Mayoral and City Council candidates debate economic vitality at Hilltop Mall
on September 25, 2014
On Saturday, Richmond mayoral and city council candidates debated plans over how to spur economic vitality at Hilltop Mall. Click through the photo gallery to see what they had to say.
1 Comments
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Regarding Hilltop Mall. I live in Richmond and I have been shopping at Hilltop twice in 10 years. The first was to exchange a remote at Sears. It was bar none, the worst shopping experience I’ve ever had. The employees had no idea what to do and were totally unprofessional. I walked through the mall to check it out and I had never heard of lots of the stores, it was empty and dark and unwelcoming. The second visit was to Party City. During my short visit, there was a sketchy guy following people around and there was a car break in.
My point is, why would I go out of my way to shop there if it is scummy and unwelcoming with totally unprofessional people running the stores? Furthermore, I wouldn’t leave my teenage daughter there if I can barely stand being there, which is really a shame because I have fond memories of being able to go to the mall with my friends.
With regard to the council scaring business away with infighting, etc., Jovanka is totally correct. Mr. Boozé’s behavior is egregious. He sets a standard that lowers the bar rather than raising it and demonstrating professional and ethical behavior that his constituents can mimic.
As a resident of Richmond, I have considered leaving because of people like him who clearly don’t have a moral compass. The clincher was his attempt to cut abatement given his bias. Chevron is another huge reason to leave. With the cost they put into this election, other elections, the cost of the fliers they stuff my mailbox with, the money they shell out to appeal so they don’t have to pay the city or that they want back from the city…this money could have been better spent on infrastructure, schools, helping those in need, abating violence, health, and alternative energy sources for the city. We could love Chevron for making Richmond a great place to live, but instead, we just look out at the horizon at the dirty haze and wish they were gone.