Well, this one has been bubbling for a while…but the Coliseum vs. Schools debate is about to rise to a new level. What? You say you don’t know what I am writing about? Click here for a quick refresher course.

Yesterday’s headlines made it pretty clear that Tom Farrell and VCU are going to play hard ball to make sure that their coliseum scheme comes first-

VCU Cancels University-wide Spring Commencement Ceremony

I was going to write a whole bit explaining this, but let’s allow Paul Goldman to do it:

Earth to RVA citizens: Why do think VCU is being denied use of the current Coliseum in May/2019 despite having used it for commencements since 1970’s? HINT: The Stoney/Farrell plan to use $500 million in PUBLIC RVA CITY money to build and finance a new Coliseum that will NOT be to owned by the city calls for demolishing the current Coliseum in March/2019! FACT: Farrell’s team is going around Richmond promising no-bid contracts to politically connected individuals if they will lobby the Council to ram thru this fiscally irresponsible Coliseum without giving RVA taxpayers a fair chance to weigh in. That’s why my citizen group is circulating the “Choose Children over Costly Coliseum” petition so you can sign it and put to Special Election vote as called for in the City Charter. Sign the petition! It’s your only way to truly be heard.

In other words, this is the ol’ fait accompli thing -“citizens can’t stop this new plan, it’s already been decided and in the works“…………. WRONG!

We can still make sure that the City of Richmond PUTS SCHOOLS FIRST! Before the coliseum. Before any other giant corporate welfare project.

What Goldman is referring to is his new City referendum effort to establish by law that the City has to put money from certain types of financing towards SCHOOLS FIRST. It will not be on the ballot this Election Day, but referendum supporters will be collecting signatures for a petition to get the new referendum on the ballot in 2019. It’s going to be interesting to see if a good coalition of grassroots can come together like the last time. Goldman is looking for more poll volunteers and donations for this new campaign.

And by the way, speaking of last time, that original PUT SCHOOLS FIRST referendum became law this year. Tick tock, Mayor Stoney, City Council, School Board. Citizens want to see a real school modernization plan come together before the end of the year- if the Education Compact can’t do it, then figure it on your own. Relying on increasing state funding only goes so far, when there is plenty of corporate welfare that should be cut anyway. Don’t be scared this Halloween, it’s time to lead and PUT SCHOOLS FIRST.