RVA Unfiltered: The Podcast

We made a call last week. This week, we grade it — plainly. Richmond passed the 1% school sales tax 67.82% and Chesterfield passed it 50.47% (margin: 1,643 votes, unofficial), bucking a statewide trend that saw 32 of 47 localities say no. But passage authorizes the tax — it does not levy it. What still has to happen in Richmond City Council and the Chesterfield Board of Supervisors, and why the pledged property-tax cuts are not your new rate yet.

Then: Thursday's final in-person SCC hearing on the $67B Dominion–NextEra merger (case PUR-2026-00112) — a split room, a Chesterfield supervisor talking about shutoff notices, union and Chamber voices for the deal — and the Nov 2 rebuttal where the companies accepted most proposed protections but rejected both rate freezes, a 10-year staffing protection, and pre-approval for downsizing Virginia offices. Written comments close Nov 12; the evidentiary hearing starts Nov 17; the decision is due Jan 11, 2027.

Plus: Shannon Taylor flips Virginia's 1st District — a seat Republicans held since 1977 — on Henrico (+22,506) and Chesterfield (+11,053) margins, while Rob Wittman carried 14 localities; Richmond picks Jackie McDonnough for School Board by 30+ points.

Closing segment: this week's Why Richmond explainer, "The Invisible Line: How Property Taxes Really Work in RVA" — why a $400K house costs $4,800/yr in the city and $3,320 in Henrico, and why your mailing address is lying to you. Full animated version on YouTube.

Free home value report: link in bio / show notes at thervamove.com

André Bell, Associate Broker | ICON Realty Group | Office: 804-775-2000 · iconrealtyrva.com | Licensed in the Commonwealth of Virginia | License #0225229180 | Equal Housing Opportunity

Halloween in Richmond, and the scariest thing this week isn't a ghost — it's a deadline. Your electric bill is being decided in a courtroom: SCC staff say reject the Dominion–NextEra merger as proposed, the governor has named her price, and you can weigh in in Richmond on Nov 5 or in writing through Nov 12. Election Day is Tuesday — early voting ends today, and Richmond and Chesterfield are voting on a 1% sales tax for school construction. Plus: 300 people marched on the Capitol over data centers, the Mayo Bridge comment window closes tomorrow (Nov 1), Henricus has one last Saturday on Nov 7, and our Why Richmond closer does Halloween right — the Richmond vampire, the train still buried under Church Hill, and Poe.

André Bell, Associate Broker | ICON Realty Group | Office: 804-775-2000 · iconrealtyrva.com | Licensed in the Commonwealth of Virginia | License #0225229180 | Equal Housing Opportunity

Richmond's week, decoded. A ransom note on teacher laptops took Richmond Public Schools offline — what the district confirmed, what is still a claim, and the free credit monitoring every RPS family should take. Then: under 5,000 Southside households get one water bill for two months while DPU shrinks everyone's payment window from 30 days to 25. The Mayo Bridge replacement would cut the bridge to one lane each way — and Manchester is asking why three river-crossing projects have to pile up at once (public comments close Nov 1). Plus: Chesterfield can't ban the cannabis shops coming in 2027, only zone them — and our first Why Richmond closer: why fall, not spring, is when Richmond buyers actually win.Chapters: Schools offline / DPU double bill / Mayo Bridge pileup / Quick hits: trains are back Monday, Whole Foods Midlothian Nov 19 / Chesterfield cannabis zoning / Why Richmond: fall beats springAndré Bell, Associate Broker | ICON Realty Group | Office: 804-775-2000 · iconrealtyrva.com | Licensed in the Commonwealth of Virginia | License #0225229180 | Equal Housing Opportunity

Richmond is ending its Flock camera era the same week murders and shootings hit decade-plus lows — what that pairing actually means for the people who live here. Plus: Amtrak service to D.C. is stopped in Alexandria for nine days (Oct 16–26), Virginia's data center boom meets a proposed three-year statewide moratorium, and the Flying Squirrels were just named the best organization in minor league baseball while the two-ballpark question refuses to die. What the headlines actually mean for the people who live here. From The RVA Move. Free home value report: thervamove.com00:00 Cold open01:24 Flock cameras come down / crime hits a decade low10:48 Amtrak Pause for Progress (Oct 16–26)15:24 Data centers: SB843 moratorium proposal21:16 Flying Squirrels, 2026 MiLB Organization of the Year26:59 Outro — free home value report at thervamove.comAndré Bell, Associate Broker | ICON Realty Group | Office: 804-775-2000 · iconrealtyrva.com | Licensed in the Commonwealth of Virginia | License #0225229180 | Equal Housing Opportunity

Pilot episode. QTS's massive Henrico data center expansion and what it means for your electric bill. The Diamond District promised to pay for itself — the city's books tell a different story. And the 478-unit Mosby Court transformation: the biggest bet on Richmond's East End that nobody's talking about.André Bell, Associate Broker | ICON Realty Group | Office: 804-775-2000 · iconrealtyrva.com | Licensed in the Commonwealth of Virginia | License #0225229180 | Equal Housing Opportunity