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Richmond Council passes budget amid loud debate over security detail

Posted at 12:10 AM, May 29, 2013
and last updated 2013-05-29 00:10:05-04

RICHMOND, Va. (WTVR)--While Richmond City Council members approved of the city’s budget Tuesday night, most of the discussion still centered around Mayor Dwight Jones’ security detail.

Mayor Jones will be able to keep his security team with a price tag of $400,000.

“How did this happen? How did this happen?” city councilwoman Reva Trammell repeatedly asked.

Trammel blames Council President Charles Samuels, claiming he worked behind closed doors to allow Jones’ office to pull that $100,000 from the city's 311 department to make up the difference.

“It had to be you, Mr. President. You did this to me. You hurt me. It was the way you did it,” says Trammell.

“I came to you in person and apologized to you for not having time to reach out to you on that question. I hope that one day, you will be willing to accept that apology,” says Samuels.

Trammel also blamed Richmond residents, wondering why very few people showed up to oppose the budget.

“How come you all are not down here screaming and hollering about these things?" asked Trammell. "Don’t be jumping on us after the vote on the budget tonight."

"Don’t come to our district meetings screaming and hollering; asking how did you all do it?" Trammell said. "Where were you all tonight?”

Without much opposition to other items--- council members eventually passed the city's budget.