Richmond Free Press March 28-30, 2019 Edition

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Meet chair of Women of Faith Praying for A Cure B1

Richmond Free Press © 2019 Paradigm Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.

VOL. 28 NO. 13

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA

www.richmondfreepress.com

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Dorothy I. Height marker of excellence B2

MARCH 28-30, 2019

Overcharged? 4 Richmond School Board members question surging costs to build new schools in city

By Jeremy M. Lazarus

City honors cousins Free Press staff report

Annie Reese spent five decades helping Richmond children cross the street safely as they traveled to and from school. Her cousin, Joseph “Joe” Taylor, has spent four decades building an award-winning athletic career as a football coach. Both received special recognition Monday from Richmond City Council for their accomplishments. With both honorees surrounded by family and wellwishers, Ms. Reese was presented with a bouquet of roses Please turn to A4

Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press

Annie Reese and her cousin, Hall of Famer Joseph “Joe” Taylor, athletic director at Virginia Union University, accept recognition Monday night from Richmond City Council.

City Council acts to reduce ‘drama’ during annual school funding debates By Jeremy M. Lazarus

Richmond Public Schools each year would receive at least 55.4 percent of all real estate tax revenue City Hall collects under a policy unanimously approved Monday night by Richmond City Council. Fourth District Councilwoman Kristen Larson, who spearheaded the effort, called it a way to provide the Richmond School Board with more certainty about the city’s minimum contribution to public education. The 9-0 vote represented a big win for Ms. Larson considering that the council had rejected a similar formula-based approach just two years ago. Setting a floor will “take some of the drama” out of the annual debate over school funding, Ms. Larson said, noting that as the tax base grows, so would the city’s support for public education. Last year, when City Council approved a two-year budget, RPS was designated to receive $156.67 million in city funds in the 2019-20 fiscal year that begins July 1. That amount represented a $2.2 million reduction from $158.9 million

allocated in the current 2018-19 fiscal year. Under the new formula and based on projections of expected real estate tax growth, the school system is on track to receive $163.9 million in the upcoming fiscal year even if the council rejects Mayor Levar M. Stoney’s proposed

9 cent increase in the property tax. That would represent a $4 million increase over the current city contribution. If City Council approves the tax increase, the school system would receive $175.6 million, based on the projected $21 million the tax increase would generate.

Schools Superintendent Jason Kamras expressed disappointment at the development of the formula, which would provide a smaller percentage of real estate tax dollars to schools than the city has provided each year since at least 2009. Please turn to A4

Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press

Launching into the future George Mason Elementary School students look up with excitement at Amos Miles, an education specialist with the Science Museum of Virginia, during the launch of the Brothers United mentoring program. Richmond Public Schools launched the initiative Saturday to pair African-American children with African-American male mentors. Officials hope to expand the pilot program in the future to all city schools.

The projected cost of the three new schools that Richmond is preparing to build has jumped an average of $107 per square foot in just five months, adding tens of millions of dollars to the cost, according to four members of the Richmond School Board. Now those members of the board are asking the city to explain why the cost has ballooned so suddenly, turning the new buildings into some of the most expensive in the state and eliminating an opportunity to build an additional elementary school. The board members are requesting that the city advise them of “any measures that can be taken to bring the planned construction costs” more in line with the construction costs being paid by most other school districts in Virginia. The concerns were expressed in a letter sent Wednesday to city officials. It bears the signaPlease turn to A4

Mueller report may be available in April Free Press wire report

WASHINGTON U.S. Attorney General William Barr is combing through special counsel Robert Mueller’s report, removing classified and other information in hopes of releasing the report to Congress in April. U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that he had dinner Tuesday evening with Mr. Barr, who said he is willing to testify before Sen. Graham’s committee after he sends the report to Congress. Justice Department officials said Tuesday that more information could be released in “weeks, not months.” Democrats, meanwhile, frowned at the waiting game. Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland, one of six committee chairmen who have demanded the full report by next Tuesday, said much about the path forward depends on whether the report backs up Mr. Barr’s conclusion that Mr. Mueller found Mr. Mueller no evidence that President Trump colluded with the Russians to influence the 2016 elections. By Mr. Barr’s account, Mr. Mueller made no finding on whether the president obstructed justice, a question now in Congress’ hands. “The president has now an opportunity for weeks, it sounds like, to do these victory laps,” while Democrats wait on key decisions about investigating the administration, Rep. Cummings said. Challenges lie ahead for both the Republicans and the Democrats, who hope to deny President Trump re-election next year. Both parties are readjusting their aims and strategies in the post-Mueller probe landscape, pivoting to health care and other issues that are more important for many voters, even with Mr. Mueller’s full findings still unknown. Sen. Graham said the attorney general is going through the report to take out grand jury material and classified information, neither of which can be publicly disclosed under the law. Please turn to A4

AG opinion paves way to rename Jefferson Davis Highway By Alexandra Zernik Capital News Service

The portion of Jefferson Davis Highway that runs through Arlington County could be renamed as early as this summer thanks to the discovery of a loophole in state law and a legal opinion from the Virginia attorney general. Attorney General Mark Herring stated the name change does not need approval from the General Assembly. Instead, the Commonwealth Transportation Board has authority to rename the section of Jefferson Davis Highway if Arlington County makes such a request, the opinion said. The opinion also strengthens the authority

of other localities, including Richmond, to eliminate the name. Mr. Herring’s opinion was requested by Delegate Mark Levine, a Democrat from Alexandria. Delegate Levine opposes having a road named after Mr. Davis, the president of the Confederate States of America. “In Arlington County, one of the most diverse and progressive localities in the nation, we are saddled with a primary highway that honors a racist traitor and slave owner who led the fight to take up arms against our nation in order to preserve the brutal system of slavery,” Delegate Levine said in a newsletter Please turn to A4

Google maps

The portion of Jefferson Davis Highway that runs through Arlington County could be renamed as early as this summer.


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