Disclaimer: The following is a letter to the editor. It represents their personal views on this issue. RVA Magazine is committed to providing a platform for community voices on important local matters. The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of RVA Magazine, its staff, or affiliates.
Written and image by Ian C. Hess
In a political climate defined by massive budget cuts, slush funds, fraud, and the gutting of national arts funding — even for already approved grants — I try to set that chaos aside. I focus on what I can actually affect, what I can reasonably change.
For me, that’s Richmond — the city I love most. It’s where I’ve put down roots: my friends, my community, my four years at VCU in Painting + Printmaking, my art store SUPPLY, a decade-long career as a painter, and my nonprofit, Little Giant Society — created to build Richmond’s first Public Art Park. I’ve been working on that project for over two and a half years now, essentially acting as a de facto lobbyist.
Richmond has branded itself as an arts city for years — and a public Art Park is exactly the kind of project that puts money where the messaging is. As I ask the city for state and local support, I keep coming back to the same questions: What is our money actually being spent on? How is it being spent? And why does it cost $10,000 to change a light bulb on Broad Street? (Yes, that’s real.)
These things are tangible and quantifiable. They affect everyone in Richmond, every day. How does it feel to walk on our sidewalks? Why is there a 16-building dead zone on one of the city’s main roads? Why weren’t the water filtration systems fixed for years, even after they were flagged as needing repair? There’s a general sense of fiscal corruption — not just palpable, but almost casually accepted as destiny. And for good reason.
Enter The People’s Budget. Its stated purpose is to “help build transparency and trust in government,” according to People’s Budget Commissioner Boz Boschen.
And honestly, I’d love to trust my government. So, here’s a model where people get a say in how our public funds are spent. The Budget sets aside $3 million — real city dollars — to be distributed across Richmond’s nine districts through a democratic process.
I went to the kickoff event on September 10th, 2024, curious to see where their heads were at — their intentions, hopes, dreams, and experience. It seemed promising. I spoke with Matthew Slaats, who did most of the speaking, and with Andreas Addison, who helped create the People’s Budget and was running for mayor at the time.
I don’t doubt the sincerity of those involved. I’m not aware of anyone acting in bad faith. Three million dollars in the hands of the people of Richmond, directly deciding which projects move forward? What’s not to love? Maybe they’d even consider funding the Art Park.
I even applied to volunteer for the program — though I never heard back.
This all comes at a time when Richmond feels especially in flux. Outside investors are descending on the city, and it’s even been called “D.C.’s bedroom.” We recently lost the Canal Mural Walk to the dinking and doinking of pickleball. The beloved bus depot — the site of dozens of Richmond artists’ first-ever murals, mine included — was quickly taken over by new apartments (flat, modern, and colorless, of course).
Ipanema has shuttered. Comfort got blown out. Steady Sounds was cleared out after over a decade in business. Round 2 left after being robbed. Strange Matter remains a hollowed-out shell. And somehow VCU has nearly a billion dollars for new buildings — but not enough to pay teachers.
These are just a few of the recent semi-happenings. The result? World-class talent is fleeing, culture is thinning, rent is climbing, and the gray sludge of distant developers keeps oozing southbound, seeing Richmond as little more than a discounted investment.
We all know — intuitively, instinctively — that our money isn’t being spent well, wisely, or effectively. Mayor Avula recently cut 80% of city-employee Purchasing Cards. For good reason. Reason. Reason..
You could argue that’s why the People’s Budget was created in the first place. After a round of public idea submissions and committee reviews, each district’s list was narrowed to eight or nine proposals. Then Richmonders were asked to vote on them using ranked-choice voting. The final results were posted to Instagram on May 7th, around 10:30 a.m.
I hate to cast a shadow over what should be a celebration… but I can’t shake this feeling. So let’s take a closer look at what this actually amounted to. Here’s the direct source for the results: People’s Budget.
District 1 Total: $175,000
I’ll say, in all honesty, some of these sound good! Community gardens are great and should receive more funding to flourish. Pedestrian safety and another bus stop is nothing to be dismissed — but aren’t these basic functions of what our tax dollars already do? I think a grander point I’m trying to make is: how are these costs so high? $25,000 to install a single water fountain? Also, isn’t pedestrian safety already something that’s covered in the Richmond City Budget in the creation and maintenance of any and all city roads? Why does this need to be voted on through a two-year process? “Hey, please spend money on crosswalks so I don’t die when I cross the street.” That’s $110,000 to “improve pedestrian safety.”
District 2 Total: $170,000
The 2nd District is my own, where I’m at in Jackson Ward, and again I’m blown away by these numbers. $100,000 to plant trees? Are we talking 100,000 tree seeds put in the ground? Grown trees relocated into empty tree wells? From the website:
“This project will plant trees in Jackson Ward, Carver, Newtown West, and Scott’s Addition neighborhoods to combat urban heat islands…”
$25,000 for trash cans? Again, this is a basic city function. It’s why we pay taxes. Why does this need to be voted on? Why do people feel like it needs to be voted on to the point that it outweighs other, perhaps avant-garde or interesting, projects?
District 3 Total: $250,000
The Amazon Jungle is about to get real jealous of Richmond.
District 4 Total: $200,000
We’re 4 Districts deep of 9 Districts now & sidewalk improvement total spending is at $370,000. We are about to have some incredible sidewalks. Might as well be walking around Richmond barefoot in a year.
District 5 Total: $300,000
Okay, make that $620,000 on sidewalks and pedestrian safety. Setting that aside for a second, I think this is where I lost my temper when reviewing the budget findings — and set off a massive red flag. $50,000 on a “study of low visibility intersections.” $50,000. Is anyone, in the year 2025 of our Lord, unsure of what causes low visibility at an intersection? Do we need an expert to say, “That tree is in the way & I can’t see around the corner,” or “When it’s dark at night I can’t see as well”? Does it cost $50,000 to come to these conclusions? Could I become a low visibility expert & start charging $40,000 for my “studies”?
These enormous price tags for seemingly menial things — or expenditures for what is already a paid-for standard by way of living in a city — really start to mount.
District 6 Total: $500,000
At this point in our journey, our total for trees is at $450,000. I’m currently doubting my career as an artist/business owner and beginning to seriously consider arbory.
Again, here’s another language red flag for any budget, in my opinion: a quarter million to “accelerate bus shelter installations & upgrades.” It’s interesting to note that, above, the cost of making an entire bus stop by the Lombardy Kroger is $45,000, and the one by the VMFA in District 1 is $30,000.
We’ve all seen what most of the bus stops look like — a standard metal pole sign planted in the ground that says “No Parking” and “Bus Stop.” Let’s say the cost of digging into the ground, manufacturing the sign, and hiring two people to install it is — I don’t know — $5,000. When does the extra $40,000 come into play?
District 7 Total: $300,000
I’m seeing a few trends here. Bats are dope though.
District 8 Total: $400,000
I don’t want to be overly redundant here.
District 9 Total: $410,000
More sidewalks, trees, & trash cans to top this baby off.
Total Amount Allocated: $2,705,000
Let’s ignore the fact that $295,000 is missing from the allocated funds (let’s say it’s administrative costs) and just round it back to $3 million. It’s like we collectively agreed to buy a car for $3,000,000 — a world-class, state-of-the-art Bugatti.
But through a series of questions, voting, committee actions, feedback, correspondence, orientations, emails, bureaucratic measures — which are then questioned, voted on again, acted upon, re-feedbacked, re-corresponded, re-orientated, re-emailed, and re-measured — we end up with nine Chryslers.
And these aren’t even proper Chryslers. There’s no logo. No wheels. It’s a faded gray color, and the airbag system will be installed at a later date. Oh, and it turns out we already owned a Chrysler. Hop in!
Am I saying planting trees is bad? No. We should have more.
Am I saying sidewalks being repaired is bad? Nope.
Am I saying trash cans being installed in high-traffic areas is bad? Not even a little bit.
Am I saying bats are cool? Absolutely.
Any city should have certain needs fulfilled by its tax money: roads, sidewalks, trash cans, parks, green spaces, police, schools, fire departments, access to clean water, etc. Yet here we are, with a $3 million separate budget where people feel like they need to democratically vote on the funding of basic city needs.
Listed above: $650,000 for planting trees, $870,000 for basic sidewalk repair and maintenance, and $615,000 on bus-related improvements and access. Why does it take $100,000–$200,000 per district just to fix sidewalks? Why does it cost hundreds of thousands to repair infrastructure that was clearly built to need constant repair? Why isn’t this money going toward a bold new initiative — something that energizes the public and shows that their dollars are doing something meaningful? Something people can rally behind?
Why does it take a year-long democratic process just to arrive at the same things people always want — trees, walkable sidewalks, pedestrian crossings that don’t get you killed, well-lit streets at night. Groundbreaking stuff. I can’t believe people want more trees.
I say all this not to throw stones from a glass house or to be overly critical of what could, one day, be a great program. I say it because I want Richmond to be the greatest home a person could ask for. We’re unique in our place in the country — the soil teems with creativity, the spirit of entrepreneurship is alive here, the music scene produces stars on the regular, the art scene is wildly diverse with seemingly endless talent, and we are a community that mobilizes… when we choose to.
It’s a gift to live here, all things considered. But the truth is, all of that exists in spite of how our government functions — not because of it. Through tenacity and sheer will, we make these things real. Not because the system helps us do it, but because Richmond refuses to die in mediocrity. It rages against the dying of its own light.
So, I ask in conclusion: Is the People’s Budget a triumph for the people? Is the Richmond City government guided by the prosperity of its people? Are visionaries doomed to committee review? Are grand visions destined for third-party consultations, email correspondence, and ranked-choice voting?
This is a brutal question — and I ask it with sincere curiosity: Is this the best we can do?
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