Discover and read the best of Twitter Threads about #RVACouncil
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Unsustainable #RVA finances @RTDNEWS We already have higher tax rate than Fairfax Co. $1.5B in #DD TIFs are payday loans against future taxes while future also has MANDATORY Wastewater Bill Cost of $1.3B @rvabizsense #RVAcouncil @CBS6 @DaveRess1 @NBC12 Can't afford #DD project 
Cost figures for DiamondDistrict $1.5B AND $1.3B for MANDATORY WasteWater project, NOT reflecting inflation.The loss of TIF payday loans $ is money we don't have 4 Sewer Project, let alone for @RPS_Schools & @RichmondPolice Please review @Jeffersoninst Tell #RVA if this works
#RVA's mismanagement of federal funds from #CARES can adversely impact the city's ability to get future fed funds. This reflects admin lack of fiduciary responsibility, from day 1. City auditor told #RVAMayor @RPS_Schools needed audit. Stoney fired him next day. Still the same.
Teamsters are advertsing heavily to organize #RVA workers. THIS MUST NOT HAPPEN. They are using pictures of DRMLK but THEIR connections are to #JimmyHoffa & his son JImmyP Hoffa, both Presidents of Teamsters. But Teamsters are known for OTHER ties we DON'T want HERE! #RVACouncil
TEAMSTERS have ALREADY ANNOUNCED PLANS to BE AGGRESSIVE taking advatage of the supply chain shortages, making them worse to extort concessions from their targets. In #RVA that could be @GRTCTransit @GRTCPulse & other city services. @RTDOpinions #RVAcouncil @KatherineJRVA @CBS6
DO NOT BRING THESE DANGEROUS PEOPLE INTO OUR CITY/STATE. There are OTHER honest unions, without the history & ties of the Teamsters. @VaHouseDems @VaSenateDems A Va politician w ties to this union & its former boss #JimmyPHoffa brought this plague manipulating @vademocrats to OK
Thanks @RTDNEWS for info on Diamond District. It's to be funded byTIFs like Navy Hill. It's Navy Hill+6th Street Market Place combined, funded by TIFs, known to impact school funding. Interest rates must be paid from annual budgets as interest rates rise. #RVA @KatherineJRVA
@RTDNEWS @KatherineJRVA Here's @TheWeek article about Navy Hill. Farrell was not pushing for this. Other backers hidden by shell company NH District were. Political figures to benefit too, but TIFs are known to siphon local funds from schools. Info on TIFs: p1-2 #RVACouncil declined. Get new $$ data.
P.3 There's no smell of bid rigging here since there are 3 offers, but the threat to finances remains. #RVA is maxed out on bonds so TIFs are floated, siphoning real estate tax $. Interest rates rising, paid from annual budget, so that hits NOW. Recalculation on $ impact needed.
Breaking--if I heard this right--#RVACouncil just voted to move the rest of their meetings after Jan.12 to virtual (those meetings have been publicized). They decided this after hearing from Avula & another Doctor. I'm looking to verify this.
Yes, this seems correct. It looks to be until the end of February.
The doctor w/ Avula said that if members & the public were going to be in the conference room for hours at a time--it may be prudent to do so. Councilman Jones moved to vote.
@MercuryVirginia Never any book ban. That claim was fact checked by Post as 4 Pinnochios false. Here are #facts below. The #Mom was fine teaching abt slavery, the holocaust, but NOT graphic descriptions of bestiality. #RVA @RTDNEWS #rvacouncil @FreePressRVA @myVPM @NBC12 @CBS6
Historical inaccuracy in #CRT which was created by a journalist, not a historian. Columbus was not responsible for decline in Native Americans. Spanish Conquistadors Cortez, Pisarro, disease brought by Europeans, slaughter by US Gens Sherman & Custer , tho Custer got his.
@MercuryVirginia This chart from VaGA's JLC but kept very quiet by Dems, Virginia underperformed US economy last 9 years, 80+% under McAuliffe & Northam. Click to see entire chart. Va dropped from No 1 in technology workers, Va's rank since 90s when tech got started, to No 3 now
This is what you get when politicians get on an ideological band wagon based on faulty grasp of reality, make decisions on politics, NOT #facts and @reason @RTDOpinions Richmond runs out on residents (what else is new?) #rvacouncil to cut off #RVA 's gas! @CBS6 @NBC12 @myVPM
@VaHouse @VaSenate who voted for Virginia Clean Economy Act & similar bills in 2020 and 2021 should further explain if they understood this to be the ultimate goal. When you talk about an economy that is 100 percent carbon free,that means no natural gas. Period. @GlennYoungkin
This is what100% carbon free means. #rvacouncil will cut off your gas. We will have to do: retrofit to all electric & pay @DominionEnergy even more than the $1.5Billion we already overpaid. @vademocrats #RVA
jeffersonpolicyjournal.com/ready-to-spend- $26000-to-eliminate-your-gas-appliances/
jeffersonpolicyjournal.com/ready-to-spend- $26000-to-eliminate-your-gas-appliances/
Unconscionable for #rvacouncil to say "We're doing things the #RVA way - obviously the wrong way -high crime, defund @RichmondPolice The people are dying. Not from the police but #Crime is skyrocketing, gun violence unprecedented, topping the bad old days of 80s. Shameful.
The only reason crime is down this year is because of the #COVID19 lockdown. Everything has been closed. People indoors. Still lots of shootings. @RichmondPolice @jonburkettcbs6
@RPS_Schools are worst in the state. Gun violence highest. And #rvacouncil says "We do things the Richmond way." So what if we pay @RichmondPolice less than anywhere else in Central Va. So what if schools are dead last. So what if babies are shot in Mom's arms killing both. #RVA
The #BiggestLie Don't believe these @DonScott757 marijuana is NOT a harmless drug AND black communities suffer MOST #SocialJustice #FactsMatter @MercuryVirginia learnaboutsam.org/industry-profi…
Read these reports and view videos from those with the experience of legalization -In poor neighborhoods of Denver, there are pot shops for every 47 residents. #SocialJustice is NOT legalizing pot but decriminalize, as GA did last spring. @DonScott757
IN COLORADO, DRUGGED DRIVING WENT FROM KILLING ROUGHLY ONE PERSON EVERY 6.5 DAYS TO NOW EVERY 2.5 DAYS, SINCE LEGALIZATION WAS PASSED @DonScott757 @VirginiaMercury @GovernorVA @VAHouseDems @vahousegop @VASenateDems @VASenateGOP #RVA #FactsMatter
#StoneyLied about @kimgray4rva position on Monuments since he appointed her co-chair of MonAvCommission. He approved recommendations of Commission -removeDavis , add context, & ADD statues of AfricanAmericans- The Fourteen AA union soldiers who received Medals of Honor. #RVA
I watch the #rvacouncil meetings. Kim opposed the restaurant tax which harmed these small businesses #RVA restaurants
If confused by the Amendment debate, read this statement of its content. Those opposing it late seek confusion to delay. Read for yourselves. The Voting Rights Act IS IN IT by NAME. VOTE YES. #RVA @NAACP @PostOpinions @FreePressRVA Levine omits this fact.
ballotpedia.org/Virginia_Quest…
ballotpedia.org/Virginia_Quest…
#RVA @RTDOpinions 2/It says "Every electoral district shall be drawn in accordance with the requirements of federal and state laws that address racial and ethnic fairness, including the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States &
3/"provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, as amended, & judicial decisions interpreting such laws. Districts shall provide, where practicable, opportunities for racial & ethnic communities to elect candidates of their choice." This is the actual amendment language #RVA
Twitter made me mad today. Must be time for an #RVAMayor Campaign thread!
Incumbent Mayor Stoney says "I choose Richmond." WTF does this mean? Lots of things. But it also suggests a campaign strategy
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Incumbent Mayor Stoney says "I choose Richmond." WTF does this mean? Lots of things. But it also suggests a campaign strategy
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Stoney's tenure has been a roller coaster of ups and downs. Before #GeorgeFloyd, it seemed the failed #NavyHill development would be the albatross that possibly ended his career. But the #BLM protests have made his re-election prospects even trickier
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A lot of folks, largely conservatives and property owners, oppose protests by default. They don't understand them, & rely on media and authorities who continue to refer to "violence" and "looters" to de-legitimize any political claims that animate them
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@RTDNEWS Stoney's record #RVA
1.Stoney’s first major action after becoming mayor was to fire the City Auditor who told him that RPS & City accounts needed a forensic audit. Response: Stoney fired him. Very Trumpian.Very telling about his business dealings. @FreePressRVA @CBS6
1.Stoney’s first major action after becoming mayor was to fire the City Auditor who told him that RPS & City accounts needed a forensic audit. Response: Stoney fired him. Very Trumpian.Very telling about his business dealings. @FreePressRVA @CBS6
Do not listen to the least informed person in Virginia's public life. Stoney has the worst judgement of any official in #RVA He wants to get votes & cares NOTHING for Virginia's & #RVA children. I am a scientist & had NIDA (National Institute on Drug Abuse)post doc studying pot
2/ I've continued research the last 10 years. I've attached a nontechnical summary. It causes brain damage, memory loss, impairs judgement, increases accidents, makes it harder to get jobs, and, and long term avg drop of 10 IQ points. Many people think its harmless. It's NOT.
3/ Marijuana is NOT a harmless drug. What the GA did in decriminalization is EXACTLY CORRECT. @VaHouseDems @VASenateDems Pot is especially harmful to children & teens. When DC legalized pot, children went to school high from breathing parents second hand smoke. #RVA #rvacouncil
As #RVA works through 2 separate task forces, let’s talk about #PoliceReform, specifically Civilian Review Boards (CRBs)
#RVAProtests #RVACouncil #Thread
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#RVAProtests #RVACouncil #Thread
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Original CRB: the 1948 Complaint Review Board in DC. Idea (going back to Progressive Era) is to provide oversight of police by folks from outside the corps of sworn officers. Data hard to find (and police don't like to give it)
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BUT necessary - police internal review doesn't work (#PCPTP , or police cannot police the police); and elected oversight fails because of fear (don't want to be called weak on law-and-order politics). Police are NOT your typical bureaucracy
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@NicolleDWallace Not sure who you're talking to on health disparities, but I did a search on PubMed on COVID19 and also Health Disparities. For COVID19, it's because of Vitamin D deficiency, which is also true for several other diseases among AfrAms. D's regulates immune system.1
Most of the health disparities for AfrAm are genetic & life style choices, not sociology, but science & choices. Access to health insurance & transport to get HC are factors, but not COVID19. Vit D isn't a vitamin but hormone regulating immune function. Low D in AfrAm's genetic.
I sent the literature search I did on Health Disparities in AfrAms to @JoeBiden Pretty sure @RonaldKlain read it. The good news - much can be fixed with an affordable & easy to implement intervention, but clinical trial is needed to verify, validate & quantify everything.
Saturday's #RVAprotests action has raised lots of questions about who was in charge. No easy answers, show why movement politics is so hard - for observers AND participants
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richmond.com/news/local/upd…
#Thread
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richmond.com/news/local/upd…
Saturday's action did not seem to be organized by folks that have been involved in RVA #BLM protests. Mostly promoted by a flyer here: (Yup - that's GOP's Todd Gilbert circulating it; apparently he is #Antifa now.)
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Police chief said flyer had "tone of intimidation and fear" - meant to incite. Definitely provocative; little concern over where to draw the line of acceptable behavior. "Fuck shit up" can mean lots of things: Noise? Prop damage? Threats? Assault?
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NEW: Richmond Police have spent nearly $2 million on overtime and equipment responding to the #RVAprotests as of July 3. @BPaves and I filed Freedom of Information Act requests to all of the police agencies that've been at protests. Here's what we found: vpm.org/news/articles/…
The break down of the nearly $2m spent by RPD:
- $1.6 million on overtime as of July 3
- $208,462 in equipment and supplies for protests
- Undetermined amount on aerial surveillance
The overtime cost is almost half of the ~$4m Richmond Police budgeted for overtime pay in FY2020
- $1.6 million on overtime as of July 3
- $208,462 in equipment and supplies for protests
- Undetermined amount on aerial surveillance
The overtime cost is almost half of the ~$4m Richmond Police budgeted for overtime pay in FY2020
Important to note that most of costs to RPD is on the FY2020 rolls (ending July 1, 2020). That means there is potential for a budget overrun. Money would need to found elsewhere in the budget or, as a last resort, the rainy day fund. #RVACouncil ultimately votes on that.
@RTDOpinions The Monument Avenue Commission had a plan to tell The Story of Virginia. 1. Remove Jeff Davis, who was ONLY about the Confederacy. Add panels of historical context to the rest, telling the real history. #RVA #RVAprotests 1/
2/2. Add statues of African Americans, starting with The Fourteen African American Union soldiers who won a battle outside Richmond and were awarded Medals of Honor. 3. Rebrand Monument Avenue to tell The Story of Virginia. @VirginiaMuseum @StyleWeekly @RTDCulture
3/Add statues of NASA mathematician Virginia Johnson who calculated John Glenn's trajectory into space, Mary Jackson, NASA Engineer for whom NASA Headquarters are now named. @NASA @ScienceMusofVA Keep fellow scientist Matthew Fontaine Maury.
Mr. G was incorrect. #rvacouncil I have 2PhDs in chemistry. #FactsMatter “Tear gas” is carelessly used for 3 dispersants. 1. chemical weapons grade synthetic compounds like CS gas are severe & banned 2. Capsaicin, natural product from peppers, pepper spray & 3. Smoke canisters.2/
2/ Protesters in the 1st event werein violation of several parts of the Virginia Administrative Code requiring a permit when more than 10 people areon the ground at Lee Monument as one example.
Protests over GeorgeFloyd’s brutal murder were a worldwide unanimous condemnation
Protests over GeorgeFloyd’s brutal murder were a worldwide unanimous condemnation
3/In major cities across the US there were massive protests but only in #RVA did they last for three entire weeks. Stoney told police to stand down, further driving businesses and jobs out if the city of Richmond.
As a sometimes-social movements scholar, I’m struck by how little civilians understand movement politics.
Guys, it’s time for some social movement theory.
#Thread 1/
Guys, it’s time for some social movement theory.
#Thread 1/
First, know that authorities respond to movements in 2 big ways: repression (beat it down) and concessions/co-optation (defuse it/take it over), sometimes simultaneously
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We've seen repression BIG-TIME in #RVA - military gear, the #EGSMZ (or #StoneyHenge), plus lots of fun chemical weapon attacks
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vpm.org/news/articles/…
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vpm.org/news/articles/…
WE are in an alternative reality in #RVA when Marcus-David Peters sister Princess screams at @LevarStoney about her brother's mental healrth crisis which was in reality A DRUG INDUCED PSYCHOSIS. I had a PostDoc from NIDA @NIH NatlInstDrugAbuse on psychoactive drugs.#rvacouncil
I do feel sorry for you @LevarStoney These screaming mobs are completely detached from reality. This City is insane. They're frustrated & want someone to blame, but it's not the police. here are some more #facts #FactsMatter #BlackLivesMatter
#FactsMatter Complete breakdown of law & order re-elects Trump. @LevarStoney The greatest harm to African Americans is from other young black males (~4500 over 4 yr); killed by cops 112. Cops killed line duty of duty >400, half by homicide. CDC data. I looked it up.@CNN
@AGMarkHerring wespent months evaluating options 4 Monument Ave w Commission, inclusive process,reached consensus. Jeff Davis goes, add historical markers telling context, &ADD statue of the 14 Africanamerican union soldiers who won battle outside #RVA, each got Medal of honor./1
Monument Avenue is a Registered National Historic Landmark so certain requirements under that as well as local supervisory committees responsible for their oversight must be considered. @GovernorVA is supposed to defend this Commonwealth, which he has declined to do. 2/
3/ Tredegar/ACWMuseum has no room. Christy Coleman was on the Commission. Best offer seems to be from Crew. @GovernorVA should put money in the budget to transfer them. They will be next to a battlefield park. That's best place. Baltimore,NOLA asked ACWM to take theirs, no room.
Holy crap! *FIVE* #RVACouncil members have asked @LevarStoney to withdraw the #NavyHill proposal and basically start over. A few quick thoughts:
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First, the particular 5 opponents are not a surprise - @KristenRVA, @KimGray4RVA, @Stephanie4RVA, Reva & Chilbert all co-patroned a resolution asking the Mayor to pull the plug on the current version of #NavyHill 2/ gallery.mailchimp.com/e8a895b36da6b8…
The resolution itself is pretty 🔥🔥🔥for a document filled with WHEREAS's. It takes Stoney to task for, among other things, only allowing 92 days for responses to the RFP and, oh year, issuing an RFP that perfectly matched one development group's plans rather than city needs 3/
Xmas came early for #NavyHill! Commission report released this evening, and will be presented to #RVACouncil in January. Some initial impressions:
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The commission took an interesting tack, offering a color-coded "scoresheet" of issue areas to try to sum up commissioners' feeling on each issue
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Not a lot of positives: TIF assumptions, mixed use, street grid, VCU involvement, minority goals all get "green" coding for generally supported by the commission (though TIF by a 5-4 vote) 3/
