What happened
The council approved a $550 million settlement with Chevron to remove a proposed oil refining tax from November's ballot. All seven council members voted unanimously for the deal, which provides $55 million annually over 10 years instead of the ballot measure that could have generated $60-90 million yearly. The decision drew 49 public comments, with residents split between supporting the settlement as pragmatic and criticizing the removal of voter rights to decide the issue.
Many speakers supported the settlement as a way to avoid costly litigation and provide funding certainty for the city. Others expressed disappointment that removing the ballot measure denied voters the opportunity to decide on the polluters pay tax. Several residents urged the council to use settlement funds for environmental justice projects and transitioning Richmond away from fossil fuels.
Auto-summarized from official minutes and vote records
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