Since 2005, Richmond’s residential and commercial real estate owners have racked up a $31,326,054 tab in unpaid real estate taxes, according to records obtained by The Times-Dispatch. But city officials have done nothing to collect those funds since roughly five years ago — when “previous leadership” at some point decided to “suspend collections efforts” because of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to city spokesperson Michael Hinkle.

Fauquier County has earned the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award from the Government Finance Officers Association for its budget for the fiscal year that began July 1, the county announced in a news release. A panel of independent reviewers examined the budget document and found the county met the highest standards in government budgeting. The award is the highest form of recognition in governmental budgeting and “represents a major achievement for the County,” the release said. To receive the award, a government’s budget document must be rated proficient in four categories and in 14 mandatory criteria within those categories: policy document, financial plan, operations guide and communications device.

Nearly 9,900 people have viewed 19 legislative committee meetings since a video pilot program began July 30, the director of Legislative Council told Colorado legislative leaders last month. That’s the total number of viewers, not unique views, but “a lot of participation,” said Natalie Castle, who leads the General Assembly’s nonpartisan research staff. She added that Legislative Council has so far received only two emails, both “very positive” about the video pilot, which included the recent special session on state budget and artificial intelligence issues. However, “a lot of informal feedback” also has been “only positive” with commenters saying that they especially like the ability to see slides online as they are presented to legislative committee members.

The Republican National Committee’s public records lawsuit against the City of Lansing can proceed, a judge ruled in September, while the city’s legal fees for defending the case closed in on $25,000. The RNC filed its lawsuit in February and claimed that Lansing’s $4,795 estimated fee to provide surveillance video from absentee ballot drop boxes in the city on Nov. 5, Election Day, was excessively high. The city filed a motion to have the lawsuit dismissed, arguing that it acted in good faith and complied with the state’s public records law, known as the Freedom of Information Act.