The RTD editorial pages seem to have been overcome with a severe outbreak of decency and civility in the last couple of weeks. One of the best pieces of evidence for this thesis is the paper’s decision, publicized earlier this week, to fully endorse liberal columnist Leonard Pitts’s forthcoming series of articles on “what works” in confronting poverty and its consequences.
The Miami Herald columnist is soliciting by email information about successful anti-poverty programs and initiatives from around the country; Pitts will be writing about some of those examples in the months to come. The RTD is encouraging local readers to email Pitts (and cc them) and tell him about any local-area programs that come to mind. (There are a few; more on them in this space later, perhaps.)
Kudos to the RTD for embracing this useful initiative.
Considering that the City of Richmond is due to vote on a Living Wage ordinance for its contract workers on Febrary 12th, I think we all need to send in letters to the editor at the RTD. Maybe we can send them to Pitts as well, because the RTD is bound to weigh in on the measure again before the Council and the Mayor get done with the ordinance. Just a thought.