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Local Issues

City of Richmond Panhandling Ordinance

Richmond City Council unanimously passes Panhandling Ordinance

On Monday January 8th, George Peyton, Vice President of Government Relations and RMA Members spoke before City Council in support of the Panhandling Ordinance. City Council worked together to amend the paper to address concerns of both those supporting and opposing the ordinance.  The amended ordinance contains the following conditions:

1. No person shall solicit, ask, or beg in the following public places:
   
   1. Within twenty (20) feet in any direction of any entrance or exit of any bank during the hours of operation of such bank;
   2. Within twenty (20) feet in any direction of any automated teller machine;
   3. Within twenty (20) feet in any direction of any outdoor or sidewalk café or restaurant during the hours of operation of such outdoor or sidewalk café or restaurant; and
   4. Within twenty (20) feet in any direction of any package store or food store that sells alcohol during the hours of operation of such package store or food store.
      
2. No person shall solicit, ask, or beg in a public place after sunset or before sunrise however, passive solicitation is permitted at any time except within the areas listed in this section or as otherwise prohibited by law.

For the full text of the ordinance click here.

We thank those RMA Members who took the time to call or e-mail Members of City Council and a special thanks to Leonard Edloe, Past Chair of the RMA; Jason Soloman, President, Carytown Merchants Association and Heather Teachey-Lindquist, Owner, Que Bella, who spoke in support of the Ordinance.

The 9-0 vote by City Council to support this ordinance is a significant step toward correcting the issue of panhandling. Retailers who are not covered by the ordinance passed Monday and continue to have issues with panhandlers should call the Police since there is a separate ordinance in effect prohibiting agressive panhandling. Click here to view the Aggressive Panhandling Ordinance.

State Issues

• Electric Deregulation
• 2007 General Assembly Calendar
• 2007 General Assembly Legislation of Interest to Retailers as of 1/10/07

Electric Deregulation

The first week of the New Year was packed with meetings concerning the issue of electric deregulation. The Retail Merchants Association represented by George Peyton and members of CFER, (Coalition for Fair Utility Rates) met at separate times with Governor Kaine, Attorney General Bob McDonnell and representatives of Dominion Virginia Power.

The meetings with the Governor and the Attorney General were to discuss CFER's concerns on changes to the restructuring act and the timetable to accomplish the changes that would provide fair utility rates, reliable service and still provide utility companies a fair return on their investment. The Governor and the Attorney General expressed their intention of making certain that the changes made would protect the interest of the citizens of the Commonwealth, the economy of the Commonwealth and the utility companies; however, no changes should be done in haste that might lead to unintended consequences.

Dominion Virginia Power hosted a meeting to review their proposed changes to the restructuring act. The proposal has not been introduced as legislation as of this writing. The proposal does contain a number of provisions that will likely not be acceptable to the RMA or CFER.

Since the beginning of the electric deregulation issue in 1999, the Retail Merchants Association has supported the concept of deregulation of the electric utilities in hopes that through competition Retail Merchants Association members would have the opportunity to lower their electric utility expenses. Competition has not developed and the likelihood of it developing is doubtful at best.

2007 General Assembly Calendar

Click here for the 2007 Session Calendar for the General Assembly.

2007 General Assembly Legislation of Interest to Retailers as of 1/10/07

Click here to see the list of Bills.

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Federal Issues*

© 2006. NRF Enterprises, Inc. used with permission.*

Postal Reform Bill Awaiting Bush's Signature

Legislation that would modernize the U.S. Postal Service and tie future rate hikes to the Consumer Price Index has been passed by Congress and is awaiting signature by President Bush.

H.R. 6407, the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act, sponsored by House Government Reform Committee Chairman Tom Davis, R-Va., was approved on voice votes in the House and Senate late last Friday just before lawmakers adjourned for the year.

The measure would be the first major overhaul of the Postal Service since 1970 and would take a number of steps to make it run more like a private business and compete more effectively. A key provision would cap rate increases by linking them to the CPI for 10 years and establish a powerful new Postal Regulatory Commission that would decide whether to continue or modify the cap after that.

Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee Chairwoman Susan Collins, R-Maine, was the sponsor of an earlier version of the bill and one of the leading advocates of postal reform. She called the current legislation "great news for the future of an institution that is critical to our economy and will ensure the continuation of universal postal service at an affordable rate."

Postmaster General John Potter thanked lawmakers for "making reform a reality."

The bill repeals a 2003 law requiring the Postal Service to pay for pension benefits for military retirees who became postal workers. The repeal frees $6 billion currently held in escrow—and $78 billion that would have been set aside over 60 years—to cover retiree health-care liabilities, pay off postal debts to the Treasury Department and possibly hold down future rate increases.

USPS is currently seeking an average 8.5 percent rate increase that would go into effect as soon as June if approved by the existing Postal Rate Commission. It is unclear whether the current legislation could block that increase.

NRF has supported reform legislation because postage is a major cost for many retail companies. Retailers are among the nation's largest mailers, using the Postal Service to ship merchandise, mail catalogs and advertisements, send bills and receive payments.

Links

State Government Links

• 2007 Virginia General Assembly
• Legislative Meetings
• Virginia General Assembly
• Find a Bill
• Virginia State Code

RMA Government Links

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RMA Links

• Government Relations
• RMA Legislative Policy

The Retail Advocate is published the second week each month and whenever important issues affecting RMA members arise. Your comments and suggestions are welcome.

Contact:
George Peyton
(804) 662-5500
Fax: (804) 662-5507
e-mail

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