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Gayle's 10-point Plan Index Page Gayle's Campaign Page

Steps to Achieve this Part of Gayle's Plan

1. Clean and Effective Governance

Democracy must extend beyond elections—ultimately culminating in individual empowerment and full citizen participation in decisions that affect our lives. Richmond residents deserve a government that is accountable, effective, transparent, and free of patronage and favoritism. The prevailing short-term thinking and insider politics that have diminished people’s esteem for City government must come to an end. I will restore ethics, integrity, accountability, and responsiveness to the office of Mayor, and engage Richmond residents more directly in decision-making about the future of our City.

As mayor, I will:
Clean up the election process by promoting measures that impose limits on spending
and contributions, increasing public financing of elections, enforcing “Sunshine Laws” to
monitor election misconduct, and by implementing instant runoff voting.
Restore ethics and integrity at City Hall by discouraging patronage, creating an Ethics
Commission and an Elections Department, and building bridges with City departments.
Demand fiscal responsibility during both good and bad economic times and reduce the
size of government by eliminating waste.
Monitor the Public Records Act implementation making sure our new public records
policies are being conscientiously followed and full access to public records is occurring
within reasonable time frames.
Preserve the neighborhood voice in government by supporting district elections,
empowering neighborhoods, pushing for minority representation, and promoting regional
changes that allow non-citizens with children to have a say in School Board elections.
Rebuild an independent and effective Richmond Police Commission free of
institutional biases and appointments that undermine the confidence of the public in the
community police oversight process.
Lead by example the democratic process in the Richmond City Council and related
meetings by eliminating bias and favoritism in the chairing of meetings, and implementing
fairness in all rules and procedures. I will respect the right of each councilmember to speak
by setting up an automatic system by which each councilmember will be granted the floor
by order of request and as the result of a “request to speak button”. I will facilitate the
meetings with true democratic spirit and respect for the public.

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