Maybe next spring?
Pantele’s hitting on it a bit more.
Pantele just dropped a lot of green building stuff in his speech.
But I have heard this speech before. I want more action.
Jones – Need a leader that understands importance of green city. Restoration is more friendly than building new buildings. Tax credits. Friendly fleet and green spaces. What do you take down to make green?
BIKE TRAILS AND PATHS. Nice.
Q9. How wil you go about making Richmond green?
Audience
Grey
* City hall needs to give citizens timely efficient service. If that happens then more business come to Richmond
* Need to make model, magnet, regional schools
* Need safe clean entertainment in the city
Williams
* What can we do to bring more open space, have more energy management in our buildings.
* LEED certified school buildings?
* A park where the Shockoe Valley bridge is
* Focus on certain areas of the city to bring those environments up
* Richmond is better than cities up north
Pantele
* Richmond is a measure of the “cool city initiative.”
* City spends 26M$ a year on energy
* Implemented geothermal energy at the Main Library — isn’t actually implemented yet.
* Photovoltaic, roof top gardens, grey water recycling
Jones
* Need a leader who understand the importance of a green city
* The bus fleet needs to be environmentally friendly
* Green space, bike trails, bike racks
* Important issue that requires the mayor to have leadership
Blacktop baseball’s coming to the Bottom.
Q10. If elected will you drop all paid employment and devote all your time to serving as mayor. Would you name one thing that we can expect to see in the first 100 days.
Audience
RoboMayor?
Mayor makes $125,000 a year. Better be full time…
http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/news/politics.apx.-content-articles-RTD-2008-06-27-0252.html
I like this question a lot.
I mean, yeah, I would hope all these guys would work “full time” given the damn salary.
Salary and tasks they are responsible for. No part time mayor.
Jones wants to build the best city staff in the USA in his first 100 days. That’s not a very achievable goal!
I like this question a hell of a lot less now that I know how much they make.
More search (and rescue) teams for City positions?
That sounds a bit costly and time-wasting.
Q9. How wil you go about making Richmond green?
Audience
Grey
* City hall needs to give citizens timely efficient service. If that happens then more business come to Richmond
* Need to make model, magnet, regional schools
* Need safe clean entertainment in the city
Williams
* What can we do to bring more open space, have more energy management in our buildings.
* LEED certified school buildings?
* A park where the Shockoe Valley bridge is
* Focus on certain areas of the city to bring those environments up
* Richmond is better than cities up north
Pantele
* Richmond is a measure of the “cool city initiative.”
* City spends 26M$ a year on energy
* Implemented geothermal energy at the Main Library — isn’t actually implemented yet.
* Photovoltaic, roof top gardens, grey water recycling
Jones
* Need a leader who understand the importance of a green city
* The bus fleet needs to be environmentally friendly
* Green space, bike trails, bike racks
* Important issue that requires the mayor to have leadership
Q10. If elected will you drop all paid employment and devote all your time to serving as mayor. Would you name one thing that we can expect to see in the first 100 days.
Audience
Williams
* Would be a full time 24/7 mayor, his firm would continue on without him
* Signature item: planning of three new middle schools that are learning campuses.
Pantele
* Yes will be a 24/7 mayor. Take it to the bank
* Will deliver at the beginning of March a budget alongside the city council and the school board.
Jones
* Will work full time, will maintain a relationship with his church
* Will l build the best staff that will model collaborative leadership. Will also implement the auditors reccomendations
Grey
* Will be full time
* Important that the next mayor set the tone for cooperation.
* Set priorities with school board, then the budget follows
Q11. What is your specific strategy to address the problem of teen pregnancy?
May-Lily Lee
Okay so Richmond’s teen pregnancy rate is higher than the virginia and national averages. How do we compare to other cities, though?
Teen pregnancy question
What about lead poisoning from coal dust?
That has a huge impact!
Pantele – Find areas for biggest impact soonest and hit it 100%. Only 100%?
Pantele – Improve environment, improve situation.
Jones – Only one with health plank.
Jones has a health piece (splinter?) in his plank. I think he meant health plank in his platform?
These guys are not making link between environment and health.
http://scfoj.tumblr.com/post/41072692/coal-is-killing-off-virginias-trout-streams
Most of the cute girls have left, and I don’t see Jack in the audience anymore…
Jones – Schools open 3-6 to watch kids. Cost?
Jones is right, only candidate to mention health care on his website.
What about recycling?
http://scfoj.tumblr.com/post/41553389/businesses-can-recycle
There are a lot of issues these guys are not talking about.
Marriage out of wedlock? SAY IT AIN’T SO!
HAHAH BLOGGER PWN.
Oh god, it happened right in front of me and I couldn’t stop it. Someone didn’t mute his computer!
And don’t forget Buttermilk and Molasses, Richmond’s only independent live blogging experience. Visit the shadow live blog at http://floricane.typepad.com/buttermilk/2008/10/richmonds-next-mayor-the-shadow-live-blog.html
Awesomeness of website by design:
http://www.billpanteleformayor.com/
http://www.robertgreyformayor.com/
http://dwightjonesformayor.com/
http://lawrencewilliamsformayor.com/Home_Page.php
Grey almost lost points because his website started talking to me when I visited it. Volume was not turned down. Whole room caught me. Oops.
Q11. What is your specific strategy to address the problem of teen pregnancy?
May-Lily Lee
Pantele
* Put together a strong plan with the health department to identify the three areas where you can make the biggest impact the soonest. Do those 100%
* Greater “age appropriate education”
* Look at de concentration of extreme poverty in the city
Jones
* Only person that has a health plank in their platform.
* Richmond has high rates of infant mortality and STD’s and teen pregnancy rates
* Comprehensive pediatric hospital
* Need to decentralize services we offer as a city.
* Schools should be open from 3pm – 6pm when “things happen.”
* Serious about family planning
Grey
* Develop ways to bring successful programs to scale
* Rely on expertise of the health and social services community.
* Think about young men, help them understand their responsibility “in this equation.”
* Requires sound public housing policy
Williams
* This is why you need a urban mayor.
* Need to focus on middle schools and providing services in middle schools
* Be bold about experimenting, (ha?)
Sorry, one more coal post:
http://scfoj.tumblr.com/post/42585008/lead-and-mercury-from-coal-emissions-hurt-children
It’s time for the boxers or briefs question. “If you had been asked to perform in a talent competition, what would your talent be?”
Talent show? Karoke?
Q12. If you had been asked to preform a talent tonight what would it have been?
Man, all we need is Richmond Renaissance’s Jack Berry talking over and over again about hot tubs in new downtown condos….
Cheezy!
No one’s talenting us!
So far three out of the four candidates are showcasing the talent of being hilarious. Pantele? Keep us going?
Q12. If you had been asked to preform a talent tonight what would it have been?
Jones
* Singing, but would be best leaving that in the shower. Amazing Grace specifically.
Grey
* Play that alto sax, with sunglasses on playing the blues.
Williams
* Also played sax in a dance band in the clubs.
Pantele
* A powerful rendition of Living on a Prayer.
Pantele dropped Hamaganza, where you can annually catch him singing “Living On A Prayer”. Dirtwoman, music, hams, good times. Coming this December.
Closing statements.
I have now discovered the mute button on my computer.
Pantele – “Let’s go, Richmond.” OK. Where are we going? Who’s buying? I’m hungry…
Overall, very disappointing. More lazy platitudes about ‘leadership’.
VPAP lists Williams’s election committed as “closed”. Does that matter for anything?
http://vpap.org/committees/profile/home/2368
Closing statements
Jones
* Hasn’t had a race for twelve years.
* Got a lot of endorsements, RIP Goldman
* The mayor of Richmond is highly exaggerated, its people are who will make us a tier one city.
Pantele
* “Let’s go Richmond. Let’s go forward.”
* “Let’s not slide back into the old divisive and separatist politics”
Williams
* Politics as usual or new leadership, a new “professional” leadership
* Downtown master plan is a good example of professional leadership
* Wants to be an Urban Mayor
Grey
* It is time for Richmond to turn a corner
* Need a new face at city hall.
* There are 20 years of experience on the stage, but still lots of problems.
Wilder never closed his:
http://vpap.org/committees/profile/home/1600
Okay guys. Good times.
Gentleman, it was a pleasure. I would’ve joined you behind the table but liveblogging is for dorks. No but seriously, liveblogging is for dorks :)
I haven’t read Sarvay’s account yet, but I’m sure he was sort of hurt when I asked him if “liveblogged trips to the gas station” for fun.
I hate to admit it, but if I had no prior knowledge of the candidates before tonight, I would have to give my vote to Pantele. I also thought Jones did a solid job. Grey didn’t actually answer a question with a direct response, instead relying on huge sweeping statements and Williams seems to know that he stands no chance to win and has given up altogether.
Okay so I called you “dorks”… It was still a funny read. Good work fellas.
heavy sigh ……..
great job, blogger brethren…..;)
Jack, I’d disagree on some parts.
Pantele sounded like he knew what as going on, but at times got a little too caught up in the details. I don’t mind that, but I think it can turn folks off. Then again, if people are coming to a forum like this they are probably looking for more details.
Grey came out strong and swinging and really threw some things out there in terms of experience and what he brought to the table. He did a bit of finger pointing and posturing of his own despite criticizing others for the same, but I think that on performance he was the strongest.
Jones sounded OK but a lot of his talk looked elsewhere for solutions, spoke in platitudes about neighborhoods but seemed to want to look to state and federal assistance on things and I don’t think anyone can bank on that.
Williams sounded like a concession speech for most of the night, but I think he genuinely cares about Richmond (all of these men do) and he sounds to me like a guy who felt the needs of the neighborhoods and small business owners weren’t being addressed so he’s running to be heard. And I think he did a good job presenting his case. But him coming after Grey most of the time, with Grey being as strong as he was, didn’t make him sound well.
I’d say Grey had the best performance but Pantele had the best substance.
Thanks to my fellow bloggers, especially Jason, who was a good sport.
Notice how Pantele equivocated on the Echo Harbor question.
Don’t forget, he voted for Dominion’s horrible riverfront SUP, despite protests by over 20 different citizen and environmentalist groups.
The guy has put developers before citizens time and time again.
Pingback: J’s Notes » That’s What I Get For Fact Checking
Yeah, was good to see folks again and meet others. Too bad nothing exciting happened for us to write about, but maybe next time…
You might be right. I wasn’t entirely focused. One of the buxom young Style staffers was distracting me.
I do know one thing for sure. That Lazarus guy probably shouldn’t be invited back to any panels. I think he thought he was running for mayor.
Jones and Pantele had to at least tie for “best stand up comedian” award, with Roop coming in a close second.
Oh and Scott (Bass), thanks for the clarification on the 290 (instead of 260) days of darkness at a new baseball stadium. That was sooo helpful. We get it dude, you oppose a new baseball stadium.
Awesome coverage guys. Poor little Richmond… can you say runoff?
For redundancy, I twittered the forum as well, transcript here.
I’d elect Justin for mayor pretty happily – but only in like 2012 when we’re finished with Buffy.
I’m still pretty torn between Jones and Grey. My fear with Grey is that he will grant too much power to the business community. With Jones I fear too much focus on particular segments of Richmond but not the big picture. Though he is the only candidate to mention bike racks and I bet that’s a promise he can keep. ;)
Pingback: Happy birthday, RVANews! | RVANews
Pingback: The super-duper local election wrap up extraordinaire | RVANews