Problem Statement

Property taxes are important. They go to fund our schools, roads, libraries, law enforcement, fire authorities, etc. As such, it is important to address residents' questions so they can pay the correct amount on time. The City of Richmond consistently fails to communicate with residents and answer questions in a timely manner. Breakdowns in communication lead to residents paying incorrect amounts (too much or too little) often past the due date as they await a response. 

The time has come for the City of Richmond to address unanswered emails, calls it takes weeks to return, and unnecessary in-person visits to get anything resolved.

Suggested Solutions

1. Commit to a reasonable timeline (2-3 business days) to respond to residents` questions via phone or email. Hiring and training additional staff may help reduce wait times and unanswered communications.
2. Mail property tax bills early enough to provide residents 30 days between receipt of the bill and the due date. This allows for more time to address questions / disputes.
3. Create streamlined processes for common questions, e.g. disputing assessed value, disputing delinquency, unable to pay online because bill was never entered into system, etc. 

What We Aim to Do

Currently the plan is to send this to Sheila White (Richmond's Finance Director) after we get a few dozen signatures. If you have other suggestions as to how to bring more visibility to this issue or other solutions to suggest to the city, don't hesitate to reach out! Let's make Richmond a slightly better place!