Sept. 13 Newsletter: Rising assessments prompt tax rate debate
Today is Friday, Sept. 13
Weather: Occasional clouds, high of 82.
On this date in 1975, a citizen committee recommended that plans for the new Lee Bridge include pedestrian access to Belle Isle.
As home values rise again, Trammell proposes lowering Richmond’s property tax rate
It’s not clear whether Richmond has a serious chance of lowering real estate taxes any time soon. But City Councilor Reva Trammell (8th District) says now’s the time to talk about it.
If approved, her 4-cent reduction could save the average homeowner around $150 on their tax bill in 2025, based on the average home value of $366,163. It would cost the city government roughly $16 million in foregone tax revenue, Graham Moomaw reports.
“When you cut the real estate tax rate you are also essentially signing on to cut services," Mayor Levar Stoney said. Other city officials noted that an across-the-board cut would disproportionally deliver relief to those who own the most expensive properties.
Exclusive: Top skill game company putting new machines in Richmond area despite attempted ban
Pace-O-Matic, one of the biggest skill game companies in Virginia, has created a new version of its slots-like machines that it says can be operated legally despite the state’s ban on skill games, according to a company memo obtained by The Richmonder.
Three of the new Queen of Virginia machines were in operation Thursday at a sports bar in Henrico County, a sign the machines are already returning to the Richmond region, writes Graham Moomaw.
Nick Larson, a spokesman for the anti-skill game group Virginians Against Neighborhood Slot Machines, called the move “an act of sheer desperation.”
Read more, including why the company believes the machines are legal
Michael Taylor walked away from fashion success. Now he's back with a new perspective.
Michael Taylor’s name is synonymous with Richmond fashion royalty. With a career spanning over four decades, Ashley Jefferson writes that Taylor has dressed some of the city's most prominent figures.
But in 2011, after decades of success, Taylor’s life took an unexpected turn when he was called to ministry.
Read more, including details on his new line and downtown studio
Speed cameras at two Richmond schools have produced over 14,000 citations since November
Richmond isn’t alone in the flood of citations. Across Virginia, local governments have clocked hundreds of thousands of drivers speeding on school zone cameras.
Mayor Levar Stoney said Wednesday he believes the General Assembly should further expand the power it gives to local governments to use technology to enforce speed limits.
“This is part of the culture change right here,” he said.
A spokesperson for the mayor said data shows Richmond’s cameras are slowing drivers down: As of July 8, they said, the average number of tickets being issued had declined from 176 per day at the start of the program to 76 per day.
Read more from Sarah Vogelsong, including the hours the cameras are operational
It's time to harvest the pawpaw, Richmond's unofficial fruit
In late summer, the trails along the James River are chock full of a native fruit unknown to many Richmonders: the pawpaw. For those in the know, Hazel Hoffman writes, a certain scent is often the first sign of pawpaw season.
“It'll start to smell like a distillery out here a little bit,” said Josh Bearman.
Don't go looking for them at the grocery store, though - their shelf life is measured in hours, not days.
Read more, and learn up on the pawpaw plant
On Parenting: Choosing to see optimism in clear backpacks
This year, Richmond Public Schools is mandating a clear backpack for all students, regardless of age.
Parenting correspondent Sheena Jeffers shared her mixed emotions on the policy.
"I am encouraged that our children are learning, quite literally, that transparency leads to healthier spaces," she wrote. "I am optimistic this will create a generation of children who move through the world with an elevated conscious care of themselves and others around them."
VCU Police will set up a checkpoint Friday night in Monroe Park
Officers will check driver's licenses and motor vehicle registrations on the university’s Monroe Park Campus.
The checkpoint will operate from 10 p.m. until 2 a.m. in the 700 block of West Main Street.
In other news...
- About 50 Richmond residents congregated Wednesday night at Dogwood Middle School to hear a panel of transit, housing and planning experts discuss the future of the city’s zoning rules (VPM)
- Community members voice concerns about construction, growth in Westhampton (NBC 12)
- Two church congregations in Henrico County are searching for a new place to worship after a fire damaged their building and left a massive hole in the roof. (ABC8)
- Where to find Friday the 13th tattoo specials in Richmond (Axios)
The editor's desk
What a whirlwind of a first week! We've been thrilled to welcome hundreds of new subscribers. We believe it's important to provide news and information to every Richmonder, regardless of their ability to pay.
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It was a thrill for me to host the inaugural Chesterfield Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony last night, honoring some of the region's greatest athletes. I was also excited to taste a pawpaw after reading Hazel Hoffman's story. It was like a banana and avocado combined forces, with the sweetness of mango. This should be a beautiful weekend on the river - maybe I'll go find another.
We'll be back in your inbox on Monday. See you then!
