Virginia HR 822: Commending Levar Marcus Stoney.

Bill Text

2024SPECIALSESSIONI
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HOUSERESOLUTIONNO.822
Commending Levar Marcus Stoney.
AgreedtobytheHouseofDelegates,July18,2024
WHEREAS, Levar Marcus Stoney, a dedicated public servant who has demonstrated his commitment
to social equity and community development at both the local and state levels, has ably served as the
mayor of Richmond for two terms from 2017 through 2024; and
WHEREAS, Levar Stoney grew up in Hampton Roads and was a first generation high school
graduate in his family; he continued his education at James Madison University, where he became
involved with the institution's College Democrats and was selected to participate in the prestigious
Virginia Governor's Fellows Program under Governor Mark Warner; and
WHEREAS, Levar Stoney began working for the Democratic Party of Virginia in 2006 and
ultimately became executive director of the organization, in which capacity he supported President
Barack Obama's successful presidential campaign in 2008; and
WHEREAS, Levar Stoney subsequently worked as a deputy campaign manager and deputy director
of the transition team for Governor Terry McAuliffe in 2013, then joined the McAuliffe administration
as Secretary of the Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, Levar Stoney made history as the first Black Secretary of the Commonwealth and
earned a reputation as a champion for civil rights through his determined advocacy for the restoration of
voting rights to felons who had completed their sentences; and
WHEREAS, desirous to be of further service, Levar Stoney ran for and was elected as the 80th
mayor of Richmond in 2016; his tenure has been defined by significant investment in children and
families, affordable housing, economic development, poverty reduction, education, and public safety; and
WHEREAS, as mayor, Levar Stoney led the historic effort to remove all Confederate monuments
from Richmond, transforming the city's landscape and moving it toward a more inclusive future by
redefining the city's identity as the "Capital of Compassion"; and
WHEREAS, Levar Stoney ensured that Richmond's true history is told by bringing together state,
local, and community leaders to develop The Shockoe Project, a comprehensive program to provide
interpretation of the historic Shockoe Bottom neighborhood; and
WHEREAS, Levar Stoney increased funding for Richmond Public Schools by 58 percent and
allocated more than $350 million for the construction of new schools; he oversaw the establishment of
high-quality after-school programs for every elementary and middle school student and led the way in
creating the Child Care and Education Trust Fund, which will expand access to child care and early
education opportunities for Richmond's youngest residents; and
WHEREAS, Levar Stoney increased funding for affordable housing by more than 1,200 percent,
investing $50 million of the city's Capital Improvement Plan budget over the next five years in
affordable housing projects and partnering with Local Initiatives Support Corporation to match the city's
contribution; he also created the Commonwealth's first Eviction Diversion Program and significantly
expanded shelter and support services for the unhoused; and
WHEREAS, Levar Stoney raised the minimum wage for city employees from $11 an hour to $20 an
hour, reflecting his commitment to improving the livelihood of the city's workforce, and created
Richmond's first guaranteed income pilot program, also known as the Richmond Resilience Initiative,
and the Pathways Program, which supports Richmond Public Schools graduates up to and through
community college; over the course of his tenure, Richmond saw a 22 percent reduction in the poverty
rate thanks in large part to these and other programs; and
WHEREAS, Levar Stoney spearheaded the approval of the Diamond District project, the largest
economic development project in Richmond's history; and
WHEREAS, under Levar Stoney's leadership, Richmond achieved a AAA bond rating from Fitch
Ratings, reflecting the city's strong financial responsibility and enhancing its economic future; and
WHEREAS, Levar Stoney helped make city parks and green spaces more accessible by adding more
than 140 acres of park land and increasing funding for the Richmond Department of Parks, Recreation,
and Community Facilities by 73 percent since 2017, ensuring that new community centers and park
amenities are made available to as many city residents as possible; and
WHEREAS, Levar Stoney was named as the Richmond Times-Dispatch 2016 Person of the Year, and
he has been selected as a Rodel Leadership Institute Fellow, a member of the NewDEAL Leaders
network, a Mayor's Institute on City Design Fellow, a Daniel Rose Land Use Fellow, and a Bloomberg
Harvard City Leadership Initiative participant; and
WHEREAS, during Levar Stoney's tenure as mayor, Richmond was selected as the number one Place
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to Live in Virginia by Travel + Leisure magazine and as the number one Best Town to Visit by CNN,
along with a host of other accol