Tom Butt
 
  E-Mail Forum – 2017  
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  Looking Ahead to 2018
August 9, 2017
 

It may seem a little early, but with the filing date less than a year away and campaign season for local offices heating up rapidly, I am pleased to announce that I plan to seek a second term as mayor of Richmond.

I have come to this decision by not only reviewing with much satisfaction the progress we have made during my first term but anticipating the future of Richmond and what we can continue to accomplish together.

I am honored to be able to serve as your mayor and am proud of what we have accomplished just in the last year:

  • We adopted a structurally balanced budget
  • We created quality local jobs, and Richmond’s unemployment has hit historic lows thanks to Richmond’s award-winning job training programs.
  • We are supporting our students. The Richmond Promise is in full swing so that hundreds of Richmond high school graduates can better afford college.
  • Richmond is a leader in environmental sustainability. We were highlighted at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Paris and continue to win statewide awards for sustainability.

But there is still much work yet to be done.   Richmond continues to face many challenges.

We must do more to address crime and particularly homicides. While our homicide remains low compared to a decade ago, it is still too high, and crime in general is on a slight uptick. The good news is that Richmond homicides are on track to be nearly 40% lower than last year.

We must do more to provide affordable housing for our residents.  While rent control moderates housing costs for some, the demand for housing continues to exceed the supply. The best way to address this is to increase the housing supply within the density levels already established by our General Plan 

We must do more to maintain our streets and parks.  Achieving a balanced budget has resulted in a continued reduction in City staff, and the effect is starting to become evident in the appearance of our streets and parks. 

We are on the cusp of significant, new economic development.   Richmond’s time has come.  New developments are planned for the struggling Hilltop Mall; biotech companies are moving into the JOINN Innovation Park; new residential developments are moving forward both along the shoreline and near the Richmond BART station.  We must also decide the future of Point Molate.

2018 is not that far away. By this time next year:

  • Richmond ferry service will be operational.
  • The revival of Hilltop Mall will be well underway.
  • North Richmond annexation will have been decided, one way or another.

We have a lot to be proud of…and a lot to look forward to. I would be honored to earn your support for another term as your mayor.

If you wish to be an early donor to the reelection campaign, click here

Thank you for the opportunity to serve.

Looking Ahead to 2018

Mayor Tom Butt
Candidate for Mayor 2018
117 Park Place
Richmond, CA  94801
Phone:  510.231-7502
Mobile: 510-220-1577
E-mail:  tom.butt@intres.com
Tom Butt Political Website: http://www.tombutt.com/
Board member and past chair, Local Government Commission
Commissioner, BCDC
Alternate member, Contra Costa LAFCO
Member, League of California Cities, Environmental Quality Policy Committee
Member, West Contra Costa Transportation Advisory Committee (WCCTAC)
Commissioner and chair, Contra Costa Transportation Authority
Board Member, Richmond Representative, Vice-chair, MCE (Marin Clean Energy)
Resilient by Design Bay Area Challenge, Executive Committee
Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) Executive Committee Alternate

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