Economy
Richmond’s regressive and indiscriminate sugar tax promises a bitter outcome for our most underserved residents and struggling businesses.
The proposed tax is extraordinarily broad, impacting much more than the high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) sweetened sodas suspected of causing much of the nation’s obesity
On Monday and Tuesday Saffron Strand, a Point Richmond non-profit focused on helping the homeless find meaningful employment and achieve economic independence, hosted its third annual conference to generate ideas about how to end homelessness. Topics included health care, housing, transitional employment and the hiring of ex-offenders.
Councilmember Tom Butt got the ball rolling when he suggested an amendment for council consideration with regards to accepting and disclosing money, which says that a councilmember who receives more than $250 from a business or individual cannot vote on what that business or individual asks for during future council votes.
Bagging groceries, flipping pizzas and sitting by the public pool as a lifeguard used to be the ultimate jobs for young people. But with funding from Kaiser Permanente, five motivated teenagers from Richmond’s Police Activities League (RPAL) will skip the chump change and start their own business.
On Saturday night a handful of Richmond and Bay Area residents gathered near the steps of the Civic Center Plaza for an overnight vigil to show concern about homelessness, what many in the group call a social justice and human right’s issue. Guest speakers gave inspirational speeches, and before it got too dark everyone shared a light meal and conversations of hope. When the cold wind and nightfall overtook them, 13 people sat in a circle, lit a candle and…
A 30-acre area of unincorporated North Richmond is not eligible for a casino, representatives from the U.S. Department of the Interior announced today. The Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians had sought to build a large casino on a 30-acre slice of land in North Richmond near Parr Boulevard on the Richmond Parkway. But according to a department press release, Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Donald “Del” Laverdure determined that the tribe’s application does not qualify for gaming because the…
Like many construction contractors, Willie McGary was hit hard by the real estate meltdown a few years ago. “The jobs dried up, and then the competition became overwhelming for what was left,” McGary said. What was left in the West Contra Costa County area were mostly public sector projects, and the qualification process for bids left small independent contractors like McGary overwhelmed. “It’s a whole new world,” McGary said. It was this reality that prompted the West Contra Costa Unified…
A version of this story first appeared in the Contra Costa Times Richmond leaders hope to reduce consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages in the city, and they want voters to approve a fee on local businesses’ sales of those products. The city council on Tuesday will consider placing a measure on the November 6 ballot asking voters to approve an ordinance imposing a business license fee of one cent per ounce of sugar-sweetened beverages sold businesses within the city. Grocery stores,…
North Richmond is a unique Bay Area community poised for growth and investment in the coming years. But it’s also saddled with a history of decades of poverty and violence, and a jaded outlook toward political leaders and outside forces. How well the tiny community of about 4,000 residents can reconcile those clashing realities could determine the future, according to a report produced by UC Berkeley graduate students. “This is part of a process of building institutional linkages between this…