Richmond Mayor Danny Avula and City Council members met for three hours Thursday to open a new budget process, run by a facilitation team led by Eric Scorsone of the University of Virginia's Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service.
The University has a hand, directly or indirectly, in creating and sustaining 1 of every 85 jobs in the Commonwealth, according to a report prepared by the Cooper Center.
Federal cutbacks to the social safety net and a flagging Northern Virginia economy will be major challenges for Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger and the Virginia General Assembly in January.