Most important city in Virginia? (Richmond, Charlottesville: live, building, county)

[VA Yankee]

Originally Posted by aquest1

I’m clearly beating a dead horse, so this is the last time I’ll bring this up - the physical and the “mailing” addresses are not one and the same. If I have a company with its home office in Henrico, Glen Allen, Goochland or wherever in this area, I could put those respective places as the “city” without issue. But you can also choose to use Richmond. Why is it that all these businesses use Richmond in their official addresses even though they’re physically located in the county and could opt to use that instead? The answer is obvious. It also alludes to why Richmond is a good answer for this poll.



Putting aside the fact that ridership on the Pulse has exceeded the Tide from its inception, the real point I was making is that Henrico, Chesterfield and Richmond are cooperating on the Pulse’s expansion, which is in contrast to Norfolk/Virginia Beach, re the Tide. I’m sure you’re aware that decades ago, when its modern iteration came to be, Chesterfield’s part ownership of the GRTC system was specifically aimed at keeping the service out. Times change.



Richmond could use more apt leadership, but the city grows despite its faults. And it doesn’t impact its significance as the region’s node. They could all do better at working together.

Anyhow, my ranking of most important to the Commonwealth:

1. Washington
2. Richmond
3. Norfolk/Va Beach
4. Roanoke

Why keep beating it I already acknowledged they use the name but that's it, there's nothing the city has done that made them select the region. To your question many continue to use Richmond even when the physical name of their post office has changed, I always use Henrico but I can also use Richmond the post office accepts both.

I am aware that Chesterfield owns the largest percentage of GRTC and how they use or not use that resource is their choice. As I already said Norfolk & VaBeach will never work together but that story is too many chapters to delve into here. Tides greatest shortfall was the initial destination as for Pulse I would like to see how ridership numbers run when patrons have to pay.....

Richmond needs leadership and 1 government period, there has been so much money wasted on get rich quick schemes and the people are paying for it. The latest waste has been the Casino x2, how long till the next fly by night scheme is in the works....

[NOVA_guy]

Reading this article reminded me of this thread... guess we have an answer. Interesting.

Economic trio: New Zealand, Portugal and . . . Northern Virginia? Region's economic output as large as some major countries, report suggests


Were Northern Virginia its own independent country – and let’s not give regional leaders any ideas – it would have the world’s 48th largest economy. That’s according to new figures from the Northern Virginia Regional Commission, which calculates the total annual gross domestic product of the counties and cities comprising Northern Virginia at $276 billion.

That would rank Northern Virginia just below the Czech Republic and Finland and just above Iraq, Portugal and New Zealand in terms of economic output, according to a country-by-country ranking at worldometers.info.


Fairfax County accounts for the largest chunk of Northern Virginia’s GDP, at $134 billion.

According to the Northern Virginia Regional Commission data, Northern Virginia represents 29 percent of the commonwealth’s total population but nearly 42 percent of economic output. Since 2010, Northern Virginia has accounted for 45 percent of the commonwealth’s population growth.

https://www.gazetteleader.com/arling...rginia-8007949

[webster]

Many state agency headquarters have left the City of Richmond. The Dept. of Social Services is relocating next month to Henrico. https://www.dss.virginia.gov/geninfo/on_the_move.cgi

[aquest1]

Originally Posted by webster

Many state agency headquarters have left the City of Richmond. The Dept. of Social Services is relocating next month to Henrico. https://www.dss.virginia.gov/geninfo/on_the_move.cgi

Several state agencies have indeed relocated to Henrico and Hanover in recent years, but that is analogous to federal agencies relocating to Northern Virginia and Maryland. It's cheaper. And for all intents, you are still talking about counties in the Richmond and Washington metropolitan areas.

[webster]

Originally Posted by aquest1

Several state agencies have indeed relocated to Henrico and Hanover in recent years, but that is analogous to federal agencies relocating to Northern Virginia and Maryland. It's cheaper. And for all intents, you are still talking about counties in the Richmond and Washington metropolitan areas.

True, but it creates further isolation of Richmond City and its importance. It's almost becoming a term, like Hampton Roads. At a time when Richmond City is struggling financially with little hope in sight, Henrico has increased its tax breaks for seniors it has so much money. Now in addition to the REAP program there is the RECAP program. Other surrounding jurisdictions have similar programs. Richmond City does also, but it's not as generous in its qualification guidelines.

[aquest1]

Originally Posted by webster

True, but it creates further isolation of Richmond City and its importance. It's almost becoming a term, like Hampton Roads. At a time when Richmond City is struggling financially with little hope in sight, Henrico has increased its tax breaks for seniors it has so much money. Now in addition to the REAP program there is the RECAP program. Other surrounding jurisdictions have similar programs. Richmond City does also, but it's not as generous in its qualification guidelines.

Considering that Richmond City registered a budget surplus of $12 million this past year and $17 million in the year prior, this statement is really over the top. Even with want for stronger leadership, there is a continuous flow of public and private investment in the city. The city has an AA credit rating, and from a fundamentals standpoint, there's no evidence to support what you're suggesting, even when it comes to crime. So, it strains credulity to call Richmond "hopeless" in 2024. Now, if Richmond were able to better invest its resources, e.g., better systems and devote more resources to its schools, it would be killin it.

Bottom line: The counties are wealthier, but that doesn't mean the city is poor or struggling, even if it does shoulder a greater proportion of the region's poverty. And none of that affects its statewide importance to Virginia.

[g500]

We can have all sorts of debates about which cities are really suburbs, and which cities are "real cities". At the end of the day the clear answer is that Richmond is the most important and influential city in Virginia, without exception.

Sure, Virginia Beach-Norfolk is a larger metro area than Richmond, but it is multi-nodal and FAR from cohesive. In fact, I would be tempted to break it, as well as many metro areas in the USA, into much smaller pieces. Regardless, Richmond reigns supreme in all aspects: economic, cultural, historical, logistic, media.

I suppose the only category in which Norfolk would win handily would be military strategic importance. If another country wanted to invade the USA they would consider Norfolk a more valuable target than Richmond due to its massive Naval base and port.

Ranked by overall importance/influence:
1. Richmond

(sizable/large gap)

2. Norfolk
3. Virginia Beach
4. Alexandria
5. Arlington
6. Tysons

(another sizable/large gap)

7. Roanoke
8. Charlottesville
9. Fredericksburg
10. Lynchburg

Runner-ups: Harrisonburg, Winchester, Staunton, Blacksburg, Christianburg, Williamsburg, Lexington, Danville

Also: Chesapeake, Newport News, Petersburg

[webster]

Richmond is not hopeless, in fact it has a lot going for it, but there is a lot of headwind. It starts with leadership. Backlog in utility bills for 7,000 customers, outdated car tax databases resulting in 66,000 bills in error going out. About 10,000 service lines were estimated for at least half the year, almost 4,000 of those estimated for all 12 months of the year - the City's own rules call for estimated bills no more than three times. Impossible to get someone on the phone.

Is it pay? A lousy retirement for existing employees? Whatever it is, Council seems unable to get the bureaucracy to move. The "surplus" is done on the backs of workers and retirees. The City of Richmond had its own retirement system until Jan. 1 of this year when it joined the VA Retirement System (VRS). It provided only one small COLA in 10 years and used a formula more misery than VRS. To bring the City's retirement system up to an 80% from the current 65% funding would cost $100M.

[Upminster-1]

Originally Posted by heySkippy

[X] Floyd

I've never been to any of those other places, but I spent the last few months hanging around the Floyd area. I'd like to buy a house there, so that makes it most important to me.

I think a strong case can be made. It's got music, tourism, fiber internet, a Food Lion, and the only stoplight in the entire county!

I have been to Floyd, and like it, but sorry ... it is not a city. In Virginia cities are independent of any county, while Floyd is a town and part of Floyd County. Virginia is wierd that way.

For example, Norton is a city with a population of 3,600 while Blacksburg is merely a town with a population of 44,900. Population doesn't matter to the definition of city in Virginia. Only the legal standing of being independent from any county.

My vote is for Charlottesville !! Which is, by definition, not in or part of surrounding Albemarle County.

[webster]

Charlottesville is a little weird. It's as if Jefferson were a deity.