So we get into Tazerville today and find this...

Thanks for reprinting my letter to the WCT. Sorry you chose to go on the attack rather than to discuss my proposal seriously. You may remember that Measure T would have taxed Chevron $8 million. Somehow you find that objectionable. Why not use some of the oil company's inflated profits (over $5 bn last quarter alone) to help the poor out of poverty. We can teach them skills which could help our city lower its green house gases, decrease pollution and lower the heating and electrical bills of all of us. The world's leading scientists have told us that lowering green house gas emissions is absolutely necessary to avoid global catastrophe. What's the Tazer's suggestion for reducing Richmond's poverty, gun violence and green house gases. Why not use your blog for serious discussion of how to solve our troubling problems.
Respectfully, Jeff Ritterman

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Dear Dr. R,

We appreciate you stopping by, but back to our first question: Since when is it the business of the city of Richmond to use tax money to teach home improvement to children? See, we don't consider that an attack; we consider it a very serious question about the role of governance and taxation.

Getting Richmond into the commercial enterprise of solar energy equipment installation/home improvement training does NOT sound like the sort of thing the city ought to be doing with tax money. However, using the city's employment programs to feed established contractors with apprentice trainees DOES. Solar Richmond ought to know any number of installers that could invest the time, money, and effort to help recruit, select, and train the interested. Richmond wouldn't have to waste resources on any new office department(s) or makework programs, the businesses get the humanpower they need, and energy-saving enhancements are being performed.

We remember Measure T very clearly. It was voted down, and we're honestly not terribly displeased by that result. If you believe that Chevron or other Richmond businesses are making undue profit from their endeavors, then the referendum process allows for Measure T (or similar) to be submitted and voted on again. We just don't see collecting $8 million from Chevron as very productive other than to collect $8 million. Of course, we must keep in mind that the City of Richmond isn't very thrifty with the taxes it already collects. Thus, we question the invention of a purpose for tax money to justify said tax.

As for any suggestions we have for the City of Richmond, the Tazer's primary mission has been to light a fire under the City of Richmond to get a grip on violent crime. Reducing poverty by promoting business growth and employment, engaging at-risk youth with recreation programs and job opportunities, strongly prosecuting criminal firearm misuse, and avidly supporting RPD efforts are just a few of the basic things that we would encourage city officials to do.

Our secondary mission has been to light a fire under the City of Richmond when their behavior fails to be in accord with effective governance, especially when it comes to getting that grip on violent crime. If elected officials act in ways that are counterproductive, it should be reported, critiqued, and (hopefully) corrected. For instance, if the City of Richmond were to collect $8 million from Chevron, we'd like to think that it wouldn't fall into the same hole that ate up about $35 million previously and saw cuts in services like public safety.

In short, we publish what we think based on what we're observing, first for therapeutic and cathartic complaining purposes, but also for serious discussion and the hope that the situation will be righted. Richmond's a great place, which is why we live here. But then it also has problems, which is why we want to see things get better. Just because you and we disagree on how that should be done, you shouldn't construe that as an attack. We just disagree.

Thank you for your response,
The Richmond Truth Tazer