Richmond Citizens $45, VCU Nothing?

Hopefully there will be more coverage of the City’s budget process soon, but from what I heard at this morning’s meeting at the Main Street Library, the City’s new stormwater utility fee will cost Richmond homeowners about $45 each more every year, while VCU, as state property, will be exempt. Hopefully, I am wrong about this, but I am afraid that is what is coming down the pike. Keep in mind that under the current system, VCU already pays a much smaller rate for water use than Richmond citizens, who pay what is possibly the highest minimum water rate in the country. There are still a lot of questions as to what commercial property owners will be charge for stormwater vs. residential, and what developer property vs. undeveloped means.

As I have said before, I am not against a stormwater utility fee, as long as it is fairly applied and it goes towards actually preventing stormwater runoff problems in the City. The Public Utility is at least starting to dress the new entity more green, and they deserve some credit for that.

To find out more about the situation, citizens may want to attend City Council’s Finance Standing Committee Budget Work Session, Wednesday, April 8, from 2 to 5 pm in Council Chambers at City Hall.

There is a lot more going on with the City budget as more economic devastation comes to bear and I urge citizens to get involved.

4 thoughts on “Richmond Citizens $45, VCU Nothing?

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