Mayor to submit an ordinance to council proposing $6.2 million for Cost of Living Increase for Richmond retirees, the first in a decade Mayor also proposes $1 million in investments for community centers and two ADA accessibility projects to improve access to the James River and riverfront parks Thanks to increased tax revenues above projections, improvements in tax collection, and savings from efficiencies in departmental operations, the City of Richmond is projected to end Fiscal Year 2019 with an estimated $15 million surplus. Mayor Levar M. Stoney today announced he will propose an ordinance at the September 9th meeting of the Richmond City Council to dedicate $6.2 million of the surplus to fund a 1% increase in the Cost of Living Adjustment paid to city retirees – the first such increase paid to former city employees in more than a decade. The proposal makes good on the mayor’s commitment to use budgeted surplus funds to provide a retirement boost to city retiree...

"The Virginia General Assembly already has all the evidence it needs to reach the conclusion most Virginians reached years ago. We need action on commonsense gun safety laws, not more deliberation by the Virginia Crime Commission. The epidemic of gun violence and the role Virginia's lax laws play in the proliferation of and access to firearms by those who should not have them will continue unabated until our lawmakers make the commitment to act on behalf of their constituents -- not the gun lobby -- and propose commonsense laws to protect the people they were elected to serve. In the City of Richmond, 40 people have been shot and six killed since the day the Republican leadership in the General Assembly turned a special session called by the governor after the tragedy in Virginia Beach into a dismissive charade, spending all of 90 minutes before adjourning without discussing one of the 60 gun violence reform bills before them. Instead, they punted the issue to the Vi...

The city administration today formally introduced ordinances memorializing the proposed negotiated agreement with the Navy Hill Development Corporation to revitalize downtown Richmond , create economic opportunity, and provide necessary funding for the city’s priorities, including education, housing, and neighborhoods. Also introduced was a resolution outlining the Mayor’s funding priorities for the estimated $1 billion in surplus revenue to be generated by the proposed project. The legislation, which will be officially posted to the Richmond City Clerk’s Legistar page, can also be found at the following link on the city website: http://www.richmondgov.com/Mayor/downtown.aspx The documents being released today include the following: ·       The ordinance binder package, which includes the legal documents, the OR Request, and the Fiscal Impact Statement ·       The Original Proposal from NHDC ·    ...

Mayor Levar M. Stoney today announced that the city administration has completed negotiations with The NH District Corporation (NHDC) on a transformational, economic development plan to revitalize downtown Richmond and dramatically increase the city’s capacity to fund education, housing, transit, streets and neighborhoods for generations to come. The plan, subject to the approval of Richmond City Council, will be submitted in the form of ordinances and supporting legal documents introduced at a special meeting of the council to be held on Monday, August 5. “The ordinances we will deliver to the city council on Monday propose a responsible and inclusive opportunity to grow our economy by creating a thriving city center and community,” said Mayor Stoney. “The agreement we have negotiated ensures that the Navy Hill development project will create thousands of jobs, hundreds of affordable housing units, job-training opportunities, new revenue, and world-class amenities for...

The Metro Rankings Report published by Business Facilities Magazine ranks the City of Richmond and its metro area fourth in economic growth potential for mid-sized cities, second in corporate leadership, and seventh in attracting millennials. The report, conducted annually by the staff of Business Facilities, ranks metro areas on a series of relevant economic development indicators ranging from gross domestic product and cost of living to startup viability and “Millennial magnet” status. The Richmond region’s top 10 rankings in three categories come on the heels of an announcement that Amazon will locate a new fulfillment center in South Richmond creating 150 jobs and news that Richmond-based CoStar would add 100 additional jobs to the city. “This acknowledgment from Business Facilities Magazine recognizes Richmond’s strong potential for economic growth, an energized corporate climate, and the desirability of our reliable and diverse job market,” said Mayor Stoney. ...

Mayor Levar M. Stoney today announced the appointment of Jason Carangelo as Commissioner of Buildings for the City of Richmond. A registered architect and LEED accredited professional, Carangelo brings 20 years of professional experience to Richmond. In his previous position, Carangelo served as the building inspections administrator for the City of Savannah’s Development Services Department, managing a building construction investment portfolio of over $4 billion. In his new role, Carangelo will oversee administration of the city’s Permitting and Inspections Division as well as the Division of Code Enforcement. Over the last two years, the city’s Permitting and Inspections Division has experienced a 100% increase in permit applications, illustrating the substantial development interest and investment in the city.  The new commissioner   will now report directly to Sharon Ebert, DCAO for Economic and Community Development, reflecting the commitment to focus on the...

Mayor Stoney celebrated National Summer Learning Week by spotlighting the Richmond Public Schools’ first class of YMCA Power Scholars and proclaiming July 11, 2019 as Summer Learning Day in the City of Richmond. The nationally-implemented Power Scholars Academy, provided by the YMCA of Greater Richmond with curriculum designed by BellXcel, augments traditional summer school with academic enrichment, field trips, mentorship, and family engagement activities.   Over 2,500 students across Virginia will participate in Power Scholars Academy this summer. This summer, all RPS elementary and middle summer school sites are participating in Power Scholars Academy. Richmond’s program is the largest site in the nation with over 1,000 students currently enrolled. “With so many of our RPS scholars enrolled, Richmond is leading the way in summer learning,” said Mayor Stoney. “We have willing and able partners in the city; this is what happens when we bring them together.”   ...