The Campus Bay/Zeneca Site: Does the State Process Guarantee Safe Cleanup? Assemblywoman Loni Hancock, The Environmental & Toxic Materials Committee Assemblyman John Laird, Chair & The Select Committee on Environmental Justice Assemblywoman Cindy Monta"ez,...

Prop. 1A is an initiative on the November ballot that would prevent the state legislature from taking and using local tax dollars that are currently go to local governments to provide essential services. The state has taken more than $40 billion from local governments...

I am voting YES on Measure CC, a parcel tax of only $12/yr for homeowners and $8.28/yr for apartment dwellers in western Contra Costa and Alameda Counties, i.e. west of the Berkeley Hills in the cities running from El Sobrante, San Pablo and Richmond to Oakland and...

Today, a citizen asked me: "Mr. Butt, where can I find the city ordinances online or otherwise? I am most concerned with loitering, loud house and car music, cars parked on lawns and overloading of trash bins at apartments. I would like to know who to call or write to...

The Richmond Environmental Defense Fund is an organization that will enable you to put your political power and your money where your mouth is. All are invited to the Annual Meeting, especially those who may be interested in joining or participating in the coming...

One of the highest priorities of the City Council"s financial recovery plan was to regain control of skyrocketing employee medical insurance and retirement contribution costs. After months of negotiations and weeks of mediation facilitated by Micki Callahan, Division...

The information in an earlier E-Forum today "CITY AND UNIONS IN LANDMARK AGREEMENT" was unofficial and premature. Contrary to any statement or discussions in the E-Forum or otherwise the City has made no official announcement regarding the status of negotiations with...

The Richmond Neighborhood Coordinating Council, which represents 32 Richmond neighborhood councils, adopted and communicated to the City Council the following positions in the September 2004 RNCC monthly meeting: Reinstate the Rental Unit Inspection Ordinance (The...

Here are some interesting facts about homicides and crimes of violence in Richmond. First, the good news: All part 1 crime (homicide. rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, theft, auto burglary, auto theft, arson) are down more than 13% over last year. Violent...

The West County Times posted its City Council endorsements today, recommending a clean sweep of incumbents and filling the five vacant positions with newcomers. This is the second time in a row the Times has skipped over me. In the 2001 mayoral election, the Times...

Today"s West County Times reported candidates" fund raising totals through September 30, 2004. One other report is due later in October, and then candidates are required to file special reports for any large sums received just prior to the election. As usual,...

Interim City Attorney Everett Jenkins" request for City Council approval of $50,000 to hire a contract attorney who has already been working for over a week was rejected last night by a unanimous vote, and Jenkins was requested to provide the City Council with...

Marin Independent Journal Richmond casino project has few fans in Marin By Richard Halstead IJ reporter Monday, October 11, 2004 - Increased traffic cited as officials' main concern Marin officials are concerned that a sprawling Indian casino and multi-hotel resort...

Wonder whatever happed to so and so? Former Richmond Finance Director (and Assistant City Manager) Anna Vega, whom some credit for contributing to Richmond"s financial collapse, is now city manager of Greenfield, California. Located in the heart of the California's...

For more than 20 years, after my brothers and I were in school, my mother worked as a librarian in the Fayetteville, Arkansas, Public Library. She was the reference librarian, committed to finding whatever information anybody needed about anything. I remember in the...

Berkeley Daily Planet, October 8, 2004 Richmond Delays Pt. Molate Deal: By RICHARD BRENNEMAN Confronted by too many unresolved questions, the Richmond City Council Tuesday delayed a vote on the sale of Point Molate until they can get more answers. The two would-be...

A number of E-Forum subscribers have asked me for recommendations for candidates to vote for in the upcoming City Council election. My response is that I am unable to do so because I have not yet made up my own mind who to vote for. The best advice I can give to any...

Needing additional information from both ChevronTexaco and Upstream, the Richmond City Council postponed a decision on which proposal, if either, to accept for the sale of Point Molate. Regarding the motion to censure me, no one owned up to placing the matter on the...

censure_resolution.pdf Interim City Attorney Everett Jenkins has apparently reassigned his most productive assistant city attorney shortly after she was publicly recognized in a West County Times article for her exceptional work in code enforcement and abatement....

Pt._Molate_Telephone_Survey_Results_10-5-04.pdf