Now What?

I just re-read that last post. I am surprised by its ambitious tone. I suppose a lot has changed since that last writing. I am no longer planning to run for Richmond Mayor, though the current announced candidates are abysmal. Delegate Dwight Jones, whose been in the the House of Delegates for 15 years announced for mayor on April 16. Jackie Jackson, former Council woman and School Board member dropped from the race shortly after Jones announced his candidacy. Delegate Jones is also Reverend Jones, pastor at First Baptist Church, where Jackson attends church.

So Richmond's Mayoral election is sizing up to Paul Goldman, long time Douglas Wilder crony/political advisor and Delegate Jones. With Mayor Wilder refusing to admit or decide whether or not he will seek another term. The scandal du jour is Mayor Wilder's monthly $700 car allowance for 37 months while he was also using a city owned car. On Friday, April 25, a check for $25,900 was received by the city's Department of Finance, Mayor Wilder has returned the car allowance. The car allowance story came out as a result of investigations conducted by the City Auditor that was prompted by a call to the city's Waste, Fraud, and Abuse hotline that reported another city employee who had been receiving the allowance and also using a city car.

I actually met with Ms. Jackson on March 28 to discuss her campaign. She was her usual bubbly self. She told me I brought a different perspective to local government. I told her I was apprehensive about her connection with corporate culture. I asked her a bunch of questions about current events and what she thought about developments. I told her I'd been to her website and I was disappointed that she didn't have a platform or specific policy recommendations. She told me that stuff was being developed and she would soon be launching a new website. I told her that out of the Council members who have been mentioned as mayoral possibilities - First District Councilman Bruce Tyler and Second District Councilman Bill Pantele - I prefered her to the options.

I'm still planning to run for U.S. President and have been putting off my announcement repeatedly. Lately whenever I've told my friends I'm running for President they respond, "President of what?" It underscores the impossibility of a campaign undertaken by a regular citizen. My current planned announcement date is May Day -- May 1, 2008.

The union at my workplace is coming along well. We submitted our first letter to the library's management last week. To check out the progress, check our website, http://www.lvaguild.org I'm also planning a website to help other Virginia state agencies organize their own labor unions.

I've got to get back to work. See you on the other side.