Appoint Or Anoint?; Dust Off and Implement; Have You Seen My $100 Million?; Questions for Inquiry; More 30-Year Giveaways.

RVA 5x5 - November 18, 2023

No algorithms. No content filters. Honest and insightful analysis from Richmond, VA.

This week check out our five stories on:

• An upcoming vote on replacing departing Councilman Mike Jones — will Council anoint or appoint the next citizen representative for the 9th District?

• The casino is gone but the debate over how to help Soutshide continues. Too bad it has been easier to complain and ignore a revitalization plan that has been collecting dust on the shelf.

• Another trip down the rabbit hole that was VCU Health’s disastrous real estate deal and the mysteriously missing $100 million….

• The VCU Health deal details will be coming to light with a formal investigation in 2024 — some of the things they may uncover will certainly be eye-popping.

• The Mayor and Council sign off on two more 30-year real estate tax giveaways to developers for “affordable housing” while another developer announces their own project that will pay full freight in taxes over the same 30-year period.
  

STORY #1 — Appoint Or Anoint?
City Council will be facing an important decision in a few weeks to fill the vacancy that will be created when Council President Mike Jones of the 9th District leaves to be worn in as a Delegate in the General Assembly. Unfortunately, it seems as though Jones wants to personally select his own replacement instead of following the tradition of Council to fill the vacancy with someone who is not interested in using the appointed role to translate into an electoral advantage come Election Day.

There is nothing illegal about what Jones is doing, but modeling your legislative body after Chicago or Tammany Hall or the Byrd Machine where the officeholders are selected instead of elected is not a good model to emulate. The Richmond Free Press reported two weeks ago and this week that Mike Jones will seek to appoint School Board member Nicole Jones (no relation) to serve on the Council as the 9th District representative even though she has said she will seek election to the seat next November for a full four-year term.

Councilman Jones announced his resignation from Council on November 9, two days after he won his uncontested election, with effective date of December 31. Originally, Jones was expected to resign his post within days after his election, but now Jones wants to have a hand in that debate and the selection and will stay on Council so he can vote for his successor where it is reported he already has four other Council members that will vote to approve his personal choice.

The Free Press noted two weeks ago that current Councilman Jones said, “I am backing her because I think she would do a wonderful job for the people of this district. I don’t believe there is anyone more qualified.” He is certainly free to share his opinion with his soon-to-be former colleagues, but should he lobby for his choice and vote on it?

The Free Press confirmed this week that some on Council are not comfortable with appointing someone who has already expressed their desire to run in the next election because it would give the appointed incumbent an electoral advantage.

An anonymous aide told the Free Press, “Council has tried to avoid doing that and has mostly sought to fill vacancies with people who are willing only to serve until voters can elect their choice for a new council member.”