Changes to Mayor’s Budget
RTD is listing some changes to the Mayor’s budget.The article has zero details, just a list of increases and decreases. Although all the changes have an affect since we live in the city I pulled out some that I thought we’re more Hills and Heights specific. The article is here.
Increases
$100,000 – James River Park personnel
$60,000 – Maymont
$85,500 – Bon Air Library
Decreases
$10,000 – South Richmond Adult Day Care Services
$230,000 – police operations
$30,000 – parks and recreation contracts
$500,000 – tax relief for elderly and disabled
Any word on leaf collection next year? Word on the street is they’ll do away with it.
And does that huge decrease in tax relief for the elderly mean that Mayor Jones agrees with former Mayor Wilder in terms of trying to drive old folk out of the city?
Wasn’t the discontinuation of the partnership/relationship between Richmond Public Library and Chesterfield County – Bon Air Library supposed to save us money (100K) rather than cost us money?
Wouldn’t Richmond City budget money be better spent on Richmond City libraries?
Sequentially: (I’ll screw this up)
DPW budget called for one leaf collection, CVouncil is proposing to add money for a second.
Tax Relief for Elderly: Last year, the actually spending was a little less than $3 million. The original proposal would have been for $4M, but council, in looking at the actual expenhditures, reduced it. No controversy between mayor and council. Council restored money for main library to keep it open 6 days a week, and restored funding for the Bon Air library contract for six months to allow city and county to work out new contract. The Bon Air Library is “our” library for people who live in the western part of the Fourth District.
I was at the city council meeting tonight. You can find my thoughts on the subject here: http://www.southsiderichmond.org/2009/05/richmond-city-budget-cuts-incur-frustration/#more-409
You should see the latest round, approved over the objections of a couple of members. Cut police, cut schools, add list of Christmas tree ornaments like the Family Resource Center, something called SOLE, another “study” of Shockoe Bottom.