Why Richmond, Why?!?: Panhandling & Utility Bills
I got a weird Richmond utility bill in the mail that came separate from my regular bill. It’s for Storm Water or something like that, for $50. What is it? Why did I get it? How do I know if it’s correct?
- Andy
Angela D. Fountain, public information manager for the City of Richmond Department of Public Utilities, answers:
The bill is a fee for service under Richmond’s new Stormwater Utility, which was passed unanimously by Richmond City Council in May 2009 and went into effect July 1, 2009.
All property owners within the City of Richmond receive a Stormwater bill. The fee is based on the amount of impervious surfaces (roof, driveway, patio, shed, etc. – surfaces that water is not able to soak through) you have on your property.
These surfaces cause stormwater to run off your property and pick up pollutants on its way to the storm sewer system. Stormwater runoff has been deemed the #1 source of urban pollution in the James River and ultimately in the Chesapeake Bay, which is why localities in Virginia have been given a mandate by national and state government agencies (DEQ, DCR, EPA) to clean it up.
A list of FAQ’s on the Stormwater Utility Fee can be found at http://www.richmondgov.com/departments/publicutilities/stormwater_faqs.aspx.
Panhandling around downtown has gotten absolutely out of control. What is the city's recourse on this?
- Jeff
OK, I’m still working on this, but I wanted to publish it now because, though I’m searching for a cause, I have an answer on the recourse. Nothing.
The city’s recourse is nothing, but it’s not because they don’t care, it’s because there aren’t any laws against it. Anyone can stand on the street and hold any kind of sign they want asking for anything. They can’t stand in traffic and they can’t stand on private property, but they can stand on a city street and ask for anything they want.
Now, aside of the economy, there might be some other factors contributing to what seems like an increase in panhandlers. I’m looking into it.
So what do you want to know, Richmond? Send questions to kpeifer@richmond.com with "Why Richmond, Why?!?" in the subject line or leave your question in the comments sections below. And you can read old "Why Richmond, Whys?!?" here.
Please sign in to respond | | Register