30 May Richmond Council Sees Balanced Budget, Need for Staffing

Richmond Vice Mayor said Tuesday she wants traffic calming efforts to happen annually, but “if we want this to happen, we need more staffing.” (Screenshot captured by Samantha Kennedy / The CC Pulse)

By Samantha Kennedy

The Richmond City Council received a balanced draft budget on Tuesday, which included an update on current capital improvement projects. Some of those projects are expected to be completed by the end of the year.

The update comes two months after some council members criticized the lack of progress made on capital improvement projects, namely those a part of the traffic calming project. Of the 18 locations part of the project, only three had been completed two months ago. Each traffic calming location is now estimated to have construction completed by the end of 2024, according to public works staff.

Traffic calming projects look to install sideshow deterrents, speed humps and signage to increase street safety.

>>>Read: Richmond Takes Steps to Curb Traffic Collisions

Vice Mayor Claudia Jimenez wants the traffic calming program to be an annual project, serving more than the current 18 locations but says staffing is a big obstacle.

“If we want this to happen, we need more staffing,” said Jimenez, who advocated for filling vacancies in the departments of public works and code enforcement.

Martinez acknowledged the needs of community members and how staffing troubles impact them, including maintaining parks and abatement efforts.

“We need to make sure that we can hire the people to do the work that’s needed,” said Martinez, “so we can have not only a city of pride and purpose but a city of beauty.”

Richmond’s First Latino Council Member Recognized

The city recognized its first Latino council member, John Marquez, at Tuesday’s meeting for his “visionary leadership” that “left an indelible mark on the city.”

The proclamation, sponsored by Martinez and council members Soheila Bana and Cesar Zepeda, noted Marquez’s various contributions to the city that advocated for residents who were Latino or undocumented.

Marquez was first appointed to the council in 1985 and co-founded Richmond’s Cinco de Mayo celebration. Before his appointment, Marquez helped found Contra Costa College’s La Raza Studies program, taught Spanish to Latino students, and advocated for Spanish-speaking community members.

Nearly 40 years since Marquez’s appointment, almost half of the council is Latino. Martinez took office in 2023 as the city’s first Latino mayor. Zepeda and Jimenez are the other two Latino council members.

Pride Month, Richmond Rainbow Pride 10-year Anniversary Recognized

Richmond celebrated community organization Richmond Rainbow Pride, which advocates for the city’s LGBTQ+ community, by recognizing its accomplishments and adversities in its 10-year anniversary.

“Little did people who used to line up here to spill that hate know that those sticks and stones built a path for a better tomorrow,” said Zepeda, co-founder of Richmond Rainbow Pride and the first openly gay man to sit on the council.

Zepeda and others made the push to create Richmond Rainbow Pride in 2014 after seeing what they called “a dark wave of homophobia” during election season, much of it directed toward then-Vice Mayor Jovanka Beckles, the first openly lesbian council member in Richmond. Beckles for years was the target of anti-gay hate speech by some residents.

>>>From Our Archives: Richmond’s LGBTQ Community Wants More Safe Spaces

Council member Doria Robinson acknowledged how unwelcoming Richmond was to the LGBTQ+ community when she grew up but said she was grateful for the strides the city has made to be more inclusive since. Robinson called on young people to continue that trend.

“We can keep learning. We can keep growing. We can keep our hearts open,” said Robinson. “So keep challenging us, young people, keep challenging us to grow with you.”

The group’s annual pride parade will begin 10 a.m. June 2 on the Macdonald Avenue side of Nicholl Park, followed by a pride event 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Civic Center. You can learn more about the event at Richmond Rainbow Pride’s website.