RICHMOND — The upcoming Nov. 8 election will lastly assign a consultant for every of Richmond’s six districts, offering a voice to handle homelessness, public security and financial prosperity in every nook of town.
Richmond has been phasing in district elections. At current, three council members characterize Districts 1, 5 and 6, whereas the opposite three, who're all terming out, have been elected citywide.
Council members referred to as the Richmond Progressive Alliance (RPA) have held onto a political majority for the previous eight years, prioritizing insurance policies which have pushed, partly, inexperienced improvement, reasonably priced housing, non-police sources and company taxation. However this bloc has created a powerful division amongst residents, a lot of who really feel metropolis officers have didn't adequately handle the wants of companies and group members struggling to reside, keep protected and thrive in Richmond.
Because the homeless inhabitants grows, police ranks dwindle and companies are threatening to go away city, every of the 11 candidates working for workplace defined how they plan to both work to carry extra collaboration to the desk regardless of political variations, or embody a “bulldog” method and shift who makes selections on the Metropolis Council.
Listed below are the 11 candidates:
MAYOR
Metropolis Councilmember Nathaniel Bates holds the title of “oldest elected public official in a metropolis of greater than 100,000 individuals,” however that hasn’t stopped him from working for an additional 4 years as Richmond’s mayor. The 91-year-old says his expertise is what units him other than his opponents.
He desires to reinvigorate funding for the Richmond Police Division to handle problematic sideshows, extreme dashing and catalytic converter theft. Bates additionally desires to reassess town’s present taxation. He stated Measure U, which was accepted by voters in 2020, put an excessive amount of monetary burden on native companies, resembling automobile dealerships and shops, to fund metropolis companies. If sharp tax will increase aren’t mitigated, he fears house owners will relocate, hurting Richmond and residents’ entry to jobs.
Shawn Dunning is the “outsider” who desires to carry peace again to town’s marathon-long council conferences. Working as a battle decision marketing consultant for greater than 20 years, he stated he felt compelled to supply his abilities to assist collaborate with skilled enter, hearken to all stakeholders and funky tensions on the council, which have stalled important improvement and policing selections.
Dunning proudly says his platform of priorities was formed instantly by residents’ suggestions; he campaigned, partly, by working on each metropolis avenue — twice — and speaking to 1000's of voters to gauge their considerations. Dunning helps bringing extra funding again into the police division in addition to pursuing non-law enforcement responders.
Metropolis Councilmember Eduardo Martinez hopes to proceed voting on insurance policies he says assist working households afford to remain residing in Richmond, lower environmental emissions and air pollution, and guarantee public security with out inflating police rosters to account for greater than half of metropolis price range bills.
After serving eight years on the council as a member of the RPA, Martinez says he hears companies’ considerations about sharp will increase to tax charges, however he says these taxes are important to assist fund metropolis initiatives. He says he thinks threats of leaving town are bluffs by companies attempting to retain as a lot revenue as doable.
Mark Wassberg, who lives in his truck in El Sobrante however collects his mail in Richmond, sees America because the land of alternative the place even “poor, unknown” individuals can run for public workplace. The retired auto mechanic and former Chevron worker stated he would work to reverse a number of of the RPA’s selections if elected, primarily by signing govt orders to extend the variety of law enforcement officials to be harder on crime and break up homeless encampments which were “welcomed” throughout Richmond.
DISTRICT 2
Andrew Butt was born and raised in Richmond, the place he works as an architect and has served as a planning commissioner, president of the Level Richmond Enterprise Affiliation and a former metropolis Design Assessment Board member. Butt, the son of outgoing Mayor Tom Butt, says he desires to disrupt the RPA’s majority on the council and deal with town’s blighted streets, homeless encampments, public security considerations and financial improvement.
However whereas he touts information of previous initiatives and current points throughout Richmond, his temperament and social media posts have drawn consideration, the place he has shared identifiable footage of homeless individuals defecating on metropolis sidewalks and overtly taunted and argued with constituents. But, he stated that he would be capable of cordially work together with his colleagues, saying that these posts are merely a part of Richmond’s “bare-knuckle” politics.
Cesar Zepeda, a West County Wastewater District director, is campaigning to restart District 2 into an financial engine, a hub of reasonably priced housing and a more healthy bodily atmosphere. Along with being president and founding father of the Hilltop District’s Owners & Stakeholders Affiliation and neighborhood council, Zepeda stated he understands the group’s struggles and is ready to join with a variety of individuals, because of his time working with the GRIP homeless useful resource middle, Rainbow Delight committee and the Contra Costa Neighborhood Faculty Basis.
Regardless of not being an RPA member, Zepeda agrees with the coalition’s acknowledged targets of accelerating reasonably priced housing, prioritizing fiscal accountability and growing Level Molate into an open area — hoping to reap the benefits of state funding, minimize town’s losses combating costly years-long lawsuits and protect the shoreline.
DISTRICT 3
Oscar Garcia is an environmental engineer, group police evaluate commissioner and member of the Iron Triangle Neighborhood Council.
Hoping to characterize and “give again” to the group the place he was born and raised, he stated he hopes to efficiently construct again belief with police and craft options to decreasing town’s homeless inhabitants. Garcia additionally desires to spark extra financial and academic alternatives for Richmond’s youth, which he thinks might ease public security considerations and enhance stability, particularly in a district predominantly made up of individuals of shade.
Doria Robinson is a third-generation resident of Richmond’s southside. She says her expertise directing a multi-million greenback group group that serves a whole lot of residents has geared up her with the talents to carry a way of collaboration to the Metropolis Council, particularly when tackling points resembling reasonably priced housing and public security.
Robinson, who says she isn't an RPA member however embraces progressive insurance policies, would prioritize data-based selections if elected. Concerning scorching button points like public security, she stated she would look to analysis to determine whether or not crime charges are correlated to an elevated police presence, moderately than different non-law enforcement options.
Corky Boozé, a former trainer, businessman and Metropolis Council member, stated a number of companies and residents on the southside requested him to return to Metropolis Corridor. Whereas individuals both “love or hate” his type of politics – a historical past outlined by provocative diatribes, bodily scuffles and a tenacious loyalty to the Black group – he stated he's the individual to get the job carried out on the often-divided council.
If elected, Boozé hopes to revitalize District 3’s open areas, colleges and police pressure, in addition to push by way of massive improvement initiatives that may reap revenues for all of Richmond.
DISTRICT 4
Soheila Bana has lived in Richmond for 25 years. Citing a report of management and a historical past of public service working as an engineer, stated she would attempt to join the District 4 group — bodily and figuratively. She stated she has the talents essential to carry authorities leaders and residents collectively to craft artistic options that profit the most individuals, whether or not serving to police improve small enterprise house owners’ security measures or tapping regional hearth departments to maintain evacuation routes clear.
Frightened District 4 has been uncared for, Bana stated she desires to not solely present a voice for her neighbors, but in addition join Richmond’s various group by pushing previous town’s historical past of slate politics.
Jamin Pursell first skilled Richmond politics eight years in the past, after becoming a member of the RPA to fight anti-LGBTQ sentiments throughout town, however the small enterprise proprietor’s involvement ultimately flowed over into neighborhood councils, metropolis planning and zoning boards, and native Delight efforts. Pursell desires to carry recent blood into Richmond Metropolis Corridor, particularly at a time when District 4 will get a devoted voice to handle its points, from highway upkeep to wildfire prevention.
Pursell believes his expertise assembly individuals the place they're behind the scenes, moderately than main group organizations, will join with Richmond voters. However as an alternative of attempting to revive Richmond to its successes as within the “outdated days,” he desires to fulfill the wants of now, resembling reasonably priced housing for all ages and attracting new companies.