VVAW Goldman Meeting

The meeting on 5/16/05 with Paul Goldman of Mayor Wilder’s staff included Jody Jones of Richmond Animal Care and Control and Dr. Janice Carson who heads the public health function for Mayor Wilder. During the meeting we furnished information about compliance for dog or cat licenses in Richmond, and also provided animal records for Richmond for 2003, the last year information is available.

The information we provided, along with the letter to Mr. Goldman on 5/18/05 and his response on 5/19/05, are below.

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Our letter to Paul Goldman on 5/18/05:

Paul –

Thank you for meeting with us.

It is patently clear that property taxes cannot fund everything, but equally clear you appear without an appetite for using the mechanisms available to displace property taxes for fear of making people mad.

We will work with your agency people to frame an argument in public health, public safety, equitable burden sharing and like terms, and also model for you what an extra $840,000 could do for you politically.

Since legerdemain isn’t our definition of leadership, we will also explore ways to ratchet up compliance with measures that require varying levels of effort (and by your terms, inflict varying amounts of pain), will explore initiatives to privatize either or both licensing and/or enforcement, and will evaluate mandamus to get enforcement and give you cover if you find cover genuinely necessary.

This is worth doing for those who get to use the money otherwise freed up, for those now getting a free ride who shouldn't, and for the people you have breaking their picks to keep a lid on things.

But you already knew that.

Donald Marro

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Paul Goldman's response to our letter on 5/19/05:

Thanks for your email. Needless to say, you are entitled to your opinion as to what was or was not said at the meeting. That is your right. But my refusal to respond should in no way be taken as agreeing with your interpretation.

We all look forward to whatever constructive suggestions that you or others may have.

As I indicated, the Executive Branch is not empowered to increase any fees. This is solely a power given to the City Council as they are the legislative branch.

As Jody and Dr. Carson indicated, they look forward to working with anyone or any group with useful and practical solutions to outstanding problems facing the City.

The situation you discussed the other day is one that the Wilder Administration inherited, a long-standing one that was not created overnight nor is there likely to be a way to resolve it overnight.

All that being said, I look forward to your specific plan of action, and will be discussing it with Jody and Dr. Carson once received.

Thanks again,

Paul Goldman

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Dog license compliance data for the City of Richmond for 2004 (this was given to Mr. Goldman on 5/16/05):

2003 Population	Est. # Households	Est. # Dogs	# Individual Dogs Licensed	# of Kennel Dogs Licensed	Approx. Total # Licensed Dogs	Total License Revenue	Est. Compliance
194,729	88,113	50,894	2,691	0	2,691	$30,090.00	5%

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Click below to view the breakdown of licenses sold in 2004:

Richmond City Animal License Sales

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Click below to view the 2003 Richmond Shelter Animal Record:

Richmond City Shelter Animal Record

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ACTION NEEDED:

If you live or work in Richmond, let Paul Goldman and Mayor Wilder know that non-compliance of purchases of dog and cat licenses in the capital of Virginia is intolerable; Richmond should lead the way. Let them know that license purchases could provide funds for the Richmond city pound, which appears to be financially strapped. Let them know that unlicensed dogs and cats are a safety and health problem for Richmond’s residents and visitors alike.

Talking points:

Licenses should be sold by vets, by stores, by any place that makes it easier to comply with the law.
There is a penalty for non-compliance, and the penalty should be levied.
Richmond’s citizens should become angry that a law on the books is not enforced and that indifference to enforcement speaks volumes about the virtues of being law abiding in the city.
Licenses help identify owners of dogs roaming or lost, and the dog problem is serious.
The number of cats which have no homes has become worse and worse in Richmond, and with insufficient funding (which license fees could redress), will continue to intensify.

Mayor's Office
900 E. Broad St.
Room 201
Richmond, VA 23219

PHONE: 804-646-7970
FAX: 804-646-7987

Email the mayor: askthemayor@ci.richmond.va.us

Email Paul Goldman: goldmanusa@aol.com

Updated: December 5, 2005