Did you get your real estate tax bill this year?  Last year the City failed to send one to Holly Anna Jones, Former President for Life of the Civic Association.  Holly Anna couldn't get one even after several 'phone calls.  She finally took leave from her job and stood in line so she wouldn't be faced with a bill for the penalty.  This year she lives in the County.  That's a loss for us all, provoked in part by the City's abiding inability to do some important things correctly.

John took a different tack.  Here is the letter he used in April, 2000 to deal with the City's failure (again) to send him a real estate tax bill.  This way when they send the delinquency notice and demand for a penalty (again) John will be in a position where their screwup won't cost him money (again):

1508 Avondale Avenue
Richmond, Virginia 23227
April 10, 2000

BY FACSIMILE: 646-7987

Dr. Calvin Jamison
City Manager
City of Richmond
900 East Broad Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219

RE: 1508 Avondale Avenue

Dear Dr. Jamison:

I am a citizen of the Commonwealth and a resident of the City of Richmond. Under the authority of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, I request an opportunity to inspect and copy public records, listed below, that are held by the City through you or any of your subordinates:

All official records created or received after January 1, 2000 that demand payment of property taxes for the property at 1508 Avondale Avenue.

All official records created or received after January 1, 2000 that relate to the mailing of a demand for payment of property taxes for the property at 1508 Avondale Avenue.

If any of these records is available in electronic form, I request that it be posted on the City's web site or emailed to me at %20JohnRButcher@attbi.com%20.

In the event the City elects to withhold any public record responsive to this request, for each such record please:

Identify the record withheld by date, author, title, and summary or purpose of the document;

Identify all persons outside your Office to whom the record has been shown or to whom copies have been furnished; and

State specifically the statutory exemption under which the City elects to withhold the record.

I note with interest that Item II.A of the Organizational Development section of Richmond’s Strategic Plan commits the City to "[e]ducate residents, businesses, employees, and local media about the City of Richmond, its accomplishments, and initiatives," and Section II.C. commits the City to "[e]ncourage positive involvement of all stakeholders . . . in City affairs and issues." In light of that, I request that you waive the search and copying charges in connection with this request for public information

Please call me at 786-4073 (office) or 264-5942 (home) if I can answer any question regarding this request.

I look forward to hearing from you as promptly as possible, and in any event within the five work days provided by the Act.

With kindest regards, I am

Sincerely,
/s/
John Butcher

Cc: John Rupp (646-6653)

C:\My Documents\Docs\Office Files\1508 Taxes\Jamison FOIA Re 1508 000410.Doc
Printed April 10, 2000 at 7:07 PM

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