handle2345 t1_izukt7v wrote
Reply to comment by jason375 in Respectfully RIP Rep Donald McEachin, but Stoney should not be on the shortlist to replace this man by UlruthOldran
Just a quick reminder that none of the other mayoral options were better. Most were much much worse than him.
Alexsis could have been good. But no one else in either year he ran.
I know everyone hates on him, but being the mayor of Richmond is a really hard job, and it doesn't attract super strong candidates.
Edit: in fact, it attracts some terrible candidates like Joe Morrisey, Kim Gray, Justin Griffin. All folks who would have been 10x worse than Stoney.
sleevieb t1_izuzln0 wrote
Baliles
Antique-Zucchini3250 t1_izx9qtf wrote
100% stable, boring, and perfectly competent. A total dream.
Charlesinrichmond t1_izxhd57 wrote
stable boring and competent for Richmond Mayor? I can only get so excited.
handle2345 t1_izv8ewf wrote
Why did he drop out again?
hdoublephoto t1_izwv1wl wrote
Balilies was better by a lot.
handle2345 t1_izwx882 wrote
Right but he quit the campaign to avoid getting joe Morrissey in there. Basically he was acknowledging he wasn’t electable.
Finding good electable candidates is really really hard
hdoublephoto t1_izwxdeg wrote
He wasn’t electable based on the field and the moment. And it certainly doesn’t mean he wouldn’t have been the better choice.
Mr_Kittlesworth t1_izuvwap wrote
Exactly.
And that’s before you also think about what a clown show the city council is. Imagine any significant thing needing to include a majority there.
dalhectar t1_izwifph wrote
The system & environment makes every candidate an awful mayor that fails to meet the expectations of the public.
Everyone on this sub will hate the next mayor once they are in office for a few years and the honeymoon period goes away.
On the plus side because people hate the past mayor so much the honeymoon period lasts a lot longer than for President or Governor. But just like every other elected mayor the City's ever had everyone will end up hating the new mayor.
Professional_Book912 t1_izxye87 wrote
I'll bite. What has Stoney fixed in Richmond?
dalhectar t1_izy3mri wrote
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Budget comes in on time.
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Construction Permits get issued faster.
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3 new schools to replace aging and decrepit facilities.
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New bike network doesn't rely on sharrows & other Vision Zero changes.
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New zoning to promote density.
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Works well with Karmas at RPS. Education Compact between City Government & RPS has lead to more cooperation vs confrontation between the 2 parties vs the past.
People say they want a "nuts & bolts" mayor but fail to realize how utterly boring "nuts & bolts" is. "Nuts & bolts" isn't going to fix homelessness, transform the sewer underneath our feet away from a CSO, nor crime, nor clean the river, nor a socio-economic education achievement gap. People's issues with local government far outstrip the capacity a Dillon Rule state gives localities power to achieve. Not to mention Richmond has a history and 60 years of hollowing out a city largely by forces outside that city’s control cannot be undone in 15.
End of the day I think Stoney is only an average mayor. I mean better than the other elected mayors Jones & Wilder but that's really not saying much.
Professional_Book912 t1_izy4thh wrote
Budget on time? You mean the CAFR? That is a report they should be getting in on time anyway.
Really? Andreas Addison had an article not to long ago about how long the process takes. What sped up?
Ah yes, the aging infrastructure that has to be replaced. He didn't make that happen. It is a necessity. Otherwise we should thank him for updating the fire station too. (even more appropriate since SCHOOLS gets funding and is part of the problem)
Venture Richmond led the bike lane charge. It would have happened regardless of the city leadership.
New zoning - you are crediting the mayor with the work of one department.
I think what people want when they say nuts and bolts is someone to come fix the fucking city. There is no mandated time keeping programs, no mandated time off procedures. They are constantly fighting with our partners, like Schools and the Ambo Authority.
I would prefer a mayor that is a leader, and knows how to hire leaders. Right now we are a city of islands doing their own thing. We will never solve the other problems when we can't function as a city.
dalhectar t1_izyao25 wrote
They weren't done on time under Jones.
> Permits that sometimes languished in queues awaiting processing for 50 to 55 days at the start of 2022 have been rolling out after an average wait of one to three days since the summer.
On schools look at the timeframe that RPS has for George Wythe and compare that to Stoney's three. He did 3 schools in 5 years vs RPS deciding to do 1 school in 8.
Venture Richmond doesn't run DPW. Neither them nor Bike/Walk RVA does the road redesigns that dieted car kanes into dedicated bike paths. The City of Richmond did. Local government did that, not an advocacy organization. In my work we have to operate differently as a result of Vision Zero to better accommodate pedestrians at construction sites. Before, no one at City Hall cared if we did anything concerning accomondating pedestrians, now we are held to a higher standard, and that likely saved lives at some of our high profile projects. We don't take orders from Venture Richmond, we take them from the City and their requirements changed.
The Master Plan to which we get zoning that came from it literally involved multiple departments. And the zoning only happens as a result of decisions that City Council & the Mayor decide upon.
We have less fighting now between RPS administration & Stoney vs RPS & Jones or RPS & Wilder. Where we have fights now is the Richmond For All cohort on the School Board vs all else whether internally in School Board or outside the school board.
[deleted] t1_izv77yk wrote
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silly8s t1_izwkotn wrote
Considering Richmond's past mayors, Stoney is above average. Granted, that is not saying a lot. However, this sub (and just every social media site) will hate anyone who does the job. It's just more fun to complain.
jason375 t1_izv5g8a wrote
We shouldn’t settle for a bad candidate just because the alternatives are worse. We should be pushing good people to run and calling out the bullshit of the bad ones.
handle2345 t1_izv8bno wrote
I mean if it’s a losing job then no one is going to do well.
And being mayor of Richmond just has too many constraints (plus in order to get elected you have to promised things that are not realistic)
Baby_Beluga t1_izwlbaq wrote
Lol wut? Baliles, Berry, Morrisey?
Prestigious_Laugh300 t1_izwe2vd wrote
Kim Gray was fine, she just was a moderate so the city hated her thinking was too close to republican
Charlesinrichmond t1_izxh8j1 wrote
she's not even a moderate. She's a normal black woman democrat. The loonies just were triggered by that.
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