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Education advocates turned out en masse to City Hall on Monday night, demanding that the Richmond City Council back Mayor Levar Stoney’s plan to increase the city’s real estate tax and funnel millions to city schools.

“Show our children that they’re worth it,” said Angela Dews, a teacher at Armstrong High School.

Richmond Public Schools teachers, parents and students were the largest contingent of about 100 people who addressed the council during a two-hour public hearing on the budget. Proponents of the school division and the real estate tax increase to support its operations outnumbered opponents of the mayor’s tax hike at Monday’s hearing.

“I’m tired of hearing excuses. We can all come up with complaints and criticisms, but let’s start investing in solutions,” said Theresa Kennedy, a 3rd District resident who said she showed up to let her councilman know she didn’t appreciate his stance on Stoney’s plan.

The show of support for Stoney’s budget came on a day when his proposal avoided a fatal blow at the hands of the council, which earlier in the day spent hours weighing budget amendments without broaching the subject of the real estate tax rate.