PAUL GOLDMAN
Website - http://paulgoldmanforcitycouncil.com
e-mail - GoldmanUSA@aol.com

1. What kind of change would you bring to the 1st District?

In 2003, I was the one person willing to step forward and take the lead in doing the hard, detailed work needed to change our form of government. It took many months and involved bringing people together in an unprecedented coalition behind a workable and novel plan. 

This leadership approach also figured in my development of the new plan to modernize our schools and enhance our neighborhoods, which all my opponents now praise.

I believe we need someone who can get things done on City Council. 

2. Richmond has some serious infrastructure problems and the bills to repair them are mounting. How can council and the administration move to address - and more importantly - pay for these improvements?

First, you need a comprehensive study to detail all the needs: without this, you are by definition either going from crisis to crisis or doing things piecemeal. 

This doesn't solve the problem, indeed it greatly increases the cost.

So the Mayor and the Council will need to first define the scope of the problem.

Unless that is done, there is no way to project a realistic cost for the infrastructure needs of the city. 

And until you have reliable cost figures, one can not really discuss other aspects of the issue. 

3.  Mary Munford is one of the city's best schools and sadly an exception in the system rather than the rule. What can you do on council to help the other schools in the city reach the level of success we see at Mary Munford?

In large measure, it was the parents of the children that put on the full-court press that helped bring Munford to where it is today. 

This does not take anything away from the school staff. But parental interest in their child's education was key here. 

If the rest of the schools can raise parental involvement/interest to Munford levels, you will be amazed at how fast progress can be achieved. 

That being said, you have really excellent leadership and skill at Munford from the Principal on down through the administrative ladder and of course in all aspects of 
classroom teaching.

Right now, 1 in 8 of the school teachers in the Richmond Public School system does not have a full license to teach; at least half of those individuals, by my analysis, who teach science and math, do not have the right degree to teach science and math. 

This is not true at Munford: but it is the fact citywide.

So we need a classroom instruction upgrade which is one of the key planks in my campaign platform. 

4. The school system receives more than 20% of the city budget and the results are less than encouraging. What can you do on council to bring about a better use of those tax dollars and would you support a charter school program in the city?

As you may know, it was on my initiative that we changed the City Charter in 2005 to permit category budgeting for education, not the lump-sum budgeting [the school Administration got a lump some of over a 100 million to legally spend however they wanted irrespective of what they had put in the budget submitted to the Mayor and City Council] previously used. 

The lump-sum approach was a clear failure, and was very wasteful.

Category budgeting allows the Council to appropriate money by several specific category, mandating only so much spending in each of those categories. 

This is a very useful tool to keep certain types of expenditures in check and we need to make more of it.

But the Council needs to do more in making sure the School system makes the best use of money. 

Mandated savings are a part of the City of the Future plan I helped develop for the Mayor. 

I support Charter schools. 

5. The First District is Richmond's wealthiest. What can you do as a member of Council do to help bring the First District's success to the entire city? 

There is no magic wand to wave here. 

We do have some incredibly successful and talented businesses in the first. And of course, so many successful and talented individuals who live in the First but whose job or business is located elsewhere.

As someone who has worked for years with people from all across our city, I believe I will bring a new perspective and energy to bringing people together to do the kinds of things needed to uplift all the city neighborhoods.

6. As a member of Council, would you vote to appropriate the $23 million in promised public funds for the arts center project if the city does not regain ownership of the land? Should the city request a detailed itemization of the costs for the Carpenter Center before allocating the funds?

The days of giving away the public's money and keeping your fingers crossed is over. 

The whole Stop Goldman campaign being run against me is based on the fact that I am not beholden to any person or group, that I have the knowledge and ability to hold people accountable in a way never before done by City Council. 

The Mayor, in creating his Arts Committee, said certain questions would be answered before the City could justify going into debt and putting in tens of millions for this project. 

Of course he is right to protect the public's money. 

Those questions have yet to be answered. 

Ownership issues are only some of the outstanding matters. 

The oversight of the construction is one of those outstanding issues, since the wrong process can cost taxpayers millions, at least potentially. 

I will not support giving money to a private group and crossing your fingers in hope they spend it right. 

We have done that repeatedly with the people's money and have lost millions. 

7. What would you do to make all satellite committees and public-private ventures that determine and weigh in on public policy -- like the education and performing arts committees, and the Broad Street CDA -- more open to public input and taxpayer scrutiny to ensure the city does not get caught in a bad and/or financially draining deal?

To the extent we need to change state law, we should work to convince the General Assembly. 

To the extent we need to change local law, the Council can do that and should. 

And to the extent the issue can be resolved by appointing people who believe in open government, then we should do as quickly as possible. Indeed, this latter approach can work without waiting for new laws. 

8. Do you support the Mayor's City of the Future plan in general? Which part of the plan, in your opinion, is most important/needed and which part can wait?

Since I was the chief architect of it, naturally I support it very strongly.

The plan was conceived as a way to help unify the city and get moving on a vision.

The average school in Richmond was built while Harry Truman was President. 

School modernization and creation of the other educational venues are clearly fundamental parts of the plan.

But fixing the roads, the parks, and other items are also key and can be done now.

So I would rather think in terms of getting things done, as opposed to thinking of things we can delay.

We have the money if we do it right. 

9.  What do you love doing in the 1st District?

When my son was younger, it was pushing him on the tire swing at Mary Munford.

I have enjoyed going door to door meeting residents these past few months. Time wise, I have put more time into it than anything else I have done in the First District this year.

But in terms of choice, while I enjoy meeting people, I would prefer to have more time to play with my son Thomas.

10. If you were not in this race and had to choose among the remaining four candidates, for whom would you vote?

Just yesterday, Bevill Dean pointed out one of the false attacks being made against me. Mayor Wilder exposed another of these false attacks today.

Want to bet there will be more tomorrow?

We have never seen anything like it in a First District Council race.

The Stop Goldman movement is being orchestrated by those who do not want an independent, experienced voice on City Council.

I have spent so much correcting false charges that I have not had chance to think of an answer to this question.