RICHMOND MEASURE N -- WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENT PROJECT: NO.
Developer Richard Poe spearheaded this initiative, which would give him the right to build 59 single-family homes on five acres adjacent to the city's prized Craneway Pavilion.
Whatever the merits of Poe's "Riviera" project might be, he shouldn't be allowed to bypass the city planning process, including environmental review and public hearings. Complex issues should not be reduced to an up-or-down vote on a one-sided initiative drafted by a developer for his own project.
The city's general plan includes specifications for shoreline development. That should not be thrown out just because Poe wants to do things his way.

RICHMOND MEASURE O -- CITY MANAGER SALARY: NO.
The family of Poe, the developer pushing Measure N, also instigated this initiative. Poe doesn't like the city's reception to his planned waterfront project, and this is apparently payback.
It would restrict total compensation (salary and benefits) of the city manager to five times Richmond's median household income, roughly $273,000. That's not a realistic figure for attracting the sort of manager the city desperately needs.
It's true current City Manager Bill Lindsay, whose total compensation exceeds $385,000 annually, sat back quietly as Richmond's credit rating dropped and its budget gap grew.
But Measure O would make it nearly impossible to find a qualified replacement.