Government
Measure N was defeated in Tuesday’s election with an overwhelming two-thirds of voters saying no to the one-cent-per-ounce tax on sugar-sweetened beverages. Of the roughly 25,000 votes cast, more than 16,000 went against the measure. Championed by the Richmond Progressive Alliance, the proposed tax attracted national media attention, and drew the ire of local pro-business groups and the national soda industry, which spent more than $2.6 million to defeat the measure. A victory would have made Richmond the first city…
Richmond residents erupted into gleeful cheers as they watched CNN call three states in a row for President Barack Obama, before finally handing him the presidency. “Four more years! Four more years!” chanted people watching the results at Salute restaurant, throwing their fists into the air, hugging, and crying before toasting their champagne glasses. Anxiety turned into relief as Iowa a swing state, was called for the president. “I was biting my nails – I was too scared to watch…
It’s Election Day in Richmond, and our reporters are sending dispatches from around the city. Check back here for the latest news, election results, and live coverage from candidates’ headquarters. And let us know what’s happening near you: post to our Facebook page, or tweet @riconfidential or use #voterc2012 on Twitter or Instagram.
It’s Election Day in Richmond — and the only place safe from the constant barrage of campaign advertisements are the polls. Today Richmond joins the nation in deciding who will run the country for the next four years, but voters will also consider the fate of local issues that have garnered national attention, from the City Council to Measure N. Voters have been trickling into polling stations, like the one at Booker T Anderson Community Center on 47th Street, which…
On the eve of the election, seniors from the Richmond High School Health Academy debated the merits of Measure N, a controversial tax on the city ballot that would levy a one-cent-per-ounce fee on sugar-sweetened beverages. About 150 people—including Councilmember Jeff Ritterman, who crafted the measure, listened to the arguments from the 12 students, who had spent the last four weeks developing their positions on the issue. Richmond Academy students debate: Yes or No on Measure N? The idea to…
Take your pick: naïve anarchists, or corporate puppets. This is the face of Richmond’s hotly contested race for three council seats in the November 2012 election, at least going by the massive billboards and glossy mailers that have dominated the campaign season in this city of 100,000 residents. The majority of candidates running for council in Tuesday’s election are qualified and sincere public servants, but, on both sides, campaigns have created a parallel universe of never-ending caricatures, spending nearly $4…
An interactive explanation to statewide props!
The fight to end sex and labor exploitation in California may affect Richmond differently than other cities — because in Richmond trafficking takes place on the streets and not in fields or sweatshops. Proposition 35 calls for expanding the definition of human trafficking, increasing penalties and protecting victims. Supporters see it as a step forward in deterring traffickers and defending victims, and opponents see it as a step backward for sex workers and taxpayers. As in other urban communities, human…
When California citizens vote next week on Proposition 34, they could be holding the life of accused murderer Nathaniel Burris in their hands. Prosecutors have said they will seek the death penalty against Burris, whose high-profile trial for a 2009 double-homicide at the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge started in Martinez this week. Prop 34, which would abolish capital punishment in California, would remove that option. If Prop 34 passes, the 725 people on California’s death row – the largest in the…