Posts Tagged ‘Tom Butt’
As vacant property tax vote nears, residents debate effectiveness
Richmond residents will vote in November on a vacant property tax that could raise $5 million in revenue for homeless services and code enforcement. While almost everyone agrees that homelessness and blight are major issues facing the city, there’s a debate over whether taxing property owners is the most effective way to address the problem.
Read MoreJudge rules on Point Molate development; housing to be built, but no casino
After almost eight years of grinding litigation that has brought proposals to develop Richmond’s controversial Point Molate area to a halt, the city and the developer who sued it over a plan to build a casino have finally reached a settlement. This means 13 years of political fighting since Richmond officially acquired the 270-acre parcel…
Read MoreSustainable design competition seeks to abate Bay Area climate disasters
The Home Team, a collaboration of design firms and community organizations, is working on a proposal to reduce the risk of rising sea levels in Richmond. The project is part of the Resilient by Design challenge, a 10-team competition to create the best model for addressing climate disasters in the Bay Area.
Read MoreRichmond mayor expresses concern about county’s faulty warning system in the wake of the Sims fire
Richmond’s mayor Tom Butt claims the county’s community warning system did not work correctly.
Read MoreVacant, Neglected, Destructive: How Richmond’s abandoned homes became fire hazards
After sitting vacant and neglected for almost a decade, 662 Fourth St., a home in the Iron Triangle, burst into flames. The blaze, which neighbors say was started by trespassers, lead to the destruction of three homes. According to public records and interviews with city officials, Richmond doesn’t have the budget or staffing to fully mitigate the risks posed by vacant homes.
Read MoreRichmond council takes first steps to make North Richmond part of the city after 60 years of independence
Richmond City Council voted Tuesday to start the process of annexing North Richmond after 60 years of being unincorporated. However, questions still remain about what North Richmond residents truly want.
Read MoreMayor aims to dissolve Richmond’s low-income-housing agency, but critics call plan ‘simplistic’ and ‘reckless’
Mayor Tom Butt proposes a resolution to disband the Richmond Housing Authority (RHA), responsible for operating much of Richmond’s public housing.
Read MoreMayor holds off rent board appointment
Richmond city council was scheduled to vote on appointing a five-member rent board, but Mayor Tom Butt removed the item from the agenda.
Read MoreRichmond City Council calls for Trump impeachment probe
Richmond is on the record as the first city in the United States to call for an investigation into whether President Donald Trump’s business dealings are creating a conflict of interest for him in his new role of president.
Read MoreMayor paints rosy picture of Richmond in State of the City address
Richmond Mayor Tom Butt delivered his annual State of the City address to a crowd of about 50 people Tuesday night, and though it wasn’t quite as upbeat as Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf’s recent “Moonshot” address, he did seem to have plenty of good news for the city.
Read MoreEast Bay businesses and politicians react to new state minimum wage
Today in Los Angeles, Governor Jerry Brown signed off on a new minimum wage bill that will make California the state with the highest in the country at $15 an hour by 2022. The bill cleared the state legislature last Thursday.
Read MoreRichmond event honors veterans on Veterans Day
Advocates for veterans held a resource fair Wednesday in Richmond, arguing that the men and women who served their country sometimes aren’t being given the services they need to resume civilian life.
Read MoreDistrict elections proposal heads to city, aims to give neighborhoods a voice
A push to change the way City Council members are elected appears to have resurfaced in Richmond. If successful, the initiative would draw six new districts in the city, each with an elected representative.
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