Richmond, California Will Richmond be Riven in 2011? 2010 Year End Review Prediction and Wishes for 2011 Tom Butt, Richmond City Council Member January 1, 2011 Table of Contents A Decade of TOM BUTT E-FORUMS .......................................................................................................... 1 2010 – A Remarkable Year in Richmond ....................................................................................................... 2 Top Three Richmond Stories of 2010 ............................................................................................................ 3 1. Independent Progressives Sweep City Council Race ........................................................................ 3 2. Point Molate Casino a Poor Bet? ....................................................................................................... 6 3. Chevron Business and Utility Tax Issue Settled................................................................................ 8 Most Controversial Issues of 2010 ................................................................................................................10 1. Pot ....................................................................................................................................................10 2. Censored ...........................................................................................................................................10 3. Flotilla ..............................................................................................................................................10 4. Richmond High School Rape ...........................................................................................................11 Did My Wishes for 2010 Come True? ..........................................................................................................11 National Park Visitor Center.....................................................................................................................11 Maritime Center ........................................................................................................................................11 Point Molate .............................................................................................................................................11 Plunge .......................................................................................................................................................11 General Plan .............................................................................................................................................12 City Council Election ...............................................................................................................................12 Chevron ....................................................................................................................................................12 State Government Theft ............................................................................................................................12 Homicides .................................................................................................................................................12 Sustainability ............................................................................................................................................12 Best and Worst of 2010 .................................................................................................................................13 My Nominations for the Best of 2010 ......................................................................................................13 My Nominations for Worst of 2010 .........................................................................................................15 Vetrazzo ...............................................................................................................................................15 Train Horns ..........................................................................................................................................15 Moving Money Out of Richmond ........................................................................................................16 Code Enforcement ...............................................................................................................................16 E-FORUM Reader Nominations for Best of 2010 ....................................................................................16 Mechanics Bank's Community Partners Program for non-profits ........................................................16 Bill Lindsay ..........................................................................................................................................16 The Chevron Settlement ......................................................................................................................17 Gayle McLaughlin ...............................................................................................................................17 The Richmond Hilltop YMCA ............................................................................................................17 The Watershed Project .........................................................................................................................17 E-FORUM ...........................................................................................................................................17 The Elections .......................................................................................................................................17 Shining the Light..................................................................................................................................18 Progressives .........................................................................................................................................18 Taste of Richmond ...............................................................................................................................18 Point Richmond Farmer’s Market ........................................................................................................18 Blossoms & Thorns..............................................................................................................................18 Richmond Writes .................................................................................................................................19 Traffic Light .........................................................................................................................................19 Corky Booze ........................................................................................................................................19 Virginia Finlay .....................................................................................................................................19 Keeping Schools Open .........................................................................................................................19 Groundwork Richmond .......................................................................................................................20 Marina Bay Landscaping & Lighting District......................................................................................20 Preservation of the City’s High Credit Ratings ....................................................................................20 Parks Master Plan ................................................................................................................................20 Elm Play Lot ........................................................................................................................................20 Urban Greening Grants ........................................................................................................................20 “Sink Hole” ..........................................................................................................................................20 Hilltop Sign ..........................................................................................................................................20 Shotspotter ...........................................................................................................................................20 Street Paving ........................................................................................................................................20 Moody Underpass ................................................................................................................................20 Bay Trail ..............................................................................................................................................21 Convention and Visitors Bureau ..........................................................................................................21 Pow Wow .............................................................................................................................................21 E-FORUM Reader Nominations for Best 2010 Development Project.................................................21 The Plunge ...........................................................................................................................................21 E-FORUM Reader Nominations