City Agenda's

Thank you Councilmembers Sandy Sheedy and Rob Fong

2012-12-01T07:00:51Z

“When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.” Alexander Graham Bell

There are always more opportunities in life, somewhere over the rainbow; another opportunity is coming for both Councilmember Sandy Sheedy and Councilmember Rob Fong.

Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high
There's a land that I've heard of once in a lullaby.
Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue
And the dreams that you dare to dream,
Really do come true.
Someday I'll wish upon a star
And wake up where the clouds are far behind me.
Where troubles melt like lemon drops,
High above the chimney tops,
That's where you'll find me.
Somewhere over the rainbow, blue birds fly
Birds fly over the rainbow
Why then, oh why can't I?
If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow
Why, oh why can't I?

I truly and with all my heart will miss not seeing both Councilmembers Robert Fong and Sandy Sheedy at city council sessions.

Councilmember Sandy Sheedy has, in my opinion, given her heart in representing District 2 of the City of Sacramento. She has been a member of the Sacramento City Council since 2000 when she was elected. Before I welcome the new councilmember for District 2 I have to show appreciation and respect for the councilmember who served her District for twelve years and who previously served on the Sacramento Planning Commission.

While Sheedy may not have always agreed with comments I made at city council sessions; her heart and mind was open to hearing my pleas, concerns and pain towards addressing youth violence and other city related issues.

Councilmember Seedy I will miss you. I will miss your smile and the attention you gave me as I spoke. Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue and the dreams that you dare to dream will come true. When one door closes another will open. I look forward to seeing you walk through another public service door. And when you find the opportunity that is right for you many within our community will stand to greet you.

Councilmember Sheedy, I have a great deal of respect for you. Please do not look long and regretfully upon the closed door that you fail to see the door which has opened for you.

Before I welcome the new councilmember for District 4 I have to show appreciation and respect for the councilmember who served his District for over eight years. Councilmember Robert Fong has, in my opinion, given his heart in representing District 4 of the City of Sacramento. He was elected in 2004. He served on the Sacramento City Unified School District Board of Education for several years prior to being elected to the city council. Fong is an alumnus of the University of California, Berkeley and a firecracker when stating or opposing a case on council.

While he may not have always agreed with comments I made at city council sessions he too opened his heart and mind to hearing my pleas, concerns and pain towards addressing youth violence and other city related issues.

Councilmember Fong, I will miss you. I will miss the way you would go into a sincere stare as I spoke as if something I said touched you. Somewhere over the rainbow, skies for you are also blue and the dreams that you dare to dream will come true. Dream Big! When one door closes another will open and many within the community will also greet you with open arms.

Councilmember Fong, I have a great deal of respect for you. Please do not look long or regretfullyupon the closed door that you fail to see the door which has also opened for you.

The last few years could not have been easy for either Councilmember Fong or Sheedy as they attempted to find order within chaos. I respect them for staying tough and true to their beliefs.

Over the years I have grown to have a great deal of respect for them both. They will truly and sincerely be missed.

Thank you for your efforts, labor and hearts. May you both be blessed for your efforts serving our community.

Open Letter to Sacramento City Council to think big

2012-08-27T05:31:19Z

On Tuesday August 28, 2012 it is rumored Virginia Beach City Counsel will hear a presentation from Comcast-Spectacor to build a new Sports/ Entertainment arena in Virginia Beach.

It is also rumored the Maloofs are looking to move the Sacramento Kings to Virginia Beach if their city council approves the new arena deal.

According to a USA Today article, Eric W. Rose, the Maloofs’ spokesman, said: “It is becoming clearer that the foundation of Think Big is built on fabrication and deception. The name of the organization should be changed to Think Big Fraud,”

Wouldn’t the allegations of "the foundation of Think Big is built on fabrication and deception" warrant our city council to show concern, raise questions and provide the residents of Sacramento the truth as to why the Maloofs backed out of the deal?

Does Sacramento want to keep or seek a sports team under any means necessary including behaving unethically?

Does our city counsel condone poor sportsmanship as long as it allows us to keep an NBA team?

Should our Mayor and Think Big share in the responsibility of the failed deal?

Should they represent our city in negotiating future deals when they appear to be thieves and attempted to steal and sell the Kings from underneath the Maloofs? (see below Sports Illustrated article)

On the February 12, 2012 letter Think Big sent to Chris ~~Steve~~ Hansen, it begins, “ On behalf of the 99% of us who make up the wonderful mosaic that is the great City of Sacramento, we have one message for the top 1/10th of the 1% who is engaged in actions detrimental to our community: KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF OUR KINGS."

Does Think Big represent 99% of us?

When Anaheim showed interest in the Sacramento Kings, it appears Sacramento attempted to strong arm the King owners and threaten Anaheim in efforts to keep the Kings in Sacramento.

When Seattle showed interest in the Sacramento Kings, Think Big sent a wild-wild-west-meet-us-at-high-noon-for-battle-letter to Chris Hansen ironically accusing Seattle of engaging in “predatory behavior.”
http://www.thinkbigsacramento.com/assets/Public-Reports/Open-Letter-CH.pdf

Did we behaved ethically in trying to keep the team and reach a deal? Is Think Big giving us a one-sided description of what went wrong? Are they credible?

Should we look into the actions of Think Big before pressing forward in search of a Baseball team to ensure another deal will not go sour?

I appreciate and respect a mayor strong enough to fight for our city. But shouldn’t we fight ethically and with integrity?

It is written in a Think Big press release “Central Florida is a long way from Sacramento, but the story has traveled. Everyone you meet at All-Star Weekend wants to hear about how Sacramento has managed one of the great municipal recoveries in sports history, yanking a team back home after another city had a contract ready to sign, seal and steal. “ http://www.thinkbigsacramento.com/assets/Press-Releases/Sacramento-Miracle-Talk-of-Town-in-Orlando-022612.pdf Why then does it appear the Maloofs are continuously looking to relocate?

It appears a story has again traveled that the Maloofs can not work with someone they do not trust. http://insidebiz.com/news/sources-sacramento-kings-may-move-virginia-beach-arena-deal-works

While Virginia Beach city counsel meets to discuss building a new arena which could possibly house our Sacramento Kings why isn't our city counsel meeting to determine if Sacramento -while thinking big- used unethical strong arm tactics to attempt to sell and steal the Kings from the Maloofs?

Are we thieves? Did we fight to keep the Kings by any means necessary? Were we going to dribble our integrity for a game of sports? Do you think our actions were foul?

Why would the Maloofs want to stay in a city that attempted to steal their team? Why is Think Big spreading rumors the Maloofs do not care about Sacramento when it seems we did not care about the Maloofs and attempted to keep the team by thievery?

Thank You

Rhonda Erwin
Sacramento City Resident

Below is the Sports Illustrated Article highlighting Sacramento Mayor Johnson attempt to steal the Sacramento Kings from the Maloofs.

After reading it perhaps we should ask ourselves why would the Maloofs want to stay in Sacramento?

“SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Before the mudslinging became a routine public affair here, the harsh words between city officials and the Maloof family that owns the Kings were typically kept behind closed doors.

And so it was in the late morning of March 29 inside a conference room at Old City Hall, where Mayor and former NBA point guard Kevin Johnson dished his dirt while speaking to about 25 members of the Kings' A-list team sponsors. Despite all the excitement surrounding the handshake deal for a new downtown arena made more than a month before, Johnson -- who raised some $10 million from these same business leaders the year before as a way of showing the league how badly the Maloofs had mismanaged this market -- had a warning for the group.

He told them that a bit of bad arena news "might be coming out of L.A.," as one source who was in the room remembered, a clear foreshadowing of the Los Angeles Times report published just hours later that detailed the Maloofs' concerns about the deal and raised the possibility yet again that they might be on the move. Johnson … said the Maloofs "should be ashamed to show their faces in Sacramento," the source said, then offered an unsolicited reminder that his Plan B was still very much in play: Ron Burkle.

A year after Johnson partnered with the L.A.-based billionaire to put pressure on the Maloofs to sell the Kings, sources say he remains in constant contact with Burkle and is still hopeful that he will eventually take over the team and keep it in Sacramento. Burkle, the Pittsburgh Penguins' owner who was ranked 107th on Forbes' list of richest people in America last year (net worth of $3.2 billion), was a major part of Johnson's pitch to stop the Maloofs from moving to Anaheim.

This push to force the Maloofs out was already underway on Thursday, when 26 Sacramento business owners sent a letter to NBA commissioner David Stern urging him to "strongly encourage" the family to sell. That message came directly from Johnson's camp for the first time on Sunday, by way of a 1,853-word letter sent to members of Johnson's regional initiative, "Think Big Sacramento

Editor's note: Edits have been made to names in this article after publishing.

Think Big makes Sacramento look small

2012-08-23T19:25:13Z

Tuesday August 21, 2012 My retired uncle and his retired best friend went to Arco Arena to purchase their half season Kings tickets.

They were in the first group. They walked on the floor choosing their seats and glad to be in a position to support Sacramento and the Kings. They spent a little over $700.00 each to purchase the upstairs half season tickets.

Today, after reading, Inside Business, The Hampton Business Journal’s article, ‘Sources: Sacramento Kings may move to Virginia Beach, arena deal in the works’ I phoned my uncle asking him how he felt of the Kings leaving to Virginia Beach.

Shocked, my uncle stated “They never told us of the proposed plans. If so I would not have purchased the tickets.”

My uncle realizes the move will be after the season however he insists he would not have supported or bought the tickets had he known the Kings were expected to announce today they would leave for Virginia Beach.

Learning of the proposed move to Virginia Beach concerned my uncle. However, what concerned me even more was the perception Virginia Beach, ESPN and USA Today readers have regarding our Sacramento Mayor and “Think Big, the committee formed by Johnson to retain the Kings”

Surely we want a leader to put Sacramento on the map. But one would hope Sacramento will be considered a trustworthy business city and not one considered untrustworthy and associated with fraud. Below are highlights of the article:

“Kevin Johnson, the mayor of Sacramento and a former NBA standout, has tried to keep the Kings in his city. The Maloofs have said they no longer trust Johnson and don’t want to work with him, according to ESPN in April, prior to the deal collapsing.
“You can’t do a deal with somebody you don’t trust,” George Maloof Jr. said, according to The Sacramento Bee. “I don’t trust him.”

Amid negotiations over the new entertainment complex in Sacramento, elected officials representing the city criticized the Maloofs, saying they’ve turned their backs on the city late in the game, the ESPN article said.

Chris Lehane, executive director of Think Big, the committee formed by Johnson to retain the Kings, compared dealing with the Maloofs to dealing with one of the world’s most inscrutable and widely criticized governments. Lehane, who stepped down from his position in June, at one point, asked U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to investigate the Maloof brothers, according to a USA Today report.

Eric W. Rose, the Maloofs’ spokesman, said: “It is becoming clearer that the foundation of Think Big is built on fabrication and deception. The name of the organization should be changed to Think Big Fraud,” the USA Today article said.

http://insidebiz.com/news/sources-sacramento-kings-may-move-virginia-beach-arena-deal-works

District 8 Council Race moving forward

2012-06-05T22:50:13Z

A Native American grandfather was talking to his grandson about how he felt. He said, I feel as if I have two wolves fighting for my heart. One wolf is the vengeful, violent one, the other wolf is the loving compassionate one." The grandson asked him "which wolf will win the fight in your heart?" The grandfather answered, "The one I feed."- Black hawk

The race for District 8 council seat has been difficult and upsetting. Often times I was angered with the misleading information on the mailers sent to residents in district 8. Often times I had to force myself to starve my anger and feed the compassion within my heart.

I do not understand what would make Williams, who until now, had never publicly criticize or attack Pannell, fight so aggressively attempting to make herself look good by making Pannell look bad.

I am not sure why Williams resorted to shameful tactics to attempt to win the District 8 council seat. I am unsure why mailers had to have the words "endorse by Kevin Johnson written on them" It confuses me as to why Williams, having labored within Sacramento, did not attempt to get in office on her own merits.

I kept asking myself why would Williams feel she needs Johnson to lift her into office? I am concerned as to if Williams will feel obligated to Johnson for his role in attempting to gain the District 8 council seat for Williams.

I am glad this day has arrived and the votes will be counted and we can move forward beyond this distraction in our lives.

Prior to our 2012 District 8 council race I did not consider elections a distraction. I welcomed the day to hear of the passion and changes our candidates would offer.

Williams consistently failed to give us her vision for moving the district forward and simply criticized our current councilwoman and often in a not so truthful manner.

I could not even bring myself to writing about the most recent mailer which showed a lighter background /complexion Williams smiling so brightly with the words 'Moving Us Forward."

The reverse side of the mailer showed a darker background/ complexion Pannell without a smile with the words, 'Holding Us Back" boldly written nearby.

It was an upsetting distraction seeing the obvious attempt of psychological manipulation with the light vs. dark; inviting smile verses silly photo to manipulate us.

Williams latest mailer states, 'The old ways of doing things no longer work. I will bring new solutions...restore the services we pay for... (and) make sure your tax dollars are wisely spent". The city of Sacramento is in deficit; the mailer fails to inform us on how Williams proposes to restore our services.

District 8 residents had to plow through so much deceit with this election.

Franklin P Adams once wrote, "Elections are won by men and women chiefly because most people vote against somebody rather than for somebody." It appears candidate Williams, by failing to offer us solutions, was not attempting to have us vote for her. Williams attempted to simply yet aggressively have us vote against Pannell.

I am hoping District 8 residents will not be swayed by the misinformation mailers and the latest psychological manipulation photos and vote for Pannell, the best candidate to represent our district.

It is sad and upsetting that Williams chose to run such a manipulative campaign. How do we move foward with Williams when she moved in deceit and manipulation?

Their were times it was extremely difficult to not feed into the anger in my heart towards Williams campaign. It was not always easy to starve the anger I felt towards Mayor Johnson for endorsing such a manipulative campaign.

But to move us forward we have to feed into the love we possess for District 8 and starve the anger of the dirty politics played by Williams that were endorsed by Mayor Johnson.

No matter who wins the election we must continue to love our District and labor to make it a better place for our children.

Thank you Councilwoman Pannell for putting your heart and soul into District 8 and I hope you win. You have my vote due to your efforts and integrity.

Disclosure: District 8 resident

District 8 Mailer- Without a vision the people will perish

2012-05-30T10:55:45Z

I was preparing for bed and decided to take a look at today's mail. I received another campaign mailer Paid for By Better Sacramento Political Action Committee, major funding by Western Electrical Contractors Association, Inc. Good Government PAC, Mark Friedman and Frank Ramos.

The mailer has a photo of a pastor written next to him are the words:

Bonnie Pannell has disappointed us.

"All too often I have witnessed her stand in the way"

Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson is working hard to improve our community--- to create real jobs, grow economy, reform our stagnant government, and increase much needed public safety.

Sadly, our Mayor can't count on City Councilwoman Bonnie Pannell to listen honestly and without the influence of 'other interest." Instead of helping, all too often I have witnessed her stand in the way of progress.

I firnly believe that to move our great city and district forward, it's time for visionary new leadership.
signed Dr. Darryl B. Heath, Pastor.

The back of the mailer states:

BONNIE PANNELL HAS FAILED OUR COMMUNITY:

Voted to cut 82 police officers' jobs while hiring a new city manager for $300,000 a year. Sacramento Bee, 08-11-11

Asked, "why are we spending more money on thepolice department if we have the second highest crime rate in the state?" Sacramento Observer, 09-09-11

"While voting to cut public safety, Bonnie Pannell voted to pay a new city manager $305,000 plus a $150,000 bonus- making him the highest paid employee in Sacramento history."- Crime Victims United of California Advisory Board Member Sabrina Berhane

Bonnie Pannell "is stunningly tone-deaf...pay hikes for top bureaucrats ought to be off the table." Sacramento Bee, 12-18-10

Pannell told a citizen: 'Screw folks' constitutional rights." Sacramento News and Review 12-08-11

She even called a 61-year-old woman an "a**hole." Fox 40 News

The Sacramento Bee says Pannell is "Stunningly tone-deaf:"" While laying off workers and cutting services, she demanded big pay raises for two of Sacramento's highest paid bureaucrats, saying they were "underpaid."

Does this pastor live in our district? Is the church in our district?

The mailer fails to mention Councilmember Pannell is endorsed by the Sacramento Bee and Sacramento News & Review.

This is absolutely unbelievable. For a pastor to state "All to often I have witnessed her stand in the way" is unbelievable. I invite the pastor to come on this site and share all the times he has witnessed Pannell stand in the way. In the way of what?

Sadly, residents in District 8 can't count on a Pastor to see through deceit--unbelievable.

Williams is blessed. Councilmember Pannell decided to not fight dirty and send out mailers pulling all her quotes out of context.

Councilmember Bonnie Pannell has not disappointed me.

Dr. Darryl B. Heath, Pastor has disappointed me!- and without a vision the people will perish. Unbelievable!

Disclosure: District 8 resident

Opinion: Local media have made race for Council District 8 more transparent

2012-05-28T02:12:53Z

On Saturday May 26, 2012 I received the following letter in the mail paid for by Better Sacramento Political Action Committee, major funding by Western Electrical Contractors Association Inc, Good Government PAC, Mark Friedman and Frank Ramos:

Dear Rhonda,

Your city council district has Sacramento's worst crime area - but your City Councilwoman, Bonnie Pannell, voted to cut police protection and now wants to cut even deeper. Her budget priorities are very wrong.

While voting to cut public safety, Bonnie Pannell:

- Voted to pay a new city manager $305,000, plus a $150,000 - making him the highest-paid employee in Sacramento history

- Demanded big raises for two of Sacramento's highest-paid employees, saying they were "underpaid"

- Rejected a free budget audit by a national accounting firm that could have prevented cuts in public safety

Bonnie Pannell “is stunningly tone-deaf,” wrote the Sacramento Bee. With city services being slashed and workers being laid off, “pay hikes for top bureaucrats ought to be off the table.”

We agree. To protect public safety, it’s time for someone new.

Sincerely,

Sabrina Berhane
Advisory Board Member
Crime Victims United of California

It is again disappointing to receive literature from the United Crime Victims of California relating to District 8. It is concerning, when the author of the literature has previously sent out misleading information regarding crime, unemployment, Councilmember Pannell and efforts to keep the public safe.

On Saturday I also read an article within the Sacramento Bee where an informed SacBee analysis found, "Ad targeting Pannell distorts crime stats" http://www.sacbee.com/2012/05/26/4517791/business-group-issues-misleading.html The article states, "A campaign mailer attacking Sacramento Councilwoman Bonnie Pannell exaggerates crime and unemployment figures in Pannell's south Sacramento district."

As I continued reading articles relating to Sacramento local elections I found the following article within the Sacramento News and Review "Pannell, McCarty" http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/pannell-mccarty/content?oid=6025647 The informed article states, "Two incumbents on the Sacramento City Council—Bonnie Pannell in District 8 and Kevin McCarty in District 6—have served the city well and deserve another term."

Today, I also read "No promises" a May 3, 2012 Sacramento News & Review article where I learned of the city's Code of Fair Campaign Practices pledge: http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/no-promises/content?oid=5889097 The article reads "Of the 21 candidates running for city council or mayor, just six have refused to sign the city’s Code of Fair Campaign Practices pledge.

"But Mayor Kevin Johnson ally Betty Williams has already chosen to go negative on her opponent, incumbent councilwoman Bonnie Pannell. One Williams brochure attacks Pannell for opposing Johnson on his strong-mayor initiative and a key redistricting vote." SN&R

"Williams just got $25,000 from independent-expenditure committee Better Sacramento Political Action Committee to help her keep up the attack. Better Sacramento is the outgrowth of the so-called Sacramento 60, a group of businessmen and developers who formed to support strong-mayor and other Johnson initiatives." SN&R

The negative and misleading District 8 council election literature is concerning. Citizens in the city of Sacramento are entitled to truth and transparency. Thomas Jefferson once said, ""The sheep are happier of themselves, than under the care of wolves." It is alarming when their are wolves attempting to manipulate the public during elections.

Elections can be overwhelming when you are struggling for truth and a better quality of life.

When I received the first misleading mailer I was angry and wrote of the shameful tactics. Years ago, a friend of mine was murdered in District 8 near Danger Island and another in G Parkway. I seen the improvements to clean up the area. I seen the results of councilwoman Bonnie Pannell determination to improve the quality of life for many in District 8.

Today, as I was catching up on my election reading, I learned while residents of District 8 are given misleading information by the Better Sacramento Political Action Committee; our local media has given us truth and transparency.

It is unacceptable our mayor, who wanted more power - through a strong mayor iniatiative- will walk away from this election not being held accountable for his role in dirty politics. Not assuring residents of District 8 are provided a truthful opportunity to vote for the best candidate to represent our district is shameful.

It is disturbing our mayor does not hold transparency and truth as a vital component for public office for himself and our council/ candidates.

It is unacceptable candidate Williams did not run a clean campaign. It is disappointing candidate Williams did not compliment Pannell on her labor and then informed us ways if elected she (Williams) can do a better service for the district.

As a resident of District 8 I feel we are entitled to an apology from both Mayor Johnson and Candidate Williams.

As a low income city resident I am overwhelmed with life's struggles. It is overwhelming to see the deceitful tactics condoned by our mayor and council candidates wanting to represent us.

Thank you Sacramento Press, Sacramento News and Review and Sacramento Bee for giving us the transparency the citizens of Sacramento are deserving of.

I read so many well-informed comments on the Sacramento Press by so many community members on various city agenda topics. I am truly impressed by the citizens of Sacramento who are actively engaged in our city politics.

Our mayor, elected officials and candidates, such as Williams, may have thousands of dollars to fund their campaigns. But to have an engaged community with an unbiased media is priceless during an election.

It appears, in regards to transparency and accountability, the residents of Sacramento do not need a strong mayor form of government. If we have determined community members combined with an informed media we can hold our elected officials accountable and vote the undeserving out of office.

I hope election 2012 will teach Sacramento elected officials and candidates that it is your labor combined with integrity that will vote you in office. And be careful, regardless of whether you have labored; a deceitful, negative and misleading campaign or endorsement of one will result in you losing our trust and vote.

Someone once said, 'A lie can take care of the present but it has no future."

I want to offer my sincere appreciation and thanks to both Sacramento's engaged community members and writers within our local media. Due to your efforts, it seems, Transparency in government has a future in Sacramento.

Disclosure: resident of district 8 overwhelmed by negative and untruthful campaign literature

District 8 Council Seat - Shameful

2012-05-22T03:21:58Z

"There is a black street. The road is black. The houses are black, and there are no lights on of any kind. A black car comes down the road with no lights on. A black dog runs in front of the car. The car swerves and misses the dog. How did the driver see the dog?" (The answer to this riddle will follow later.)

I live in Sacramento, a city where politics and greed often overshadow life and freedom for our youth. When I receive literature pertaining to a council seat for the district I reside in, I prefer transparency and truth.

The literature I received supporting District 8 candidate Betty Williams is alarming.

To use our pain and suffering from youth death and youth arrest as a propaganda vehicle to get into office insults and underestimates our intelligence, our pain, our labor and our efforts.

It is disappointing to see candidate Betty Williams would attempt to get in office by any means necessary, including the empty tactic of attempting to make yourself look good by simply making someone else look bad.

The first pamphlet I received endorsing Williams has a photo of the candidate at the gang task force press conference with Johnson and Captain Dan Scheide photographed behind her.

Candidate Betty Williams spoke at the press conference of the high-profile barbershop shooting with no mention to the youth whose deaths were not high profile.

Both Mayor Johnson and, it seems, Williams are consistently photographed by the media only when looking at high-profile cases such as the Second Saturday shooting and the barbershop shooting.

Councilmember Bonnie Pannell looks at the deaths of all our youth as worthy of addressing. She is not looking for media attention. She is looking at finding resources for the youth.

According to candidate Williams pamphlet, there were 312 crimes in District 8 in August, and 121 were violent crimes. The pamphlet does not mention crime rates from the rest of the year.

The pamphlet does not give us any research-based information comparing a crime wave or crime trend in August 2010, 2009, 2008, or previous years.

The pamphlet fails to mention whether the suspects were residents of District 8 or residents of Sacramento County or surrounding districts and cities.

Most importantly, the pamphlet fails to mention what Williams will do to effectively address crime.

The pamphlet fails to mention the numerous efforts of Pannell.

Mayor Johnson jumped on the crime bandwagon to get into office. He was not in attendance at crime forums prior to running for office. He began addressing a gang summit when gathering signatures and hoping for votes for the strong mayor initiative.

The pamphlet also reads, "Too many people not working: 52% of people in District 8 are either unemployed or out of the workforce. This means 1 of every 2 people are not working.”

The pamphlet fails to mention how many of the residents are not working because they are retired, nor how many just moved into the district or city, or the unemployment rate for the city as a whole.

The pamphlet also reads, “Too many children receive poor education: 67% of the children in District 8 are below state standards." Williams is aware the city of Sacramento does not control the state of our schools.

Williams mentions on her profile she is the president of the NAACP, but she fails to mention the NAACP should have more of a role in addressing children receiving poor education if the residents are primarily people of color. Some could argue that Williams, NAACP president, has failed.

The concerning pamphlet I received today quotes Sabrina Berhane, Advisory Board Member, Crime Victims United of California, “Councilwoman Bonnie Pannell has failed you.”

I have never seen Berhane at a meeting addressing victims of crime in District 8. I have never seen her at a funeral of a murdered resident. I have never seen her at a candlelight vigil. I have never seen her at a community forum. I have never seen her at the court appearances I have attended in a community divided into victims and suspects.

Many do not believe Crime Victims United of California has united or embraced all crime victims but instead unites and embraces law enforcement unions.

The pamphlet states in large bold letters, “Bonnie Pannell cuts police, and you pay the price." Williams knows Pannell has not stood alone in the difficult budget sessions where cuts are given to many city departments, which had to include law enforcement.

“Councilwoman Bonnie Pannell voted to cut police protection in your neighborhood, even though your district has the worst crime area in Sacramento — and now she’s threatening even deeper cuts,” it says.

The pamphlet fails to list the voices of those in attendance at the council budget cuts or the reasons given by those who voted on the cuts. This misleading propaganda could sway and prevent future councilmembers from looking after our best interest to feed and fund Sacramento’s police officers union for endorsements.

Shame on Williams for being silent and allowing this propaganda and deceitful literature to go out to residents in District 8.

The Crime Victims United of California pamphlet fails to mention Pannell’s vote to put cameras in the district, even with objections from some of us, to aid as a crime deterrent, plus other efforts to reduce crime.

It fails to mention that under Pannell’s watch, the gang-infested apartment complex known as Danger Island was cleaned up. It fails to mention that under her watch, the gang-infested G Parkway area was cleaned up, and Phoenix Park residents were given resources and job training.

When two teens were murdered in District 8, Pannell insisted the area should have a highly visible police presence. She did not stay tucked away in a city office or ride around like Johnson with a police escort in a $50,000 SUV paid for by the city.

I stood watching a large crowd gather at the site where one teen’s body lay dead. I will never forget turning to see a small group of teens, in a psychologically frozen state, and near them stood Councilmember Pannell. She was standing at the site where another teen’s lay lifeless. There was no media present. She stood with tears in her eyes, asking, “How can we stop this?”

Shame on Berhane for failing to mention that Pannell has held forums, meeting with numerous youth to hear their voices, concerns and obstacles both when Fargo was in office and when Johnson sat silent.

Shame on Berhane for failing to mention Pannell’s efforts to provide resources and opportunities for the youth of the district versus an ignorant approach of simply saturating streets with law enforcement.

Under Pannell’s leadership, new parks, libraries, improved health facilities and developments of stores, pharmacies and markets were brought to District 8. She said no to closing community centers and pools to give District 8 kids a safe place to go after school and on weekends.

Pannell has worked with Johnson to address crime supporting the Street Outreach Team and Boston Ceasefire program. She has fought for additional grant money to help our at-risk youth.

Shame on Berhane, who does not live in our district, for appearing to use the body of our dead youth, the pain of a community divided to endorse candidates for District 8.

The Crime Victims United of California pamphlet fails to mention that Williams has stood in front of cameras with law enforcement as the police officer union monopolizes the city budget, whereas Pannell has stood in front of the affected youth and been exposed to the violence by listening to those in her district and surrounding districts.

I appreciate the fact that Pannell did not attempt to make Williams look bad in an effort to making herself look good. I appreciate the fact that Pannell ran a clean campaign, putting the district before her own aspirations of remaining in office.

Shame on Berhane for playing dirty politics over truth.

Shame on Johnson for endorsing Williams when he knows her labor and efforts. To endorse another candidate to simply gain an ally on the city council is shameful.

Shame on Johnson for making the state of this city and District 8 personal to fit his self-absorbed needs when it should be business. Public safety means keeping the public safe, not keeping your political career safe.

The answer to the riddle mentioned at the beginning of the article is simple if we look beneath the surface and around the propaganda. The driver of the car missed the dog because it was daylight.

Some of us won't look below the surface of propaganda to see the obvious in the District 8 race. Campaigns should not be conducted like riddles. We should not have to look at what is not written and read misleading information.

Shame on Mayor Johnson for not insisting that we, the residents of Sacramento, deserve truth and transparency during the election process.

The riddle fails to mention the time of day or the fact it was daylight but draws us in with catch words and phrases. Sadly, we also have to look at what is not written in the literature opposing Pannell and the catch phrases of crime, school and unemployment.

Shame on Williams, Johnson and Crime Victims United for underestimating and insulting our intelligence.

What happened to all the election signs saying “Sacramento Police Endorse…”? Why are there no law enforcement endorsement signs in my neighborhood? The answer: The people have begun to ask for resources, opportunities and prevention versus suppression.

The climate has changed toward addressing youth and gang violence. Grant funding is swaying toward prevention rather than suppression. So now Crime Victims United of California is endorsing propaganda in our district.

Shame on campaign managers who stopped putting police endorsement signs in a neighborhood where crime exists and brought us Crime Victims United of California sending misleading mailers.

People in my district and throughout this city have suffered, died, lost freedom as a result of a lack of resources, while law enforcement union monopolize and strong arm the city budget. Programs which could aid in saving lives are continously cut to feed SPOA.

Who should we complain to as we become commodities?

Certainly we cannot complain to the NAACP since the president appears to allow and condone this deceitful behavior to get into public office.

Some within District 8 may be tricked into only catching the trick phrases within the riddle such as black street, black car with no lights on, black house and black dog, crime, unemployment and schools.

Some of us won't look below the surface of the District 8 race for office due to frustration over crime and pain. But the truth is law enforcement is a deterrent, not a solution.

Councilmember Pannell respects and supports law enforcement. I may not have always agreed with her votes in favor of law enforcement, but I respect the fact she is true to form and will not sell out one for the other.

This community member, a mother, who has interviewed numerous, in fact countless, community members, also in pain, who are exposed to and affected by crime in Valley Hi, Meadowview, and other council districts, endorses Councilmember Bonnie Pannell.

When running for office in District 8, do not give us any propaganda literature. We are not in the dark. We have residents engaged in community projects, dialog and council hearings.

It appears Candidate Williams is riding in the backseat with SPOA as Mayor Johnson swerves in the dark in his tinted-window, city-paid $50,000 SUV, trying to hit residents of District 8 with misleading information.

Kudos to Councilmember Bonnie Pannell for driving in the daylight. I appreciate you running a positive and truthful campaign. You have my vote!

Disclosure: I have attended numerous Townhall, community, city forums given by NAACP President Williams, Councilmember Pannell and Mayor Johnson. I appreicate the efforts of all but above all I appreciate and respect the truth. It is not personal; it is business

Thumbs down to the city of Sacramento

2012-03-28T09:42:45Z

Today I was given the middle finger and told “F**k you” by the City of Sacramento!

I awoke thinking it is going to be a good day. I headed out the door to work at 6:30am.

Some people are fortunate and wake up with a simple Things to Do list. I am not as fortunate. I am from the low income community and we often wake up with a Struggles to Endure, Battles to Fight List hopes to endure another day list.

Recently I have gone to various government offices and watched some within the city, county and state offices treat many low income residents as if they were voiceless, powerless and not worthy of being treated with respect.

I am low income. I believe whenever we have concerns we should also have a voice. When we have a voice we can disarm aggression - remain in the spirit of love- and arm ourselves with power.

With all the struggles I face on a daily basis I have to have a voice to disarm the mounting pain which can cause aggression. When my son was sentenced to prison his county/ state funded court appointed attorney looked me in the eyes and actually said, “F**k you”.

I am not privileged. I am in a community divided into victims and suspects, aggression, pain and anger surrounds me. I am trying to raise a son who will live in this city and I do it mourning the deaths of so many others that I love.

Too many of our children are dying prematurely. Too many of us are drowning, suffocating without a voice. I refuse to die in pain and let my struggles be buried with me.

I am trying to raise my son to know freedom and not live or die in a California prison.

I am teaching my son the pen is mightier than the sword. I am teaching him he is entitled and worthy of respect. I am teaching my son there is power in having a voice.

With all the struggles I face throughout the day, being a low income resident, I will not start my day being told “F**k You” by a City Employee.

When you are a city, county, state employee what you do on your own time in your own vehicle is your business. When you are in a city, county, state office or vehicle you no longer simply represent yourself --you represent the city or county of Sacramento.

This morning I attempted to enter the right lane to merge onto the freeway. I put my blinker on and when it was safe I attempted to merge into the right lane.

Suddenly I noticed a white city truck speeding up in an attempt to not let me in front of him. I couldn’t believe the driver would deliberately make me miss the freeway entrance because he did not have the courtesy to allow me to merge onto the lane.

The city truck sped up in efforts to prevent me from merging onto the freeway. Fortunately the driver behind the city truck allow me to enter the lane.

As I drove onto the freeway I entered into the left lane. I noticed the white city truck was in the right lane with several cars in front of him. We waited for one car to merge onto the freeway per green light.

My turn arrived and now this time I am in front of the white city truck. The driver sped up close to the back of my car. As we entered Interstate 5 he raced on the side of me. I looked over and this man, appearing filled with anger, rage, leaned toward his passenger window threw his arm towards my direction with his middle finger pointed at me stating ‘F**k You”

What the driver of the truck didn’t know is that I was not going to yell and cuss back at him. I have too many battles to fight, too many struggles to endure, bigger fish to fry, too much heartbreak. I was not going to throw my middle finger back at him or yell ‘F**k you”

I simply reached over to my purse and grabbed my camera. After witnessing so much from so many government workers I now carry my camera wherever I go. For me, “The pen (accompanied by photographs) is mightier than the sword”

I have respect for many city officials, departments, events, services and employees. And I do not believe we, as city residents have to tolerate disrespect by city, county, state government employees while they are representing the government office.

If he was in his own vehicle and raced up close to me, flipped me off and said “F**k you” I would not write this opinion.

The aggressive and angry man was in a City truck therefore he represented the City of Sacramento. And I will not be flipped off and told “Fu*k you” by the city of Sacramento.

Thumbs down to the City of Sacramento.

A Mother's Cry

2011-11-01T04:17:05Z

The phone rings a woman cries out. “Rhonda, is your son okay? I heard he was robbed at gunpoint. Was he shot?"

"My son is on his way home from school. It must be someone else." I replied. I hung up the phone and I called the cell phone my sister had bought my son for Christmas.

A voice I did not recognize answered. I asked, “Who is this?" I demanded, "Put my son on the phone."

The person responded, "You're son is dead" and then they hung up. I called back crying, "Please put my son on the phone." They replied, "He's dead."

I ran to the car with no idea of where I was going. I decided to drive the route my son would have walked home from school.

I was praying "Please God let me find my son. Please don't let me find a corpse covered in a tarp. Please let him be okay. Please God. Please"

Tears were streaming down my face. I could not breathe. I feared my son was laying somewhere also unable to breathe.

I could hardly see where I was driving so many tears were streaming down my face.

I was determined to find my son and then find the people who were answering his phone.

I had called 911 as I was leaving my home. I cried, "My son has been robbed. I think the people responsible are answering his phone. I think they shot him"

I could give no further information. I was told an officer would be dispatched to the area.

Several phone calls later I was given a phone number for an officer in the area.

I cried, “Please call my sons cell phone. The people responsible are answering his phone."

I was asked, "Mam, does your son sell drugs? Usually when people are robbed in the area they sell drugs."

I cried and questioned, "Are you telling me my son is a suspect for a crime, of selling drugs, that has not occurred verses the victim of a crime, a robbery, that has occurred?

Again, I begged, "Please call his cell phone." I was told, "Mam this is not CSI..."

It was at that point I realized if I was going to find my son I was going to do it alone. And I drove and drove, afraid of finding a corpse covered in a tarp and afraid of not finding my son.

My son, then 16yrs old and his 15yr old classmate were robbed of their jackets, phone and wallet as they walked home from school. The boy with my son turned over his items quickly and my son hesitated.

I had put his leather jacket on layaway for Christmas. It was the first day back to school from Winter Break. Because he hesitated, the robbers were going to take his life.

"Oh, he think he's tough. We got something for you" one robber replied.

The boy who had been walking with my son said he heard a gun go off and he ran afraid to look back. He said my son did not want to give them his jacket.

To think my son could have, ignorantly, lost his life for a jacket I put on layaway for three months was overwhelmingly difficult.

By the Grace of God, when the youth put the gun to my sons head and pulled the trigger the gun jammed. At that point my son ran, for his life, in the opposite direction.

Their was a gunshot but it missed my son.

My son ran and ran and ran until he found someone who would open their door and let him use the phone. Finally I had heard from my son. I picked him up, picked up his 15yr-old friend we met with officers to report the robbery.

I share this story, which is only one of several painful events in our lives in the City of Sacramento, for several reasons which include:

when I later write of what concerns (the tricks) with the Mayor's forum I want people to understand where I am coming from-- the pain that drives me to want to see significant efforts.
because this is the incident which woke me up and I began addressing youth violence crying out for the city to see our youths as more than suspects but as victims of crime as well.

When I attend forums addressing youth violence I take this and other pain with me. The pain never leaves me. I will never forget the painful memories I have in attempting to keep my son alive.

Equally important I will never forget the painful memories I have as I attempted to ensure my son knows freedom through a corrupt Sacramento court.

When I attend youth violence meetings I look for what is on the surface and I also look at what is not being told.

Unfortunately some are more concerned with losing funding or gaining funding than concerned with being completely truthful in their statistics.

I stayed on my knees in prayer. But I did not just pray. Faith without works is dead. So I also labored to address youth violence.

After my son was robbed of his jacket, cell phone and $5.00. He was robbed of a bike he was riding. I went to my church and asked if I could hold a town hall meeting to address youth violence.

The forum was 'Saving the Lives of All Youth" I felt it was important that we reach out to all youth. I knew if we just reach out to one ethnic group our children would still die.

In 2005, many Sacramento City and County leaders were focused on Hmong, Mien and Lao youth violence.

But the painful fact was the youth that robbed my son of his leather jacket were not Black, Hmong, Mien, Lao, Caucasian or Latino. I knew we had to reach all youth.

I also knew Tongan, Filipino, Russian, Pacific Islander, East Indian… youth were also dying and being arrested as a result of youth violence.

I went to my council member and without knowing me, she gave me her full support. Three articles were written by SacBee Diana Grego Erwin and community members from all walks of life responded.

I knew then addressing youth violence was something an entire community was prepared to do. I asked for parents, families of victims, schools, churches, community organizations, law enforcement, city and county elected officials to come together to save the lives of all our youth.

From our March 2005 meeting, then Sac City Superintendent Roy Grimes held an impressive forum at Hiram Johnson in April 2005. It was then I first publicly spoke sharing the story of my son robbed at gunpoint.

2005 Sacramento City School Superintendent Roy Grimes forum was impressive, consisting of Parents, Community leaders, Law enforcement, Non Profits and Educators.

A year or so later, and once money became available, an organizing committee came together and held another forum at Hiram Johnson. I was a speaker sharing the tragic stories of Sacramento youth homicide victims. The forum also brought together additional non profit organizations.

I have probably been to more meetings than I've been alive. I'm no spring chicken. There is so much I have seen from some that address youth violence that concerns me. There are also efforts which impress me.

But more often than not each time I attended a forum addressing youth violence I left in more pain than before and more often than not I cried harder than I cried before.

The March 2005 community meeting, “Saving the Lives of All Our Youth” included myself, Parents of victims, Two Council members (District Director's), Two County Supervisor (Chief of Staff) several Church Pastors, Community activist/ law enforcement, California Department of Correction workers, city, county, state, private industry workers, School Board members from several districts, Sac City Superintendent and several non profit organizations.

I share the above because it is important to know the collaborative effort our Mayor’s Plan consists of has been done before.

However the mayor’s forum is impressive as I will discuss in Part Two, Mayor’s Strategic Plan for Gang Prevention; Tricks and Treats.

Six years and Six months of addressing youth violence I sat in the October 31st "Mayor's Strategic Plan for Gang Prevention" meeting asking myself, 'Have we walked on a treadmill?"

The Answer is No. We have to crawl before we can walk. As someone once said, 'The journey of a thousand miles begins with it's first steps."

I seen people at the October 31st forum who have been walking to address youth violence since 2005, some prior to 2005 and yes, some who began walking once gang prevention funding became available.

I will be honest and I did not expect it. The Mayor's forum was a treat. Mayor Johnson was impressive. The Strategic Plan is impressive. As always, Khaalid Muttaqi, is impressive.

Yes, their were some tricks given by some presenters in efforts to make their programs shine. But today I wanted to share my experience in hopes you will see some of our pain and understand why we deserve real solutions.

Tomorrow I hope to share the October 31, 2011 Tricks and Treats of Sacramento Mayor's Strategic Plan for Gang Prevention putting a spotlight on some of the deception in hopes we move forward in truth to gain effective solutions.

All in all today was a good day. Kudo's Mayor Johnson, City of Sacramento, and all of those addressing youth violence prevention.

I don’t attend youth violence meetings to make friends. I don’t attend to make money. I attend with pain both personal and the pain I have learned of all the families who have lost their youth to death or incarceration. It is a burden to carry so much pain.

It is overwhelming when the truth is overshadowed by trickery to gain, compete or keep funding.

When I attend youth violence meetings I look at everyone and everything both the spoken words and the unspoken. I look for truth.

I left the forum with less pain than I arrived. I left the forum without one tear and for me that too is impressive.

Kudo's Mayor Johnson, this mother is crying less but you still have work to do. It is a Job well begun

Open Letter To Mayor Johnson

2011-09-15T22:27:15Z

An Open Letter to Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson

In Regards to you being "thrilled to announce - after much deliberation, prayer, conversation and discussion…” you are running for re-election:

Mayor Johnson, many Sacramento residents are not so thrilled with your announcement. In fact, for many of us your announcement and words therein adds insult to injury.

Mayor Johnson prayer is something many of us know so very well. Falling on our knees in pain we know all too well. Crying to the heavens for a change we know all too well. Screaming out in the middle of the night for comfort we know all too well.

Sleepless nights concerned for the welfare of our teens to walk, ride in or play in the streets of Sacramento we know all too well.

Not wanting to wake up afraid of the pain tomorrow will bring we know all too well.

Mayor Johnson, our pain grew, often overwhelming so, since you have been in office. Sometimes we felt suffocated by your disregard for the life and freedom of many of our youth.

Many of us have prayed harder, cried more, suffered enormously since you have been in office, for the lives and freedom of Sacramento area youth.

You have failed to have a genuine discussion or conversation with many of us towards youth violence unless it was in a deceitful atmosphere or an agenda where you or someone, you sought an endorsement from, would benefit.

Many Sacramento area families are sitting divided in the community and in courts by victims and suspects.

Many Sacramento area residents are divided between jails, prisons, morgues, memorials, cemeteries, vigils, funerals, and many more were having car washes to bury their murdered child as you were given private security to go throughout our city.

I sincerely believe you will work harder than anyone to earn “votes”. But I sincerely doubt you will work harder to guarantee a better quality of life for those of us you have ignored, dismissed and not valued during your first tenure in office.

In regards to your listening sessions, I attended a session and I was not impressed. You did not appear to be listening. Your assistants appeared to be working the crowd. It appeared a session for us to see you not for you to see, feel, acknowledge, and reach out to many of us living in Sacramento in great pain.

Are you looking for the vote of the mother, fighting a corrupt Sacramento court, who has labored in pain for nearly four years trying to get an appeal as her son was sentenced to more years in prison than he has been alive?

Are you looking for the vote of the mother who gave birth to two sons and visits them both at cemeteries?

Are you looking for the vote of the mother- after so many Sacramento area youth deaths have been dismissed by you - that is physically sick and afraid everytime her teens leave her home?

Are you looking for the vote of the young adult who stands eyes swollen in pain after attending more than twenty funerals of classmates, friends and relatives? He attended more funerals than he has been alive.

Are you looking for the vote of the father whose last visit to see his son was in the morgue? His last vision of his son was seeing bullets throughout his body, bullets even on his groin.

Are you looking for the vote of the mother who found her son dead in the bathtub? Are you looking for the vote of the mother who found her son dead on the front lawn? Are you looking for the vote of the mother who woke up to hear gunshots and found her son dying in his younger brothers arms?

Are you looking for the vote of the mother who told her son to come straight home from school. He walked out her door and was shot and killed on the way to school? When she saw her son again he was dead. His lifeless body on a Sacramento city street near his home?

Are you looking for the vote of the sister who wrote on the sidewalk in front of her home, 'Here lays my two brothers, shot and killed in front of my house. They with God now, Rest in Peace"

Are you looking for the vote of the mother who cried, 'I need this funeral to go as quickly as possible. I just burried his brother."

Are you looking for the vote of the mother who cried, "Please don't make me go (to the funeral) Please don't make me see my son covered in dirt?

Are you looking for the vote of the sister whose brother layed in her arms in an Oak Park gutter whispering, "Please don't leave me" and he took his last breath and left her?

Are you looking for the vote of those voting youth who are now blind, or in wheelchairs and / or limbs amputated due to gun shot wounds?

Mayor Johnson you should be careful what you ask for. Do you really want feedback from all within the community?

When you first ran for office- against former Mayor Heather Fargo- you made sure- throughout your campaign- to continuously include Sacramento was rank 5th for violent crime. You failed to mention, in your campaign for re-election thriller, since your tenure as Mayor of Sacramento we are now ranked 3rd for violent crime.

During your first tenure in office as mayor you appeared concerned with only two Sacramento homicides. 1) During Second Saturdays when the death of one of our Sacramento area youth could affect businesses (since the Second Saturday event draws in thousands of possible votes) and 2) When a woman was shot and killed while taking her young son to the barbershop. By the way you dismissed the death of the 20yr old teen also shot and killed outside the barbershop.

Bullets are sprayed in broad daylight on a busy street where lots of innocent bystanders are running for protection on more than one occasion during your first tenure in office.

It appears you continuously looked at second-term votes from businesses and the endorsement of Sacramento Police Officers Association. It appears you continuously failed to look at the first term people –hundreds of Sacramento area residents in great pain- affected and exposed to the violence existing in Sacramento.

Many of us will not fall for your propaganda when introducing your second term plan.

We never saw a first term plan to ensure freedom and life to many Sacramento area youth. But in your frequent not so transparent manner we saw you attempt to secure budgets and money for unions on the pretense of addressing crime.

Mayor Johnson, I agree young people are the most valuable asset in the community. They also appear to be the most valuable asset in the state of California since many have become job security and commodities for the Prison Industry complex.

Mayor Johnson how dare you state, “Young people have a sense of possibility”. Since your tenure in office so many more young people in Sacramento do not even have hope for a future.

So many youth in Sacramento don’t believe they are going to live to be middle age. Many middle age residents do not believe they can live, with the pain of losing their child, to reach an old age.

So many more, since your tenure in office, are headed to be the walking dead in a California prison.

Mayor Johnson you have a twelve year old city resident that was charged with home invasion robbery. You have twelve teens ranging in ages thirteen - nineteen years old arrested and charged with one homicide.

You have eight teens arrested and charged with another homicide. The list of youth arrests grew since your tenure in office. You have Sacramento teens facing life without the possibility of parole.

Yes, the kids can be considered our future. But are you looking unselfishly to ensure the kids a future or are you selfishly looking to ensure yourself a political career?

During your first term in office the future of many Sacramento, kids, teens, youth, young adults have been gloomy, bleak, and hopeless.

Mayor Johnson do you realize, the seven year old, eight year old, nine year old...poster child for education that you appear concerned with might have a fourteen year old, fifteen year oldm, sixteen year old sibling dead or locked in prison. It’s difficult to study when they go to bed at night and cry, pray, long to long to see their loved sibling.

Can you imagine trying to focus on school when you watch your mother, father, grandmother… suddenly painfully enter a psychological frozen state missing their murdered or walking dead (inmate) sibling?

How do you expect many to focus in school when they are too often focusing on the death- you will ignore- of someone they love?

As I reflect back on your first term – and the not so transparent agenda’s- I am afraid to look towards the future with you still in office. Of course there is still much work to be done, considering you failed to sincerely, effectively, significantly address youth violence.

But will you do the work which needs to be done if it will not promote your political career?

Mayor Johnson, some community members may have cheered and celebrated the news of you running for re-election. But many more of us are not cheering. Many of us are not celebrating your announcement.

During your first term in office you failed to show us that you care about the quality of life of many Sacramento residents. You showed us – in a not so transparent way- that you are a politician looking after your political growth through endorsements.

You showed us life and freedom is not valued while you climb the political ladder. You showed us you would allow a community affected and exposed to crime - and in great pain- to become a commodity for your political growth.

I do not agree with Empress Nontsikelelo. You are neither a change agent nor a leader with a vision.

I don’t think you invested four years, a year, a month or a day in office to help Sacramento move forward in taking steps towards healing from the mounting pain of death and arrest of area youth. In fact many of us believe you invested more time in self promotion to climb the political ladder.

Nor, Mayor Johnson is it impressive that Bishop Carthen, Jimmie Yee (who fails to see the mounting deaths of county youth in his district), Betty Williams, Patrick Mulvaney, Mark Otereo, Bret Meyer and Melinda Guzman spoke in support or endorse you. Was it support or hopes of one hand washes the other?

Betty Williams, President of the NAACP, may feel you are one who listens to the community. But many of us in the community feel you listen to, prey on, give favors for endorsements.

The President of the NAACP, statement of, “He hears them when they come to the City Council”, is far from accurate. I (and others) have stood before you countless times crying, in pain, feeling like our hearts would explode. Not only did you not comment, not hear us, but you appeared to be looking around the room for your second-term endorsement.

Apparently the NAACP President was not at the many counsel sessions-- that did not involve possible funding or youth sales tax being offered for organizations-- where people with no hidden agenda filled with pain were being ignored and dismissed by the Mayor.

Mayor Johnson, you're not looking at the mother exploding in pain, the father lost in pain, the sibling frozen in pain, or to help the people affected by the crime. You are, as always, looking at organizations and unions to endorse your campaign. Sadly and equally concerning it appears, some organizations are not looking at all the people.

Yes, Mayor Johnson you may outwork everybody to get in office for a second term. But in addressing youth violence you will not outwork anyone- and you will overlook many of us affected and exposed to the violence and pain associated.

Mayor Johnson while you are out campaigning, meeting with organizations, unions and different community groups offering favors in attempts to gain endorsements and votes--Please try and remember they do not speak for and apparently do not represent all of us.

In conclusion, Mayor Johnson your vision is selective so I guess many of my people will perish (ordinary residents who can’t give endorsements, money, or a title to offer you for your second-term campaign)

Many Sacramento teens are dying on Sacramento streets and many more are leaving Sacramento to become the walking dead in a California state prison. Mayor Johnson, your announcement for a second-term in office adds insult to injury

Rhonda Erwin
Mother and Sacramento City Resident

The Pied Piper of Sacramento City Hall

2011-05-18T06:33:39Z

May 17th 2011 I left work early to head to city hall. As I entered the building I was surprised to see so many community members dressed in blue shirts with the initials SPOA and a photo of a badge printed on the front of the shirts.

Many held signs which read, “Protect Sacramento.”

As I sat in the session and listened to the presentation given by Sacramento Police Chief Braziel I was alarmed, concerned and to be honest extremely disappointed.

As I listened too many of the speakers my heart began to ache. I began to pray. I became overwhelmed with sorrow.

Suddenly city hall transformed into a 16th century fairy tale-- The Pied Piper of Hamelin. Or better yet, the Pied Piper of Sacramento City Hall.

Do you remember the fairytale? It was suppose to reflect a historical event where Hamelin lost it‘s children.

Do you see the similarities? Sacramento is also losing many of its children to death on our streets or to become the walking dead in California prisons.

I looked over at a member of Sacramento Police Officers Association and I saw a pied piper leading the children away from the town never to return. As speakers left the podium he would nod in approval. As new members came in he would node in approval.

I listened to the presentation given by our Police Chief and many speakers and I closed my eyes and I again saw a piper hired by the town to lure rats (crime) away with his magic pipe (department).

The piper attempted to overshadow other city departments, resources and opportunities for our youth which could prevent crime. The city budget is in deficit and many departments will be cut but hundreds came today for the job security of one department.

Since it appeared the citizenry refused to pay more for this service, the piper appeared to retaliate by turning on his magic “Protect Sacramento” musical campaign.

The Pied Piper, leading hundreds to attend the counsel session, appeared to hypnotize the counsel with his magical presentation.

Is it strange this fairytale came to mind? No. Considering the Pied Piper is a symbol of the children's death by plague or catastrophe.

Our children are dying on our streets. Our children are becoming the walking dead.

A plague of youth violence surrounds many in this city and to cut programs for our youth and the cuts to Parks and Recreations would cause more to die and become the walking dead. But the Pied Piper appears only concerned with the growth of his department.

A catastrophe where money and departments are valued more than life and freedom surrounds this city.

Many held signs of “Protect Sacramento“. But they appeared to be protecting co-workers.

Where was the Protect Sacramento campaign when 19yr old Jai Body laid bleeding in a Sacramento gutter? His sister held him as he cried “Please don’t leave me” and he left her, taking his last breath, dying in her arms? His blood filled her shirt.

Where was the Protect Sacramento campaign with a mother whose 17yr old son was shot and killed? She walked to the school where he took his last breath and put up a fenced memorial and laid within it for days crying for her son to return?

Where was the Protect Sacramento campaign when a mother was tied up with her younger children? She tried with all her might to protect her 18yr old son. He was shot in the head as his mother and younger siblings cried helplessly.

Where was the Protect Sacramento campaign when a mother went to her son’s apartment to find him laying in the bathtub where blood covered his body?

Where was the Protect Sacramento campaign when a mother cried, ’Please don’t make me go. Please don’t make me see my son covered in dirt. She was carried to his grave site to say goodbye to a child who died 17yrs young in the city of Sacramento.

Where was the Protect Sacramento campaign when a mother sat in a funeral suddenly left her chair as if walking on air tears filling her face softly speaking, “Please, let this go as quickly as possible, I just buried his brother”

Where was the Protect Sacramento campaign when a mother opened her door and armed youth entered? She stood in front of her child trying to save his life and the bullet took her life.

Where was the Protect Sacramento campaign as hundreds are continuously losing their life and hundreds more will never know freedom, in the City of Sacramento?

Why did so many come out tonight to “Protect Sacramento”? Where are the hundreds when town hall meetings towards the violence are held? Where were they when the Mayor held his forum on crime?

Where is the Protect Sacramento campaign when youth are at risk? Does it only become a campaign to Protect Sacramento when money for a department is at risk?

It appeared many were looking at money, at the budget, job security and not the people affected, exposed suffering as a result of crime.

It appeared many on the counsel were looking at endorsements, votes and not as Father Boyle states, “Nothing stops a bullet like a job”

Sacramento city officials were hypnotized by the pied piper of city hall-- a union which came out in full force to play our elected officials like a fiddle.

It was extremely painful watching city hall transform into a 16th century Pied Piper fairytale.

It is alarming, concerning and disappointing to see City Officials hypnotized by the music or endorsement of the Pied Piper.

It appears elected officials within the City of Sacramento will make sacrifices through this budget process. They appear to sacrifice life and freedom for a department and possible election endorsements.

Basketball is a sport not a solution

2011-02-28T06:17:31Z

For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong.
H. L. Mencken

Since High School I enjoyed attending basketball games. I use to love watching the Sport. As a youth I admit I was sports struck. Heck, I went to my prom with one of our high schools best basketball players.

As a middle aged adult I still enjoy watching a good game of basketball. But it is what it is-- a game. It is a band-aid fix not a permanent solution to the economic growth of our city.

Sacramento is in deficit. Having the Sports team in the city did not prevent the city's deficit. I would like to believe if the team were never here the city would have found other avenues to grow.

Yes, The kings leaving Sacramento will add to additional unemployed residents. But when life gives us lemons we make lemonade. We, especially those unemployed, will look for employment not follow the Kings. Heck, with the Kings in Sacramento many employed at the Arena were still receiving unemployment benefits many months out the year.

It seems Sacramento's ability to grow into a world class city might just be a complex problem. It appears our problem is more than catering to a simple basketball team. Our problem is looking to be a world class city while failing to have a vision-outside of sports or entertainment.

Can a basketball team- a game of Sports- make or break, thrive or hinder the economic growth of a city? If so, then perhaps the city will never draw, keep or convince another team to play in this city.

Perhaps "world class cities" attract sports team because the city offered more than a sports team for entertainment, economic growth and employment. Perhaps the Sports teams came to the cities because the cities offered entertainment for the Sports teams and its players and did not rely on the Sports team to be the entertainment.

Having a sports team in our city is great. But it seems the city should draw a team to want to live and play in the city and not the other way around with a sports team calling the shots in the city.

A Sports team should want to come to the city. And when the Sports team continuously threatens to leave the city then perhaps the city should stop looking at the team and start looking at ways to improve the city. Perhaps then it will attract teams to its city.

It seems in Sacramento leaders are continuously trying to solve complex problems with simple solutions. It seems we are continuously addressing issues on the surface, looking at quick money and not at lasting solutions.

Instead of the city developing an Arena task force, it should have developed an Economic Task Force for solutions towards unemployment and to create jobs to generate revenue. For the last few years low wage employees have been losing their jobs at Arco Arena.

It appears in Sacramento we are trying to solve a complex problem with a simple solution- a simple game of basketball to generate revenue. I can not imagine a basketball team as being a solution to the growth of Sacramento.

Having the Kings in Sacramento has been temporary entertainment and not a permanent solution to our economic crisis.

Difficulties are meant to rouse, not discourage. The human spirit is to grow strong by conflict. William Ellery Channing

Heck, I say "Hasta la vista" Sacramento Kings. The Sports team being here is appearing to hinder economic growth as a city becomes dependent on highly paid sports players bouncing, dribbling, throwing a ball for economic growth.

If the Kings decide to stay in Sacramento I hope Sacramento officials decide to look beyond basketball and seriously look towards other avenues to develop the economic growth of this city.

Giving too much power to high paid sports players, managers and team owners has to be wrong. If the main factor to a city thriving or becoming world class is sports then something is terribly wrong. It can't be right to attempt to solve a complex problem with a simple solution with a game of sports.

If the Kings decide to leave Sacramento the difficulties with the loss of jobs and revenue should make this city stronger. When we fall down we get back up. When one door is closed another is open. When we lose something we search for something of more value. We don't put Band-Aids on fractures. We don't continue to throw good money after bad.

To be a world class city we have to create resources, opportunities, employment, entertainment, crime prevention... A basketball team should not make or break a city; it should not be a major factor of a city thriving nor should the loss of a team hinder the development of a city. If it does then the city was also in deficit of a vision. And without a vision the people will perish with or without a sports team.

The Kings leaving Sacramento won't make economic growth impossible; it will only mean we never looked for or found the solution to economic growth.

Don't get me wrong I love the game of basketball. But this city is in deficit. The sports team, using a marketing firm now selling tickets at 10% of its value, did not deliver this city from deficit. The city should have looked for a Economic Task Force to determine what would bring revenue in a new Arena before looking to build a new Arena.

In this city our youth are fighting to live and living to die where death and incarceration are chasing them and employment, resources, youth activities/ entertainment grows further out of their reach. Surely our leaders should have saw the Kings would possibily be leaving the city. Afterall, this is not the first time the Kings threatened to leave.

If Sacramento loses revenue, by the Kings leaving Sacramento, we shouldn't blame it on the fact we lost our sports team. We should blame it on the fact some of our leaders did not have a vision to see beyond the game of sports/ basketball for the arena.

Basketball is a sport not a solution; to think otherwise just seems wrong.

City Fails to Plants Seeds of Empowerment But Plants Surveillance Cameras

2010-12-06T03:42:03Z

An Open Letter to the Mayor and Council for the City of Sacramento

As a resident of the City of Sacramento who has continuously stood before you begging, crying, pleading for you to address the violence, which has left our children dead on Sacramento city streets or leaving Sacramento to become the walking dead in California prisons, I have several questions regarding your position on surveillance cameras.

In regards to Sacramento Press article: Police Working on Surveillance System
http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/41637/Police_working_on_surveillance_system

Within the article it states: “There are many factors that will determine where the cameras will be placed...Among those factors are crime rates, crime trends, special events and areas that may present a threat to public safety. The fixed cameras will be placed based upon recommendations from City Council, the Police Department, and the availability of existing infrastructure.”

Instead of planting seeds of employment, resources, opportunities in crime areas the City of Sacramento decides to continue to plant weeds of surveillance cameras? Why haven't you used the factors of crime rates, crime trends, special events, scientific based, researched based, evidence based studies to determine where to place resources for those affected/ exposed to crime/ violence?

Are you planning on placing the cameras in low income communities?

When the City of Sacramento held the closed-door-away-from-the public-discussion- on where the cameras would be placed did you even once consider if the area is in need of surveillance cameras then it must be in need of resources, opportunities, employment for the residents of that area?

So, the City of Sacramento had the time, energy, resources to have a discussion among themselves on how to arrest people but has YET to have a discussion among themselves and with the public on the needs, other than suppression, of those same areas? You can't have a discussion on crime prevention other than law enforcement funding but you can discuss where to place cameras due to crime?

Will the cameras be placed in Oak Park, Meadowview, Valley Hi, North Sacramento? If you felt the need for the cameras in those areas why have you never felt the need for a Boys & Girls Club in those same areas? Why have you never felt the need to hold a Council session to address crime in those areas? Did money -a grant- have to become available for you to value the life or freedom of City youth?

Their are no Boys & Girls clubs...in Valley Hi, Meadowview, Oak Park, North Sacramento but their is crime so instead of resources those areas get cameras in an ignorant, ineffective attempt to arrest away crime?

Surely you're not ignorant to think this is in any way a solution to crime prevention for the city of Sacramento. Their are surveillance cameras at schools, stores, gas stations, regional transit, malls, on police units, businesses, cameras within the Department of Human Assistance which capture images a block away and crime has not decreased.

We see surveillance criminal activity images on the Sheriffs site, media releases stating "Do you know these thieves?" surely you can't think placing additional surveillance cameras will significantly address violence in our city. Ask the District Attorney's office how many cases they are prosecuting due to surveillance footage? It doesn't appear the District Attorney's office case load has decreased due to surveillance cameras.

It doesn't appear our jails have become less crowded due to surveillance cameras? It doesn't appear surveillance cameras significantly prevents crime. Lots of not-so-bright often under educated and living in communities lacking resources, employment, opportunities commit crimes. It appears surveillance cameras merely aid in arrest / prosecution but the crime goes on. Will you create a balance and give us employment, opportunities, resources in the same areas you place cameras?

You can not pacify a community affected and exposed to crime by merely placing surveillance cameras in their communities and call it crime prevention. You can not silence our cries as you shift crime away from one area (the area with a camera) and move it to another area (the area without a camera). How long will you continue to shift crime instead of looking at avenues to prevent it?

Do you plan to continue to let this cancerous polyp of violence in Sacramento break off and spread to other streets and bodies of Sacramento area youth and families? As it is our cries echo from one Sacramento neighborhood to another due to the city decades long neglect of addressing youth violence with employment and opportunites.

Since it is obvious many of you were looking at money- a grant of $615.000- and not at the people will you NOW have the discussion on how you plan to prevent crime?

If you place surveillance cameras in areas affected by crime/ violence and do not place employment, opportunities, resources in those same areas you are doing no more than rounding people up as cattle and milking the County of Sacramento of Social services programs. The City of Sacramento will become a contributing factor in the County of Sacramento taking away programs, services, opportunites for the needy to fund Sheriff, District Attorney, Probation, Courts.

Your surveillance cameras will aid in the County budgets being monopolized with suppression rather than services for the mentally ill, poor, and needy.

Do you plan on planting seeds of empowerment in the same areas you plan on weeding out people with cameras for incarceration? In the May 28, 2009 SN&R 'Surveillance City' article, SPD Sgt Norm Leong stated, "It’s free money, why wouldn’t you take it?” Is that why cameras are gong up because it's free money?

Are you looking at money or looking at the people affected/ imposed to crime? When will you look at life, freedom, prevention verses grants and money for suppression? Have City residents, affected/ exposed to crime, become a Sacramento City Commodity?

Cities have received Homeland security grants for over 6 years (http://www.newsreview.com/chico/content?oid=31334 ) have you spoken with the cities and asked how or if the surveillance cameras reduced crime or were you just looking at money and not the people?

Many of us know you value grants but when will you value LIFE and FREEDOM for city youth?

I hope you can or will answer the questions listed in this letter at the next city council session.

Related articles on Homeland security grants:
http://www.newsreview.com/reno/content?oid=42502 Homeland Pork

http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/content?oid=998297 Surveillance City
"The ALCU has for years produced studies showing that surveillance cameras don’t prevent crime. In fact, according to an ACLU survey of crime statistics in San Francisco, crime actually increased overall at locations where public-surveillance cameras were installed."

http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/snog/blogs?date=2009-09-01 City Council Humors ACLU but won't slow down on Surveillance Scheme

Moving Public Session is Unfair to those Elected Officials Use to Build their Careers

2010-08-21T18:29:25Z

Initially I wasn't moved by the fact the City Council moved the public comment section of council meetings. I wasn't moved because selfishly I welcomed the change since it will allow me to again have the opportunity to speak when I am overwhelmed and need to voice my concerns.

As it is now, due to my schedule, I no longer can attend the first half of the council session and will miss the public speaking on matters not on the agenda. But with the change, if I miss speaking regarding an item on the agenda I can now attend and speak at the end of the session. If I am overwhelmed with a concern not on the agenda I can now make it in time to have a voice.

But to not be selfish and since I don't view the concerns I have as more pressing than the concerns of others who attend; I am moved to write this opinion piece.

I think moving the public comment section to the end of the agenda is quite unfair and disrespects the people elected officials often use to build their own political careers.

The decision should be based on what's good for the people and not on what's convenient for the council. A council who by the way is paid to sit through the sessions while those who come out and speak are often not paid to do so.

I realize we can't please all the people all the time. But the decision to move the public comment section should be based on what's good for a majority of the people that the eight council members and the Mayor of the City are elected to represent. If it's best for the majority of the people to attend at the beginning then public comment should be first.

Lots of us can't watch the session on cable. Some of us can't afford cable. Lots of us can't watch the session or email from the Internet. Many of us don't have computers or Internet.

Some of us rely on the news media to inform us on what occurs at council sessions. Some of us, plain ordinary common folks, aren't always seen by the news media when special interest and some folks with titles appear as some in the media, just like some elected into office, are more impressed with special interest and titles. We have to come out and let the elected officials see us.

Many of us have to actually attend the sessions to actually see and learn how the city is reacting or not reacting to the needs of the people; especially the needy or those in the city in pain, suffering and overlooked by some of our elected officials.

Some don't have to attend to be seen and heard. And then their are some of us who really want to know what is occurring in the city or make a difference whether slight or major we have to actually be in attendance at council sessions. In this city closed mouths may not get fed.

Some of us can't rely on reporters in the streets narrowing down their stories on all of our concerns, some of our worries, suggestions or giving all of us a voice.

Honestly, it appears in Sacramento many city leaders aren't showing concern for the people of the city but appear to show concern for the media. It appears some elected officials don't want the media to portray them in a negative light. They don't appear afraid or us- the little folks- they appear afraid of the media and how it can ruin or promote their political career.

My guess is if the media were to only attend at the end of the city session then the public comment would still be first on the city council session agenda.

Heck, if we want the sessions to not last so long it's not the public who should be given less time to speak but the Mayor and Council should be given less time on matters where the media shows up in full force regarding a specific agenda.

It often appears the Mayor and Council aren't watching us- the little guy- they appear to be watching the media.

It appears just as we- the people- want to be seen by the elected officials sworn into office to represent us, let's keep it real, many of those elected officials aren't looking at us, they look and want to be looked at by the media.

If we have concerns, pain, frustration, suggestions we should do our best to attend council sessions no matter when the public comment is put on the agenda. Some of our pain will probably never be put on a city agenda. But out of sight is out of mind.

If at first we don't succeed in letting our voices, struggles, pain be heard then we should by all means try and try again- and attend until we are seen and heard and solutions are in play.

Personally I don't feel enough has been done on issues I attend the council to speak of. But in attending I have found a peace and sometimes a sense of satisfaction looking in the eyes of those I question, disagree with or that I am impressed with. Most of all in attending I've found a sense of hope that change will come. Whether that change is in the council or in we the people I see hope.

Many of us need to see hope when we see so little change and surrounded by so much paiin.

If I were not able to have a voice I would drown in the sorrow and pain that I am surrounded by as many of us will live and prematurely die in a city neglectful of all of our needs.

Whether I am given time at the beginning or the end of the session whether or not I am given three minutes or two minutes the fact is for a moment I stood, straight and firm as tremendous pain exits from my gut and out of my mouth to fill out into a room. And in that moment I don't see the council. I don't see the media. I see by the Grace of God,--HOPE.

But sadly, let's keep it real, we in Sacramento who have concerns shouldn't feel concerned of when we are allowed to bring public comment to our elected officials who are put into office to represent us. We should feel concern of the fact that many of our elected officials in attempts to promote their political careers appear more concerned with how the media will promote them.

We should be concerned of elected officials who appear to not work for us but work to impress the media.

Heck, it appears often in Sacramento some of us shouldn't even attend council sessions to get the attention of the council but attend to get the attention of the media. Perhaps we need to meet with reporters verses meeting with elected officials.

Sadly, if we get the attention of the media we'll find we'll have the attention of the Mayor and Council.

My suggestion and I am being sarcastic and keeping it real, if you have a great concern and can't seem to find the ear of your council member or our mayor then my suggestion would be write about it, get the attention of the media and let your voice be heard.

We are in a city with elected officials not fearful of the City residents but fearful of the media. Sadly, whether we speak at the beginning or the end of council session it probably makes little difference to some elected officials.

The difference to the Mayor and some within the council is where the voice is coming from and if it comes from the media then your voice appears to be heard. Heck, the media can write of events occurring in other cities and other states and our Mayor and council will address it.

Folks, living in this city can attend our city council sessions and their voices, cries, frustration, suggestions will be overlooked if the media won't see them first .

But the priority of the city should always be the everyday common folks electing representatives into office. Our voices are not always on the agenda, due to special interest, therefore public comments should always come first.

After all it is many of us who will be overshadowed by the special interest politically motivated matters on the agenda of a Mayor and some within the council attempting to build their careers off the backs of the people suffering and in pain in our city.

I love the public comment of the Council Session. I love seeing real people with real concerns take a stand. In fact it is the most valued aspect of the Council session and whether or not I can personally attend, it should definitely be first on the agenda.

If elected officials are going to build their careers off our pain and struggles then we certainly should be given the opportunity to feel valued, welcomed, to voice our concerns first at city council sessions.