Mayor Avula introduces ordinance to improve payment reporting, transparency
Ordinance modernizes payment reporting to publish key payment information, protect privacy, and build a Thriving City Hall
Richmond, VA — Mayor Danny Avula announced today that he has introduced an ordinance ahead of Richmond City Council’s Monday meeting to fix the City’s payment reporting requirement, following through on a commitment made in March to address a longstanding issue with the existing ordinance that has not functioned as intended, and predates his administration.
While the issue was not among the Administration’s most urgent operational challenges, recent attention along with the Administration's desires to improve processes and systems underscored the need to resolve these longstanding problems. Following a full review, the Administration is advancing reforms.
The proposed ordinance is the result of a review of City workflows, staffing, technology, and reporting requirements related to the payment registry required under City Code §12-16. The goal of the proposed ordinance is to preserve and support public access to City spending information while ensuring the system is practical, accurate, and compliant with privacy laws.
“On March 26, I said we were taking a hard look at how the City delivers payment registry data. We did that work, and now we’re acting on it.” said Mayor Danny Avula. "My ordinance gives the public the information they have a right to have about how taxpayer dollars are spent while creating a system that can actually work the way it was intended."
Under the proposed changes, the City would publish key payment information, including who the City is paying, how much was paid, and which department made the payment. At the same time, the ordinance would remove categories of payments restricted by privacy laws such as certain social services benefits and tax refund payments.
The revised framework would better align Richmond with state and federal privacy requirements, as well as reporting practices used in neighboring jurisdictions.
“This is about delivering better, more usable information to the public,” said Mayor Danny Avula. “It means stronger transparency, smarter operations, and helping residents clearly understand how public dollars are being spent.”
The ordinance also supports the Administration’s broader effort to make City Hall more accessible to residents. The effort builds on recent actions to modernize City operations and improve accountability, including the launch of TechDesk, updates to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, passage of FOIA Library legislation, and enhancements to the RVA Business Portal.
