Photo by Charles Pool
Expecting rain tomorrow and Friday, but Halloween weekend should be dry. Due to rising pandemic infections locally, nationally, and around the world, the All The Saints Halloween parade has been cancelled this year and, while not banned, trick-or-treating is discouraged.
Message from City Hall:
DEADLINE IS THIS WEEK – City Offering Contactless Pick Up of Application and Recertification Materials for the Extended Tax Relief for the Elderly and Disabled Program through Wednesday, October 28th, 2020
In response to the continuing COVID-19 Epidemic which disproportionately threatens Richmond’s more vulnerable populations, the City of Richmond’s Department of Finance is offering curbside contactless document pickup for new applicants and those recertifying for the Tax Relief for the Elderly and Disabled Program. We understand that COVID-19 represents very real barriers to participation with regards to transportation and public health. Continuing and new participants in the program are encouraged to call (804) 646-6015 to arrange for curbside document pickup.
It is the goal of the City of Richmond to include as many eligible participants in this program as possible. To that effect, contactless pick up has been paired with an extension to the application and recertification period through Friday, October 30th. Contactless curbside pickup will be available through Wednesday, October 28th.
Links for all application, recertification, and informational materials can be found using the link below:http://www.richmondgov.com/Finance/index.aspx
Tax Relief for the Elderly & Disabled Application and Information
Tax Relief for the Elderly & Disabled – Recertification Form
Tax Relief – Authorization Form – 3rd Party or Consent
Tax Relief Brochure
If you have any questions about the program, your eligibility, or wish to arrange for contactless curbside pickup, please call (804) 646-6015 or e-mail us at taxrelief@richmondgov.com as soon as possible.
With national and international concerns rising over surges in COVID-19 cases, the annual All The Saints Halloween Parade has officially been cancelled by organizers.
While disappointed, most if not all the Oregon Hill neighbors seem to appreciate and understand the decision.
Dear Delegate Carr and Councilperson Lynch,
As you both are well aware, the City of Richmond will hopefully be electing a new Mayor in a few short weeks. You both probably also know that, ultimately, candidates vying to be Richmond’s Mayor need to win a plurality of the vote in at least five of the city’s nine city council districts. Should no candidate have achieved that feat on November 3rd – something considered a distinct possibility considering the numerous serious candidates left in the race – a second round vote between the top two city-wide vote earners is to take place (with the same requirement of winning a majority of the city’s districts). In addition to discord, a run-off election could prove very costly financially to the City.
On April 10, 2020, Governor Northam signed HB 1103. This Act amended the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 24.2-673.1, relating to using ranked choice voting (RCV) in local elections. The Act stipulates that elections of members of a county board of supervisors or a city council may be conducted by ranked choice voting pursuant to this section. The decision to conduct an election by ranked choice voting shall be made, in consultation with the local electoral board and general registrar. The law shall be enacted within the county or city by a majority vote of the board of supervisors or city council that the office being elected serves (or, this being Richmond, is it the General Assembly?). The Act will go into effect on July 1, 2021.
Unfortunately, the Act also stipulates that any costs incurred by the Department of Elections related to changes in technology that are necessary for the implementation of this Act, including changes to technology for receiving the results of elections conducted pursuant to this Act, shall be charged to the localities exercising the option to proceed with ranked choice voting. On behalf of FairVote Virginia, I respectfully request that you both ask the City of Richmond Registrar to provide Richmond City Council and the Virginia General Assembly with an estimate of the costs associated with the implementation of this Act.
After receiving this estimate, City Council, (or, this being Richmond, is it the General Assembly?) will be in a better position to make a decision regarding the implementation of ranked choice voting in future Richmond local elections.
A couple of things that are also on my mind in regard to this matter:
I am closely watching for the findings of a study required by the General Assembly Budget Amendment HB29, which explores replacing VERIS (Virginia Election and Registration Information System.) If VERIS is replaced, the new system chosen must be compatible with RCV ballots. I am hearing the study completion is on target for October reporting, and since RCV has already passed the legislature and has become an option for all localities in 2021…it will be part of the initial requirements!
“It is the intent of the General Assembly that the Department of Elections release a Request for Information in fiscal year 2020 related to the replacement of the Virginia Election and Registration Information System (VERIS). The Department shall provide an update to the Chairs of House Appropriations Committee and the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee on the options and potential costs for replacing VERIS on or before September 1, 2020.”
https://budget.lis.virginia.gov/amendment/2020/1/HB29/Introduced/FA/83/1h/
During the pandemic, ranked choice voting has become a necessary alternative to lengthy assembled run off conventions, RCV was used in both Democratic and Republican Party Conventions this year in Virginia. Most notable, in August, to elect the Republican Party of Virginia’s State Chair. In the second round of tabulation Rich Anderson received 62% of the vote.
In VA10 and VA11 districts, the Republican Party conventions selected candidate for House of Representatives by ranked choice voting. Commentary in an article on thebullelephant.com noted that in the 10th District convention, “was a very well run unassembled convention with everything working as it should have. For most of the day, there were no lines at all, with some short wait times in the early morning when Loudoun county was voting. There were 1600 delegates registered and 1240 showed up to vote, an excellent turnout.”
Arlington County Democratic Party used ranked choice voting to endorse candidates for County Supervisor and School Board.
Also, in Arlington County, there is an initiative underway to implement RCV in local elections.
Regardless, I appreciate any information or attention you can give to my humble request for RIchmond.
Sincerely,
Scott Burger
FairVote Virginia board member and 5th District resident
(FairVote Virginia is a non-partisan, non-profit champion of ranked choice voting. Our members cover the entire political spectrum and come together from across the Commonwealth, united by a shared mission to revive real, representative democracy by enacting and implementing ranked choice voting legislation.)
UPDATE:
Thank you very much for your prompt response.
Sincerely,
Scott
On Oct 26, 2020, at 1:15 PM, Betsy Carr – House of Delegates
Dear Scott,
Thank you for your email. I will forward your request to the Richmond Registrar’s Office. Please keep in mind that since the election is a week away, they may not respond until after their work relating to the election is complete.
HB1103 stipulates that the local governing body (i.e. the City of Richmond’s Council, not the General Assembly) in consultation with the local electoral board and local registrar can decide to implement RCV in their locality.
Additionally, I spoke to House Appropriations staff about the HB29 budget language regarding the report on the replacement of VERIS. Due to COVID-19, budget language was passed that allows for state agencies to defer their reporting in order to prioritize their response to the pandemic. The Department of Elections is one of those agencies that has had to seriously shift their focus in order to ensure that all Virginian voters are able to safely vote. A report is expected around the end of the year.
Please let me know if you have any additional questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Betsy
Thanks to all the volunteers who helped put this new bed in.
This Wednesday is a “Red Wednesday”, which means trash and recycling pickup. Please go over what can be recycled. Ideally, rolling recycling containers are stored and deployed in the back alleys along with trash cans. Please make sure you pick up containers after pickup tomorrow night.
If you have not done so already, don’t forget to sign up for your Recycling Perks.
In order to take your recycling to the next level, read this: 10 ways to improve your recycling.
In recycling news…be careful what you recycle… Warrenton, VA – Landfill workers discover dynamite while sorting recycling
A turkey vulture having squirrel lunch in Oregon Hill. These large birds are a protected species in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
UPDATE: With national and international concerns rising over surges in COVID-19 cases, the annual All The Saints Halloween Parade has officially been cancelled by organizers.
While disappointed, most if not all the Oregon Hill neighbors seem to appreciate and understand the decision.
Message from the All The Saints Theater Company:
The 15th Annual Halloween Parade: “A Funeral March for the Plague of Now!” will take place on Saturday October 31st, All Hallow’s Eve.
This year is a very different year. We take COVID-19 very seriously and urge everyone to take all safety precautions should you decide to join us.
Please read the following to understand how this year will be different!
THIS YEAR’S ROUTE WON’T BE MARCHING THROUGH OREGON HILL.
Please come with your COVID Pod who you are prepared to carry a puppet with or march alongside! MASKS ARE REQUIRED TO PARTICIPATE! We will have masks to spare if you forget yours! If you would like to decorate your car and be at the back of the parade that is allowed as I am picking a route that allows for vehicles.
We are meeting (per usual) at Monroe Park 7pm sharp on 10/31! Due to the nature of this year, in order to keep the people usually on the sidelines out of the equation we are NOT announcing the route until we march, and it will be slightly shorter than our usual route. It is a year to participate, not to be a bystander (in all ways, not just for the parade).
15 ft Plague Doctors, Vultures schlepping the refugees of the Humanity System, the celebratory skeleton puppets, Grandma Elder, the Hawk of Resistance that defeated the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, Black Lives Matter and the Confederacy is Dead Puppets, and King NoOne and his Fascist Empire will be there and they must be defeated this November with the Vote!
Music by members of NoBS as Tyrannis Bass, and many other amazing local musicians!
All the protection from COVID-19, the police state, and the fascist empire to you and your people. Please stay safe.
As always, this parade is in honor of the dead. Thank you.The Puppets Protect,
Lily Lamberta and the All the Saints’ Family.
From Oregon Hill Neighborhood Association President Todd Woodson:
Special thanks to Richmond Love You Block grants, Richmond Toolbank, Oregon Hill Home Improvement Council and Dominion Energy for making this possible. We unloaded six picnic tables and four benches for the kids today.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! Saturday, October 24th at 10am at 1000 Idlewood Ave to prepare the bed for the St Andrews Pollination Station/Education Garden. We have tools- shouldn’t take too long. See you Saturday the 24th! Just bring your mask and water!