Richmond, Va. – New reporting in the Richmond Times-Dispatch reveals another purchasing card suspension of a city official in the Office of Strategic Communications and Civic Engagement — one week after reporting showed the city’s former spokesperson’s card had been disabled for 11 months. This is the fifth card suspension by procurement officials since January 2023.

Richmond mayoral candidate and City Councilmember Andreas Addison released the following statement in response to these purchasing card suspensions:

“Clearly, the way we do business at City Hall is broken. Richmonders should not be learning about a new problem caused by city officials every time they read the news. From the meals tax, problems in the Finance Department, FOIA compliance, a whistleblower lawsuit, and credit card misuse — there continues to be a string of crises caused by poor decision-making, a lack of transparency, and poor oversight. 

“Our procurement purchasing process is another example of a system that needs to be modernized to secure and pay vendors efficiently and have proper oversight with open data to track the spending of taxpayer dollars. There should be no secrets. 

“Every positive step we take as a city cannot be tarnished by another scandal and more dysfunction. We have RPS teachers paying for their own school supplies, while senior officials in City Hall are spending public funds with zero accountability. This is why we lose the credibility and trust of the community we are in the business of serving. Richmond needs a proactive mayor committed to the basics of running an efficient, transparent, and open government. As mayor, I will hit the ground running on Day One to shift the culture and business of government to restore your trust in City Hall.”

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About Andreas Addison

Andreas Addison is a public servant, small business owner, and educator serving the Richmond community for more than 15 years. Addison represents the 1st District on Richmond City Council, where he has a proven track record of fighting for affordable housing, greater connectivity in the region, and investments for greater city services. He is the owner of Pure Fitness RVA in Scott’s Addition and is an adjunct professor at UVA in the School of Public Policy. A strong advocate for thriving communities, Addison is committed to a socially equitable, environmentally sustainable, and prosperous Richmond for working families. Addison married his wife, Allison, in 2023, and the couple resides in the Museum District. Join the movement at andreasaddison.com.