Why a Casino in South Richmond is a Terrible Idea Ankle Biter News by The Dogtown Dish - August 5, 2022May 5, 20231 You’re probably already aware that Richmond residents voted down the Urban One Casino proposed for South Richmond in a 2021 referendum. Richmond city council and Mayor Levar Stoney didn’t like that answer and tried to ram through another casino referendum this year despite the will of the voters. However, State Senator
The Proposed Real Estate Tax Hike is Bad Policy Ankle Biter by Michael C. Hild - March 17, 2019March 18, 201928 Every time I hear of someone mention that they bought a piece of land as an investment I cringe. The practice is sometimes referred to as “land banking” and it is destructive behavior that bears no benefit for landlocked cities such as Richmond. In fact, land speculation inhibits investment as
Tax Reform Act Will Obliterate Richmond’s Historic Shell Property Values Ankle Biter by Michael C. Hild - December 16, 2017December 17, 201733 I am surprised by the number of people who are attempting to spin what is going on in Washington DC right now related to the Historic Tax Credit changes proposed by The Tax Reform Act as "not that bad" or "it could be worse". True, an outright elimination of the
Richmond’s Antiquated Off-Street Parking Requirements Are Holding It Back Ankle Biter by Michael C. Hild - June 1, 2017June 2, 201772 Once upon a time, people used to walk, bike, and use streetcars to get where they needed to go in Richmond. Then the automobile changed everything. Folks fled the city for suburban living, while streetcar systems were scrapped. But most suburbanites still worked and shopped downtown, and they needed to
CBS 6 News: “Neighbors irate ‘eyesore’ school costs taxpayers $26K a year to maintain” Ankle Biter by Michael C. Hild - May 7, 2017May 8, 201714 CBS 6 News Problem Solvers just did a story entitled "Neighbors irate ‘eyesore’ school costs taxpayers $26K a year to maintain" about the old abandoned and vacant Oak Grove Elementary school owned by the City of Richmond's Public Schools system. Ironically this is the same vacant school building that the privately run
The Election of Blind Rage Ankle Biter by Michael C. Hild - November 10, 2016November 10, 20169 I feel like I need a rabies shot after witnessing the blind rage shown by candidates and supporters alike during this election cycle. This campaign season was akin to watching a drunken father beat his wife while in front of his children and not having the ability to intervene to stop it. And I am not
RVA Mayor: Anyone Else Want Off This Crazy Train? Ankle Biter by Michael C. Hild - November 5, 2016November 5, 201658 An old friend told me once: "A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words, A Song Is Worth A Million." So I spent my morning looking for images and music that best describe RVA's 2016 Mayoral race. After scouring the web, I kept coming back to various pictures of slow motion train wrecks. These pictures
Jon Baliles-RVA Superhero-Drops Out: Jack & Levar, which of you will step up? Ankle Biter by Michael C. Hild - November 2, 2016November 3, 2016249 Jon Baliles is an RVA superhero. Yes, you heard me. He just put on a weighty necklace of kryptonite and took one for the team. Why? Because that is what it is going to take to save RVA during this Mayoral election. This mere mortal just elevated to superhero stature in our
The Dogtown Dish Mayoral Endorsement Ankle Biter by Michael C. Hild - October 25, 2016October 25, 2016103 Ever since we kicked off our polling for the City of Richmond Mayoral election, we have been solicited for our advice, campaign contributions, and public endorsements related to the race. It’s quite humbling to hear that so many smart folks who we deeply respect actually care what we have to
Meet Donald Moss-6th District City Council Poll Winner Ankle Biter by Michael C. Hild - July 15, 2016August 1, 201653 Donald Moss has won the Dogtown Dish's 6th District City Council Poll in convincing fashion. In fact, he won two thirds of the votes. That's pretty impressive for a newcomer to the Richmond political scene. I recently sat down with Donald for coffee in order to get to know him. We had not met
VOTE NOW: Ellen Robertson or Donald Moss for City Council? Ankle Biter by Michael C. Hild - July 9, 2016July 9, 201616 We are about to have an important election this year. Not only does Richmond elect a Mayor, but we elect a new City Council. With great success, we recently ran our Dogtown Dish Mayoral Poll. Now comes City Council...the 6th District specifically. And if you don't already know, THE 6TH DISTRICT IS MANCHESTER'S CITY
Meet Levar Stoney: A Mayoral Contender Ankle Biter by Michael C. Hild - July 7, 2016July 7, 201668 If you followed our Dogtown Dish Mayor's Poll, you already know Levar Stoney had a very strong showing. I recently sat down for coffee with him. Having not met Levar before, the meeting provided an opportunity for me to hear his story. Levar also agreed to answer a list of questions as a follow
City Council Rubber Stamps City’s Half Million Dollar Giveaway Ankle Biter by Michael C. Hild - June 29, 2016June 29, 201645 So Mayor Jones and City Council just gave away 14 tax delinquent, blighted properties it recently seized as reported by The Richmond Times-Dispatch. Break out the noisemakers and party balloons, right? Way to go City, fix those blighted properties!!! Well actually...this is just the latest example of another fraud scheme by the City that cost
Meet Jack Berry: Dogtown Dish Mayor Poll Winner Weighs in on Manchester Ankle Biter by Michael C. Hild - June 18, 2016June 18, 201645 I sat down with the hotly contested Dogtown Dish Mayor Poll winner-Jack Berry. This was my first meeting with Jack, as I had never met him before. I asked him a handful of questions. Some are about Manchester and others are about RVA in general. We are approaching a big decision for a
Manchester Neighborhood Plan Implementation Grade: F Ankle Biter by Michael C. Hild - June 12, 2016June 12, 201662 The City of Richmond adopted a Neighborhood Plan for Old Manchester in 1996 as part of the City's Master Plan. The strategic plan was intended to be a blueprint for the City that would set forth the revitalization of Manchester, yet be flexible enough to allow adaptation as the area developed. The plan explicitly called
City Shafts Taxpayers Again by Giving Away City Owned Property to Friends and Family Ankle Biter by Michael C. Hild - June 2, 2016June 3, 2016106 In other cities corrupt acts by elected officials and their staff is called graft, larceny, embezzlement, fraud, or cronyism. And these folks go to jail for this type of behavior. In Richmond however, the City bureaucracy has grown so emboldened they don't even blush anymore when committing the most egregious acts.
Update: No Funding for Hull Street Revitalization, But Council Votes to Fund Traffic Calming Ankle Biter by Michael C. Hild - May 3, 2016May 3, 20169 At Monday's marathon City Council meeting, City Council voted down the amendment that would have removed funding for the traffic calming project for Manchester (and all other sections of the City). They did not however, appropriate any funding for the Hull Street Revitalization project. This is two years in a row
City Council Proposes to Eliminate Funding for Manchester Revitalization Ankle Biter by Michael C. Hild - April 23, 2016April 23, 2016105 Richmond is in the midst of an artistic, educational, entrepreneurial, culinary, and cultural renaissance. Manchester is a critically important emerging neighborhood in Richmond's revitalization. Manchester's diversity of new housing opportunities has attracted an equally-as-diverse group of new residents, artists, entrepreneurs, and businesses. We are dreamers, makers, and doers in Manchester...and we have a relentlessly
Jack Berry: Winner of Mayor Poll Resigns from Venture Richmond Ankle Biter by Michael C. Hild - March 25, 2016March 25, 201624 Jack Berry, winner of the Dogtown Dish Mayor Poll announced his resignation from Venture Richmond and has hinted at a run for Mayor. If our intuition is correct, his final announcement will be nothing more than a formality. Jack Berry is almost certainly running for Mayor. If you are unfamiliar with Jack Berry, he
Richmond Mayor Poll Final Round: Jack Berry vs. Levar Stoney Ankle Biter by Michael C. Hild - February 29, 2016March 2, 201611 This one's for all the marbles. Jack Berry and Levar Stoney were the top two vote getters in our Richmond Mayor Poll Semifinal Round. Now it's time to select who you would like to be Mayor if forced to pick between only the top two candidates. Let the voting begin!