Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Pantele should step-down as Council head due to growing budget mess, law suit threat.

Goldman for Mayor - 22 July 2008 - For Immediate Release - Contact, 804-833-6313


"Wilder-led City Hall and the Pantele-McQuinn led Council have pushed Richmond into growing budget mess by putting their personal political agendas ahead of the public interest"

"The latest law suit threat shows that Bill fails to realize that given the anti-Wilder platform of his candidacy for Mayor, it is not in the public interest from him to remain as the head of the City Council, it mires this whole mess in mayoral election politics."


(Richmond) - Paul Goldman, candidate for Mayor, said today that the latest law suit threat from City Council shows that "it doesn't serve the public interest, nor help resolve our growing budget mess, for Bill Pantele to stay as head of the Council while he tries to get elected Mayor on an anti-Wilder platform."

"The fact is that both the Wilder-led City Hall and the Pantele-McQuinn led Council have pushed Richmond into a growing budget mess - the threat of yet another pricey law suit just their latest excuse to spend money the city can't afford - by putting their own personal political agendas ahead of the public interest."

In a statement, Goldman continued:

"While this latest threat of yet another feuding lawsuit may (1) serve Mr. Pantele's mayoral campaign strategy to be seen as the anti-Wilder candidate, and (2) Ms. McQuinn's campaign strategy to become the next Council President, it does not serve the public interest, quite the opposite.

As I have shown repeatedly, if all sides were serious about putting the public interest first, this latest political feud could be resolved without a pricey, political law suit that gets political candidates free campaign publicity at the expense of the public."

All it takes is leadership that puts the people, not the politicians, first.

Moreover, this latest chapter in Richmond's longest running political soap opera only diverts attention from the long-term fiscal issue: namely, the fiscal irresponsibility of both City Hall and City Council, which together have created a bloated budget that has given us the most expensive city hall in the state, the most expensive city council in the state, the most expensive school bureaucracy in the state, in point of fact a total city budget that wastes not only tens of millions but has become a far-too costly and growing burden on more and more residents.

We can not move Richmond forward by being (1) the most expensive city bureaucracy in the state: and being (2) last private sector job creation as the Kaine Administration shockingly found in it's study of the state's cities."

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Friday, July 18, 2008

2001 VA column gets recognized nationally even if is considered invisible by state leaders in 2008

With the upcoming 2008 memorial dedication at the State Capitol, the leading 2001 article that has been declared invisible and never read here in Virginia by government leaders [even though a version of it also appeared on the top website covering state government and it was discussed openly] at least gets recognition nationally.

INCOMPLETE HISTORY CAPITOL SQUARE ISN'T TRUE REFLECTION OF VIRGINIA'S PAST
[FINAL Edition]

Daily Press - Newport News, Va.
Author: PAUL GOLDMAN Special to the Daily Press
Date: Aug 19, 2001
Start Page: I.1
Section: OUTLOOK
Text Word Count: 852

Abstract (Document Summary)
Gov. Gilmore and his administration concede our state capitol grounds will be the center of attention for hundreds of thousands of new tourists and the world media. Unfortunately, our governor and his fellow politicians appear to only see this event in terms of the money, estimated in the tens of millions, it will cost to repair and refurbish the Capitol Square grounds and facilities. Admittedly, Jefferson's Capitol, home to the oldest legislature in the new world and the governor's office, needs immediate and expensive maintenance.

All the new construction materials will not hide the obvious: there is not a single statue on the Capitol Square featuring an African-American or a female Virginian. The last new statue erected on the grounds was the likeness of Harry F. Byrd, the foremost segregationist in Virginia political history.

Staff photos (color) by BUDDY NORRIS; No statues on Richmond's Capitol grounds represent African- Americans or women. Those honored include Thomas J. Jackson, left, for his service as a soldier and patriot, Hunter Holmes McGuire, center, a civil and military surgeon, teacher and writer and William Smith, governor of Virginia in the mid-1800s. The newest statue on the state Capitol grounds is of harry Byrd. It faces the monument to George Washinton and the Capitol building. Staff photo (b&w) by BUDDY NORRIS Workers reconstruct walkways around the Capitol this week.

Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Style Magazine features Goldman blog quotes

Style Weekly [from the current edition]



July 16, 2008

Quotable Goldman

Snippets from Paul Goldman’s ceaseless e-mail blogs.
by Scott Bass

June 7, 2008

“Who let the dogs out!” … The Big Dogs — Grey, Jones and Pantele — and the big special interest power-brokers behind them are ready to chew up Richmond, get control of all that public money and patronage they covert … unless they are stopped by that little underdog, the one person not controlled by any special interest, “little Goldie” the guy who actually did all the hard work (big dogs are too big to do grunt work). …

“Who let the big dogs out?” indeed.

Woof, woof.



April 27, 2007

Off With Goldman’s Head! You can never find Maximilien François Marie Isidore de Robespierre [when] you need a man these days.

Shakespeare said, “The Law is an Ass.”

Take the Prisoner to the Tower!

If Goldman will not agree to the divorcee between the City and the Elected Mayor law, then cut off his head.



May 29, 2008

Surely, it is a sad day for Richmond when a City Councilman examines this area of government policy and believes it reasonable to conclude that existing city government policy actually results in a net loss of trees.



Feb. 22, 2008

So yes, I would be a Green Mayor.

Monday, July 14, 2008

Mayor Wilder should be embarrassed by the misleading "newsletter" sent out by his Administration

Goldman for Mayor - 14 July 2008 - For Immediate Release - Contact, 804-833-6313


Goldman says "at least this candidate for Mayor wants an honest, positive campaign, not more of the same kind of divisive politics that has so badly hurt Richmond starting with Fiasco Friday and continuing today."

"The time has come for the Wilder Administration to stop using public money, this time in their so-called "Visions Newsletter", to build a negative attack-case against a candidate for Mayor, in part by purposely failing to give the people all the relevant facts."

(Richmond) - Paul Goldman, candidate for Mayor, released the following statement today regarding the latest version of Mayor Wilder's so-called "newsletter" produced and paid-for with public money:

" The Wilder Administration's so-called "Visions Newsletter" purposely fails to reveal a key fact in another tax-payer funded negative attack on a candidate for Mayor, although this attack was not by name, nor was it the only substance."

We read today in the so-called "Visions" newsletter the following, written and published using public dollars:

" In 1995, they [the public] voted 2-1 in favor of change to have the Mayor elected at-large and this proposal had the full support of Council, but it was stopped cold in the General Assembly by a former Richmond Mayor who substituted his own voice for the people's voice...

Why did the politicians repeatedly try to prevent change when the people so clearly called for it? Fortunately, the people knew that a change in government was essential to the future of Richmond. "


But this so-called "newsletter" purposely omits a pertinent newsworthy fact: Doug Wilder himself worked to block what the "people so clearly called for." That's right: What the Mayor now concedes was so vital to Richmond, what the Mayor now concedes was the basic fundamental democratic reform needed to get a Rodney Monroe to become Police Chief, he worked to make sure was "stopped cold in the General Assembly." Indeed, he has never been shy about discussing his role behind the scenes in that regard.

"You [the people] were patient in 1995 when narrow interests suppressed your voice to directly elect the Mayor" declares the newsletter at any other point.

Yet it was Doug Wilder who was one of those "narrow interests" that "suppressed" the voice of the people!

Do the writers of this missive have such a low opinion of the press and public that they feel we have no interest in a fair discussion of the facts?

In terms of this attack on Mr. Jones, the so-called "newsletter" attacks him for what they claim he did or didn't do relative to the 2003 referendum.

I see no reason to repeat this attack here.

But I do see a reason to remind the Mayor and others about why some of us took the lead position in doing all the real grunt work to make the Elected Mayor law a reality.

The Elected Mayor change was not only an effort at structural improvement, it was also an effort to move Richmond past the old politics of division. As the leader of the petition drive and the Referendum campaign, I said repeatedly it was not possible to build a new Richmond on the old, discredited, divisive politics.

Sadly, those writing the Wilder Administration's so-called "newsletter" either took no part in making all this historic change a reality, or have no real appreciation for how to move Richmond forward."

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Mayor Wilder's Administration misreads the City Charter

Goldman for Mayor - 9 July 20009 - For Immediate Release

Mayor Wilder's Administration misreads the City Charter

Statement by the Mayor yesterday that the "City Charter states that the Mayor’s budget stands, and he can submit amendments at any time to adjust the budget as necessary" is legally incorrect.
(Richmond) - Paul Goldman, candidate for Mayor and author of the Elected Mayor law said today that "my friend Mayor Wilder is wrong in his interpretation of what he is obligated to do under the Elected Mayor law charter revisions if indeed his budget is, as he claims, the operative one for FY 2009."

"Assuming, for purposes of discussion, that the Wilder Administration wants to be taken seriously in this debate, then surely they can not have it both ways."

"As I pointed out earlier, Charter Section 6.16 imposes a specific and mandatory legal duty on the Mayor if his budget is the operative one and if he is going to keep the Council-passed tax rate." Charter section 6.16 reads:

6.16. Amendments after adoption.

..(c) If at any time during the fiscal year it appears probable to the Mayor that the revenue or fund balances available will be insufficient to finance the expenditures for which appropriations have been authorized, the Mayor shall report to the city council without delay, indicating the estimated amount of the deficit, any remedial action taken by the Mayor and recommendations as to any other steps to be taken. The council shall then take such further action as it deems necessary to prevent or reduce any deficit, and for that purpose it may by ordinance reduce one or more appropriations. [Emphasis added].

In a statement, Goldman continued:

"Since the Mayor has admitted that his budget, the one he says is the operative one, is out of balance and thus is a deficit budget requiring $ 6 million in cuts, then 6.16 applies immediately and imposes a clear legal obligation on the Mayor.

To date, the Mayor has not fulfilled this obligation."

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Goldman opposes proposed increases in state taxes on auto/consumer spending/housing sectors as bad economic policy given current realities

Goldman for Mayor - 9 July 08- For Immediate Release - Contact, 804-833-6313


Goldman opposes raising General Assembly proposals to raise taxes on auto industry, consumer spending as BAD ECONOMIC POLICY for Richmond and the Metro area right now.

"The job of Mayor is non-partisan and requires taking unpopular stands. So today I have to tell my fellow Democrats in the House of Delegates to the General Assembly that the working families and business owners of Richmond can not afford the tax increases being proposed on automobile sales and on consumer spending in our area."

(Richmond) - Paul Goldman, candidate for Mayor, said today that " Richmonder's live in the real world, and so must those elected to represent them. To be a leader, one has to be willing to do the unpopular thing if that is in the public interest. And while I respect my fellow Democrats in the General Assembly, the Mayor of Richmond is a non-partisan job."

"Yes, we have transportation issues to address both at the state and local levels. But there is a greater reality right now facing the people of Richmond and the Metro area: working families, and business owners, are facing an economic squeeze and moreover, there are several key components of our economic base under special pressure, such as the automobile sector."

" Unfortunately, there is no turnaround in the forseeable future. In case the members of the General Assembly have not been paying attention, car sales are falling, more than they have for many, many years."

"Recently, a leading banking and brokerage firm - that is to say among those such firms still left standing amid the Wall Street carnage - said it was possible General Motors might have to declare bankruptcy! GM stock is at it's lowest point since the Eisenhower Administration.

" As the new car industry goes, so goes the dominoes down the line, to the auto dealers, the auto repair sector and so on, with tens of thousands of jobs, and related business owners at risk."

"Bottom line: Regardless of where you may have studied economics, it is bad economic policy to raise taxes - that is to say increase government-mandated costs - on sectors during these kinds of contractions."

"Accordingly, I oppose such increases and urge Richmond legislators, Democrats and Republicans, to do the same.

"As for the housing tax increase being proposed for Northern Virginia, this is not related to the job of Mayor of Richmond. However, let me say that if the General Assembly tried to impose such an increased tax on our area, I would strongly oppose it, as once again, those who live in the real world know the economic squeeze facing the housing industry right now.

"And until the housing sector turns, the economy can not make a full recovery."

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

"The Day of No Women Need Apply" for Monument Avenue must end.

Goldman for Mayor - 1 July 2008 - For Immediate Release - Contract, 804-833-6313


Goldman says it is time for Richmond to enter the 21st century.

Proposes first-ever monument on Monument Avenue to honor the great historic achievements of the women of Richmond.

(Richmond) - "With all due respect for my friends at the Richmond Times Dispatch" said candidate Goldman, " the monument to the contributions of women I have proposed for Monument Avenue, and discussed in today's newspaper, was aimed at honoring the historic achievements of the women of Richmond, as clearly stated in the plan I announced on June 10th."

Below is a copy of the press release from that date.


Goldman for Mayor - 10 June 2008 - For Immediate Release

Jefferson Davis Statute Proposal Highlights Historic Void

"What we need on is Monument on Monument Avenue that honors the contributions of the women of Richmond whose achievements have been too long overlooked"

(Richmond) - Paul Goldman, candidate for Mayor, said that "what is needed in Richmond is a monument on Monument Avenue to the contributions and achievements of the city's many historic women."

"Today's story about another proposed Statute of Jefferson Davis, this time at the Tredegar Iron Works, highlights this historic void" Goldman added.

In a statement, he continued:

"The Tredegar Iron Works doesn't fall under the jurisdiction of the next Mayor and so unless asked, I don't think it is my place as a candidate for Mayor to be commenting on the news story unrelated to the election at hand.

But with the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th amendment in the not too distant future, I do think it appropriate for a candidate for Mayor -given today's story - to point out that it highlights the need to fill what is surely a self-evident void, that is to say the lack of a monument on Monument Avenue to the contributions and achievements of Richmond's many historic women.

All the monuments are dedicated to men.

The time is long past that we had one dedicated to the many remarkable women of one of the most historic cities in America.

If given the honor to serve as Mayor, I will make it one of my priorities to set in motion a process for having such a monument constructed for dedication on Monument Avenue in time for the 1920 celebration of the 19th amendment to our Constitution."

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