As the City moves to elect a new Strong Mayor in November, it is crucial that citizens remain informed about where this City had been, where we are today, and where we are heading.

I have long stated that my tenure as Mayor has been about righting the course of our ship and then turning over the voyage to someone who is best qualified to continue moving Richmond forward.

Oliver Wendell Holmes once said: "To reach a port we must sail, sometimes with the wind, and sometimes against it. But we must not drift or lie at anchor."
 
It is no secret that just a few years ago, Richmond was adrift with many problems. The City had high crime, a prosecutor with a historically low conviction rate, a declining population, corrupt government, and a blind eye toward the future.
 
Today, however, we have begun to address and solve those problems and build a better City, despite some people's attempts to make you think nothing was ever wrong. 

In the decade before the switch to a Strong Mayor government, the City saw an official steal $1 million from the City Manager’s office, a string of prison sentences were handed to City Council representatives, and luxuriant severance packages were given to outgoing officials who presided over these “accomplishments.”

I have not been afraid to take on topics and personalities in our local government that, for years, ran things blindly and ignored the need for improvements. I have been forthright in my desire to root out waste and corruption. 

I stand firmly on the ground that the blatant and continued abuses that took place in preceding years, are not and will not occur under my leadership. While all of the holes have not yet been filled, the ones that were sinking the boat have been plugged and patched.  

A Safer Community

Crime today is on the run in Richmond with no place to hide. We have the lowest crime rate in 26 years; conviction rates, once in the 40% range under old leadership, have more than doubled to over 80%; we have no police vacancies, unlike surrounding counties; and before 2005, Richmond never had a dedicated homicide unit!!

In a recent U.S. Conference of Mayors study of 124 cities (excluding Richmond), 42% of those cities were seeing double digit increases in every major crime category. Nearly half of those cities stated they were facing financial and staffing shortages. Here in Richmond, the results are the complete opposite. A city once tarred with a bad crime reputation is now a shining example for others across the country.

The City is working much harder than at anytime in the past 30 years to expand opportunities for minority businesses and entrepreneurs in economically challenged areas.

The number of “prime” minority contractors, who have contracts totaling $100,000 or more with the City each year, has grown 800% since 2005.

- In 2004, there were 3 minority prime contractors on record.

- In 2008, there are 27 minority prime contractors, an increase of more than 800%.

- In 2004, there were 75 minority subcontractors doing business with the City.

- In 2008, there are 92 minority subcontractors, an increase of almost 20%.

The City's overall minority participation rate for FY07 was 18.5%. The State's minority participation rate during that period was 2%. We have done more in the last four years to increase minority business participation than during all the administrations of the previous 30 years.

Helping Small Businesses

The City has also vigorously promoted CARE (Commercial Area Revitalization Effort Program) which is designed to revitalize older neighborhood districts, primarily in the City’s low and moderate-income communities.

The City also features three Enterprise Zones that offer real estate tax abatements, employment grants, and other incentives to return vitality to economically challenged areas.

Just in the last two years, nearly 400 CARE incentives worth $28 million of investment and more than 200 Enterprise Zone incentives have jump-started many businesses, created hundreds of new jobs in economically challenged areas and brought more than $22 million of investment to the City.

Cleaning Up Our Neighborhoods

Speaking of revitalizing neighborhoods, the City’s proactive fight against blight has given new life to neighborhoods once written off as incurable nests of crime and poverty.

The City identified 3,400 vacant buildings across our community and in the last two years have increased inspections and code enforcement that has cut that number in half. With a full contingent of inspectors for the first time in memory, property owners are taking greater responsibility for violations and improving properties and neighborhoods.

It is well known that crime and blight go hand in hand, and for years entire neighborhoods were affected and it diminished the health of our entire City. Many areas suffered significant declines in both civic engagement and appearance.

Improving Our Downtown

The City is more engaged in its future than at any other time. Our Department of Community Development has launched a collaborative process with the public to develop the Downtown Master Plan in an unprecedented fashion with enormous public input.

Hundreds of people are engaged in a process to craft a plan that will help guide future development and bring vibrancy to Downtown.

Major economic development gains are strengthening Downtown as well: the new Philip Morris research center, the new MeadWestvaco corporate headquarters, and the restored National Theatre among them.

We also revived dormant plans for the Miller & Rhoads Hotel project (opening Fall of 2008) and the Performing Arts Center (opening Fall of 2009).  

We have heard the voice of outdoor enthusiasts who want to protect the last open stretch of riverfront for public use and create a public marina.

These tracts of land could become one of the crowning jewels in a park system that is already the envy of many other cities and loved by so many of our outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers. Other cities such as Charleston, Louisville and Portland have created incredible riverfront parks.

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The City’s first public marina will feature boat slips to accommodate a variety of watercraft, including dinner cruise ships from the Hampton Roads area. The marina also will promote tourism in Richmond and provide a major economic boost along the James River waterfront east of Downtown.

Let’s not forget the $300 million in “City of the Future” money and how we obtained it.

The bulk of the money comes from expiring tax abatements for over 3,000 properties over the next 15 years. The remainder comes from a portion of the meals tax and other savings and efficiencies.

The money is being spent on building new schools, improving streets and sidewalks, and other infrastructure projects – without requiring a single dollar of tax increases. Without this plan, these long-needed projects would not be funded or completed for years or perhaps decades.

Those who ask “Where is the money? Where is the progress?” represent the old way of doing business in Richmond – recklessly spending money without having a plan in place as well as not being aware of just what is taking place.

These improvements are well underway and more are coming. Money is being spent to renovate City libraries and upgrade their computers. Money is going to Public Works projects such as street and sidewalk improvements.

Anyone can say "throw money at a problem." The City did that for years, yet it never fixed our drainage issues; it never smoothed our streets; it never fixed our schools. 

We are fortunate to have City of the Future funds to improve our community and, as your Mayor, we are planning judiciously and not spending recklessly. 

Yes, Richmond, There Is A Budget

People are always ahead of the politicians, and even though one candidate for Mayor claimed recently the City “does not have a budget,” the people know the City is functioning normally and does indeed have an operating budget. The budget in place became effective July 1 after Council failed to amend their changes properly by the required deadline.

Rather than go to court and pay private lawyers with public funds, Council finally, after six weeks and three meetings with outside attorneys, asked to negotiate some changes to my original budget. I authorized the two sides to do so and negotiations are proceeding.

Put simply, there is no crisis: City bills are being paid, services delivered, and cops are on the beat.

Those who say there is a crisis or that “there is no budget” only want to misinform you and make you believe that the olds days were better. 

It is important to remember that the ship we are all on is headed in the right direction. It is important for citizens to be informed of the real story before selecting the next Captain to continue on our voyage.