Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "city council"

Proposal to losen restrictions on medical marijuana dispensaries in Sacramento heads to committee

2013-06-03T20:16:31Z

For the past two years, the city of Sacramento has stopped issuing permits for medical marijuana dispensaries, and the number of local dispensaries has shrink from 34 to 20, according to city documents. Existing dispensaries have found it difficult to reopen if they needed to move, because of the city's code requirements that all new dispensaries be at least 600 feet from schools or parks or 300 feet from a residence – a tall order in dense areas like the central city.

All that could be about to change if the City Council follows staff recommendations to be discussed at Tuesday's Law and Legislation Committee meeting. The recommendation calls for the city to:

- Allow existing dispensaries to request, via a conditional use permit that must be approved by the city, to to be less than the required 600 feet distance from the sensitive use areas like schools or parks or 300 feet from a residential zoned property.

- The recommendation also says the city should allow dispensaries with one of the original 34 permits to apply for new conditional use permits if they have closed and now want to reopen, meaning the number of dispensaries open in the city could, in theory, climb back up to 34 from the current 20.

Ron Mullins, Sacramento Supervisor of the Sacramento, Stockton, and Modesto chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) said he supported the proposal.

"This to me means moving forward," Mullins said Monday. "I think it’s positive for the medical marijuana community, particularly for the patients, that the city is now going to complete its process and we're going to actually have permitted dispensaries in the city."

Mullins said the timing was important because, during a federal crackdown on medical marijuana dispensaries over the last several months, prosecutors indicated that they were going after dispensaries that were taking advantage of medical marijuana and not following local laws. By updating its ordinance and code, the city would, he said, allow dispensaries to have a clearer stamp of local legitimacy.

Council member Steve Cohn, the chair of the committee, said that the city's current code requirements had the unintended consequence of pushing dispensaries into industrial areas, which are more prevalent in District 2 and District 6, or north and southeastern Sacramento.

"They still need to be in a location where they are not doing any harm to existing neighborhood or business districts, but this gives us some flexibility to do that in a way that disperses them around the city, rather than concentrating them in two areas," he said.

On the question of why the city would only allow the holders of one of the original dispensary permits to apply for the special use permits,, as opposed to opening up the process to any applicant,, Cohn said that he didn’t believe the city needed more than 34 dispensaries, but that the city could look to further amend the ordinance if that became an issue. New dispensaries could open by acquiring one of the old permits that are not in use, he said.

The city has held a series of meetings with dispensary owners and other stakeholders over the last few months. Cohn said he was relieved that a direction was now set and, assuming the staff recommendation passes on Tuesday, work could soon begin on a new ordinance.

“I've felt all along that we need to have an ordinance that actually works and allows for a reasonable number of well-located and well-managed dispensaries so that people who require medical marijuana can be able to get it in a safe and appropriate manner that doesn't cause a nuisance or a burden on adjoining neighborhoods," he said.

Read the staff recommendation below:

Staff recommendations for Medical Marijuana Dispensaries a

Plastic bag ban passes Sacramento city council committee

2013-05-28T22:36:25Z

Everyday Kurt Standen, District Manager of Waste Management’s Sacramento Recycling & Transfer Station, watches about 420 tons of recycle-bound waste -- all the cans, newspapers and bottles of IPAs you can imagine -- pass through his facility.

There's one item he keeps close tabs on: plastic bags. They can cause headaches for Standen and his crew because they get tangled in the machinery. Normally, they stop four times during every eight hour shift, or eight times a day, to untangle the machines.

If the City Council approves the ban on single use plastic bags at grocery stores and other large retail outlets, which passed the Law and Legislation Committee Tuesday, Standen expects his job to get a little easier.

"For me, yeah, it would reduce the workload some. The biggest thing for us, in operations, the guys that run these, our equipment is almost like the heart beat of ability to move those 420 tons. If your equipment goes down and you're dead in the water, you have crippled yourself."

The committee unanimously passed the proposed ban, which would apply to supermarkets, convenience stores, food marts, and any store with at least 10,000 square feet, during a special meeting at 3 p.m. The ordinance will now move on to the City Council, where it must be approved to become law.

Council member Steve Cohn, who chairs the committee, said he supports the ban for global and local reasons, and hopes the state enchacts its own ban.

"From a global perspective, the problem with these lightweight plastic bags is they really create a tremendous impact with certain species out in the ocean, even in our rivers, so they do create a serious environmental problem," he said. "On a local level, they interfere with our ability to recycle other products - they get caught up in our machinery with our recycling station."

According to the (not-so-neutral sounding) Californians Against Waste, local governments in California spend between $33 and $103 million each year to manage plastic bag litter.

Erin Treadwell, the spokesperson for the city's Solid Waste and Recycling Division, said the ban was aimed at large establishments and would not apply to small stores or places that sell hot food -- such as Panda Express, which serves its to-go food in styrofoam containers in plastic bags.

The Metro Chamber, which represents businesses in the area, has been working with city staff to develop the ordinance and add amendments, but has yet to take a position.

"I'm not sure if we're going to support or oppose it," said Johnnise Foster-Downs, the organization's regional policy director. "Right now we're just working with staff to get something that is workable for all and is fair to businesses, particularly small businesses, and has the least amount of impact on business operations."

A representative with Raley's said that they were not taking a position and had adapted well to similar bans in other cities, including San Jose.

As Sac Press readers have pointed out in comments on previous stories, the single-use plastic bags are a favorite of dog-owners, who use them to do their duty after Fido has done his.

Treadwell said dog owners have other options - and the single-use plastic bags will be available elsewhere.

"Zip lock bags are not being banned," she said. "Ziplock bags are still acceptable and probably preferable because you can seal them."

City: No stop light planed for once deadly crosswalk in South Sacramento

2013-05-21T20:56:20Z

Update (5/22, 9:00 a.m.):

The director of Public Works, Jerry Way, meet with Terry Preston of WalkSacramento and the West High School students after the City Council meeting on Tuesday, and directed them to seek funding for the crosswalk from the Sacramento Unified School District. Sacramento Councilmember Kevin Mccarty had arranged the meeting.

Preston said he was encouraged by the conversation and would reach out to the school district soon. Sac Press will cover the efforts to get a crosswalk at 58th and Fruitridge as they develop.

A crosswalk in South Sacramento that activists and community members call dangerous won’t get a traffic light for another 25 years, but it could either be improved or eliminated altogether within the next few years, according to a city official.

Public Works spokesperson Linda Tucker said that the city tracks data to identity which crosswalks needs improvement, and that the city's records do not indicate that the crosswalk at 58th and Fruitridge, where 16-year-old student Michelle Murigi lost her life last year, is dangerous. Murgi was a student at West Campus High School, which is two blocks from the intersection.

"It is the only known fatality in the history of this crosswalk, but we understand that members of the community may believe that it is overly dangerous," she said

The crosswalk spans four lanes of traffic, and cars regularly travel at speeds of 40-50 miles per hour, according to recent posts on Sac Press by Vanessa Hernandez. A local college student, Hernandez recently produced a short web documentary about the crosswalk and Michelle Murigi's death.

Hernandez will join representatives from the nonprofit WALKSacramento and West Campus High School students at the City Council meeting tonight in support of installing a traffic light at the intersection.

“I’m hoping that the City Council really takes notice that people haven’t forgotten about this issue, because it’s still in people’s minds that live in the area, they have to deal with it, everyday,” Hernandez said.

Tucker said that the Public Works department evaluates several criteria – like traffic volume, numbers of pedestrians, the number of lanes, number of accidents reported and the average speed of vehicles – when determining what crosswalks need upgrades or traffic signals, and establishes a list of priority sites. While community input is welcome, it is not part of the formal criteria that the city considers.

58th and Fruitridge is 25th on the list of problem intersections, meaning there are 24 other crosswalks the city considers to be in more urgent need of a stop light. A recent traffic study of the area during before and after-school hours found that only five people were using the crosswalk or crossing the street nearby, and which is one of the factors the city considered, Tucker said.

Traffic signals cost the Public Works more than $250,000 to install, and the department can only afford to add one per year, she said.

"At this point, if we didn't have any further funding or partners that might be able to come in and help fund it, you're looking at, unfortunately, about 25 years before a traffic signal would go in there."

However, within the next year, the city will be upgrading its pedestrian guidelines to be in line with recent federal guidelines. The Public Works Department will also look into grants for possible safety enhancements at crosswalks.

In some cases, Tucker said that the smartest policy is actually to remove the crosswalk altogether. The city hasn't considered taking this step at 58th and Fruitridge, but it may at some point.

"When you look at the possibility of eliminating a crosswalk, it sounds counterintuitive for safety, but it actually isn't because if you do have vehicles driving at a high rate of speed and you have a high volume of vehicles, any kind of crosswalk (without a traffic signal) can give pedestrians a false sense of security."

The City Council meeting starts at 6:00 p.m. in City Hall. Walk Sacramento and the West Campus High School students will speak at the beginning of the meeting. Hernandez, whose documentary will be shown, expects that this won’t be the only meeting they attend.

“I imagine it’s going to take more than just this one time,” she said. “I’m just hoping to at least move some people.”

Editor’s note: The “News Digest” goes out every Tuesday morning and highlights our best stories, photos and videos from the week prior. Sign me up.

Should Sacramento loosen restrictions on big-box stores? [Poll]

2013-04-26T14:54:56Z

Should it be easier for big-box retailers like Walmart to open megastores in the city of Sacramento?

That question will be on the front of everyone's minds during a series of community meetings to discuss whether Sacramento should repeal restrictions against big-box super stores in the city.

Ryan "City Beat" Lillis has the full story in today's Bee. The council is considering repealing a 2006 ordinance that made it hard for such stores to open in the city, requiring "economic analyses and wage studies for chains seeking to build stores larger than 90,000 square feet with more than 10 percent of the space dedicated to groceries."

The law, writes Lillis, was passed at a time when the council was more labor friendly than it is now. Unsurprisingly, labor leaders (Bill Camp) are opposed to any loosening of the restrictions, while business groups and developers (Metro Chamber, Regional Builders) want the law scrapped.

And while Walmart is the name one thinks of when it comes to "big box retail store," the company has no immediate plans to open a store in Sacramento, Lillis reports. That won't stop opponents from invoking the name "Walmart" during the community forums on the issue, the first of which occurs Monday night at Old City Hall.

Why the current push? A developer has plans for Delta Shores, a 800-acre tract of undeveloped land. Those plans include "hundreds of houses and a large retail center," which, the developer hopes will feature some big-box tenants.

We'll have more on the issue leading up to the forum. What do you think – should the city welcome big box stores or keep the current restrictions in place?

Mayor Kevin Johnson's Feb. 12 press conference - as it happened

2013-02-12T18:20:30Z

Mayor Kevin Johnson held his weekly press conference Tuesday at 11 a.m. Read our coverage as it happened below.

Top Five Fridays: Local brews and much ado about the Kings

2013-02-08T18:21:33Z

We’re on the cusp of an important week – not only is Valentine’s Day just around the corner, The Sacramento Press is gearing up for our Journalism Open 2013 Awards Celebration. You’ll be there, right? Don’t forget to order your presale tickets and RSVP so we know to save you a spot.

But before you get to shopping for boxes of chocolate or a new ascot to impress your favorite Community Manager, make sure you haven’t missed anything awesome this week on The Sacramento Press. Check out our most-viewed content of the week.

Community Contribution:

5. Obituary: Sheila was a regular presence in the central city and beyond by Bill Burgua

4. Old Sac Mardi Gras 2013 this weekend by Mike Ibe

3. Sacramento Fashoin Week introduces designer lineup by David Alvarez

2. George Strait says farewell to Sacramento by Nancy Flagg, photos by Steven Chea

1. The finest of beer proprietors by Patricia Willers

Overall:

5. Councilman: 25 millionaires have backed effot to keep Kings in Sacramento by Karen Wilkinson

4. The finest of beer proprietors by Patricia Willers

3. People's Choice: Your vote counts by Allison Joy

2. Midtown fire damages historic home, displaces family by Karen Wilkinson

1. Mayor Kevin Johnson press conference: Sacramento Kings and the state of the city – as it happened by Jared Goyette

Mayor Kevin Johnson press conference: Sacramento Kings and the state of the city - as it happened

2013-02-05T16:45:10Z

Mayor Kevin Johnson's press conference and update on the King's situation is now over. Listen to the audio and read our live coverage as it happened below.

Top Five Fridays: Food, art and cannabis – we've got it all

2013-02-01T19:40:06Z

What a week – Journalism Open 2013 submissions are in, so all of our contributors can kick back and relax this weekend. Before you rush out to stock up on burgers, beer and bean dip, take a minute to make sure you didn't miss anything on The Sacramento Press.

This week's top content below.

Community Contribution:

5. Old and young jitterbug together in intergenerational program by Nancy Flagg, photos by Phil Kemp

4. Opinion: A pre-show fiasco at Shawn Colvin by Steve Martarano

3. Verge Center for the Arts poised to push limits by Stephania Erkenbrecher, photos by Phil Kemp

2. Opinion re: City to vote on medical cannabis ordinance Jan. 29 by Ron Mullins

1. Local chef on ABC's 'The Taste' by Chad Avakian

Overall:

5. Uber car service launches in Sacramento by Karen Wilkinson

4. Wicked 'Wiche's grand plans begin with the Downtown Plaza by Karen Wilkinson

3. Farmers' market to hit Midtown this spring by Karen Wilkinson

2. La Paloma Cash and Gold owner shot by Sacramento Press Staff

1. No decision on stricter medical marijuana zoning changes by Karen Wilkinson

Council to consider police funding from Measure U

2013-01-15T17:29:49Z

Just as Sacramento is facing an increase in gun crime city wide, and a rash of muggings on the grid (including one Friday in which a woman was shot), the City Council is tasked with the decision of where to funnel funds resulting from the passage of the Measure U sales tax. What no one disputes is that the Sacramento Police Department has endured serious cuts, the question in front of the council now is how the department should be restored.

On Tuesday night the council members will vote on city staff recommendations regarding the usage of Measure U funds, and those recommendations will then be finalized with more detail in the city’s budget, which will go before the council on Jan. 29.

The Measure U funds must go to the restoration of services lost, not new ones, though those restored services may not look the same as before. Public safety services approved for restoration include 9-1-1 response, police officers, gang/youth violence prevention and fire protection and emergency medical service, according to the city staff report . Additional services that could benefit from Measure U include park maintenance, youth/senior services and libraries.

We reached out to the council members to get their thoughts. These are the responses we’ve received so far, we’ll update if anyone else chimes in.

Steve Cohn, District 3

“Public safety is the number one priority, to restore service with sales tax Measure U money. We told people that would be the priority and it still is. We cut back police too much, as well as other departments, but the police we really cut to the bone...

“Patrol is the most important, but ironically in order to save cuts from patrol we cut so much in other areas, such as detectives and crime scene investigation...We’ve cut so much that it’s very difficult to prosecute someone on a burglary. Patrol first and foremost, but even CSI and detectives – those departments need to be restored as well.”

Jay Schenirer, District 5

“The first thing we need to do is maintain the minimum of the current force .We have a federal COPS grant that will be expiring at the end of the year, so we want to ensure there is potential for using Measure U to retain those policemen. After that, it really is a matter of sitting down with our new police chief, whoever that might be, and talking about an overall strategy.

“In addition to that, when you talk about public safety, it’s more than just police. It’s about strong neighborhoods. So I think there is a number of things we need to talk about that go beyond the numbers...We need to look at the entire picture.”

Kevin McCarty, District 6

"I hope we can hire at least 100 new officers. I have confidence that the City Manager and the Police Chief will devise a specific deployment plan, however, I am hoping that patrol units will be fully staffed, and we are able to restore depleted and eliminated units such as gang intervention, POP/Neighborhood policing teams, Community Service Officers and illegal gun suppression."

Darrell Fong, District 7

“The city manager, chief of police and the staff will make recommendations. I don’t want to comment; I want to see what plans they bring forward. This is the time to look at different procedures and programs to address crime.

“Just because a unit existed in the past doesn’t mean they will be brought back in the same shape or form. This is not going to get us back where we were before, but to a place better off than we were before...This is about restoring services and public safety.”

What are your thoughts on restoring services to our city? What areas need the most attention, and how can the city best use these funds to ensure the public safety of our community? Share your thoughts in the conversation below.

Public Comment: Sacramento needs a facility for bike polo

2012-12-13T22:49:21Z

In this video from Tuesday's Sacramento City Council meeting, Samuel Cardwell of Capitol Bike Polo speaks to the council members about the need for a multi-use athletic facility that could be used for bike polo, roller hockey and soccer.

"Sacramento is one of the only cities that doesn't have a multi-use court to use." Cardwell said. "we play in parking garages where we're not allowed to, tennis courts where we got kicked out, and Sacramento really needs a resource for this multi-use courts and we don't have them."

The group is currently looking for a temporary place to play, Cardwell said, but eventually hopes to find a home somewhere in the grid.

While he didn't mention any specific details about cost, Cardwell indicated that the city could make make revenue from such a facility via annual bike polo and cricket tournaments – an idea that, whatever its merits, is definitely outside-the-box thinking for reducing the city's deficit.

We've reached to Cardwell to learn more about the bike polo group and their idea for a new facility.

What's bike polo you ask? Hopefully this video helps answer that question:

Bike Polo from Bicykiller on Vimeo.

Do you think one would work in Sacramento? Sound off below.

Photos: Steve Hansen and Allen Warren join the Sacramento City Council

2012-12-12T10:04:54Z

The two newest member of the Sacramento City Council were sworn into office Tuesday in front of a capacity crowd at City Hall.

Steve Hansen will represent District 4 and Allen Warren will represent District 2.

"I could not have imagined, growing up in Del Paso Heights, you know basically all of my life, that one day I would be sitting here, but it is a true testament, it is a true testament," Warren said following his oath into office.

Hansen said he couldn't help but note how much history was being made Tuesday night. "We talked a lot about ideas, but one of the biggest ideas we touched on was that this is a meritocracy," he said. "It doesn't matter where you grew up, it doesn't matter what family you were born in, it's about what you want to be and do, because anybody who works hard should get to be and do whatever they put their mind to."

Allen Warren's signing in and comments:

Steve Hansen's oath of office and comments:

Hansen walked to City Hall with a small group of supporters.

All seats were taken.

The oaths.

The after parties:

Mayor Kevin Johnson was elected to his second term. He celebrated by taking a lap around the chambers.

Hansen, Warren maintain leads to win races

2012-11-30T23:44:29Z

Steve Hansen and Allen Warren beat their competition to grab seats on the city council, in two of the closest, intense races Sacramento has seen in some time.

Hansen had 173 more votes than Joseph Yee in the race for District 4, according to the final election results released Friday afternoon by the Sacramento County Elections Office. And voters gave Warren 206 more votes than Rob Kerth in District 2.

Staffers for Hansen's campaign were the only ones at the election office representing a candidate when paper results were handed out shortly after 3 p.m. Audible sighs of relief were made, as they exhaled, "Oh, my God," several times, taking in the news.

Sacramento gay rights activist and Hansen supporter George Raya compared Hansen's victory to the first time a Latino was elected to the City Council in 1971.

"It means your community is now integrated, it has a seat at the table, and it just makes the community more proud," Raya said. "And if there is a closed person out there they are feeling much better about themselves knowing that someone who is open and gay can get elected to public office."

An announcement that the election results are now certified was made shortly before 3:30 p.m., inciting a brief applause and "woo!" from workers.

Hansen ended up with 11,345 votes, compared to Yee's 11,172 votes. Warren had 6,115 votes, compared to Kerth's total of 5,909.

Warren takes commanding lead in D2, Hansen still ahead in D4

2012-11-27T23:08:22Z

The latest tally for District 4 has Steve Hansen topping Joe Yee by a mere 135 votes,11,132 votes to 10,997, while Allen Warren has taken a commanding 198 vote lead in Distict 2, with 6,103 votes compared with 5,905 for Rob Kerth.

The offical handout from the Sacramento Country Department of Voter Registration and Elections:

Latest vote tally for Sacramento While Hansen is leading Yee in total votes, he's being careful not to make any assumptions before every vote is counted.

"I'm very happy that our lead is stable, and i'm anxious to see the count finished," Hansen said Tuesday evening. "And we'll look forward to knowing the final result very soon."

Officials say more than 16,000 provisional ballots remain. Another update will occur either late Thursday or on Friday, elections officials said. A record number of provisional ballots -- 31,000 -- were cast during the November election, said campaign services manager Brad Buyse.

Usually a clear winner is seen early, Buyse said, but that hasn't been the case for these two districts. "In districts 2 and 4 you have very strong candidates with followers and supporters," he said. "I haven't seen a contest that's gone on so long, three weeks after election day."

Elections clerks spent the day verifying provisional ballots, as seen in this photo taken Tuesday afternoon at the elections office.

Editor’s note: Keep up with our political coverage with our weekly newsletter, Sacto Politico. Sign me up!

VIDEO: City Council gets an earful on plan to demolish public housing

2012-11-21T12:30:49Z

After hearing loads of complaints from residents, the Sacramento City Council moved Tuesday to slow down a drive to demolish public housing projects in the Marina Vista and Alder Grove neighborhoods and replace them with a mixed-income commercial development.

City Councilman Rob Fong, who represents the area, had pushed the project, and said he saw the mixed-income development as a way to create a more integrated community and improve conditions at a nearby school, Jedediah Smith Elementary.

Residents, most of whom were from the adjacent community of Land Park, lined up to speak against the proposal during the public comment period, with many raising concerns about what they perceived as a lack of community involvement in the planning process.

This video depicts some of the opposition speakers and segments of Fong's response:

“The community has not been involved, we have not been asked to participate,” said resident James McMurray. “...There are so many questions, and I don’t understand what it has to be expedited. Nobody’s been able yet to tell me why it’s being expedited.”

Fong said he understood residents' frustrations.

“I am completely sympathetic to everyone who got up here and said, ‘We didn’t know about this,’ you know, ‘What’s the hurry?,’" he said. "We have not done a good job. If you’re all saying that we’ve obviously failed, the process has failed you, and we need to think about redoing the process.”

The Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency owns the land, and requested that the council authorize it to begin negotiations with a private firm that would oversee the development. Instead, the council unanimously approved a motion by Fong to direct the SHRA and city staff to develop a more inclusive process.

“I would like the city manager to sit down with La Shelle (Dozier) and her staff, housing authority, to find out if there’s a better process that you can come up with that achieves the goals that I’ve been talking about—that’s inclusive, that looks at the whole picture,” Fong said.

The new plan will likely be brought in front of the council on Jan. 8, according to Vice Mayor Angelique Ashby.

For more on the proposed development, read the feature article published Monday in The Sacramento Bee.

Mayor Kevin Johnson to Hold Election Results Viewing Party

2012-11-05T21:07:23Z

Mayor Kevin Johnson will be hosting an Election Night Results Viewing Party on Tuesday night, and is inviting all Sacramento voters to join him in watching the results.

Johnson, who has campaigned for President Obama in the key swing states of Nevada, North Carolina, and Florida, says the viewing party will allow Sacramentans of all political stripes to gather together to watch the returns in this historic election.

"This is a critical election for our nation, our state, and our city," said Johnson. "We're hoping for a record turnout, and I'd lke to welcome any Sacramento citizen who has cast their ballot to watch it being counted with us, no matter who you are supporting."

Here are the details:

Election Night Watch Party
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
5:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.

Oishii Sushi Bar & Grill
1000 K Street, Suite 200 - Sacramento
Near KBAR, Dive Bar & Pizza Rock

RSVP to electionwatchparty2012@gmail.com.

Disclosure: (Steven Maviglio was the campaign manager for Kevin Johnson's mayor campaign and was a delegate to the 2008 Democratic National Convention from Sacramento)

Opinion: Joe Yee is the right choice for Sacramento

2012-11-05T06:04:38Z

There is a stark difference between the two candidates in City Council District 4.

Joe Yee has dedicated countless hours over his lifetime to Sacramento. From chairing the committee that released the much-heralded Sacramento 2030 General Plan** to chairing the Planning Commission to serving as an appointed council member, Joe has shown that true leadership takes hard work, integrity, and openness – not backroom deals and political ploys.

(**This document is the single most important planning document for Sacramento through the year 2030 and has received numerous awards for its forward-looking focus and its solutions to seemingly intractable planning problems.)

He has spent decades talking to his neighbors about the problems facing Sacramento and used his talents to solve those problems, such as being instrumental in planning and approving what is blossoming into a livable and vibrant Midtown. Joe has never used his various appointed positions to promote himself or create press events. Joe has done his hard work, whether or not a camera was on. That’s why dozens and dozens of local elected officials and community leaders have lined up behind Joe and not only endorse him, but walk and phone for him. Joe’s as honest as the day is long, and we all know he will put the hard work (and long days) in that this job needs.

Because he’s done it before.

Joe is the one and only candidate endorsed by the Democratic Party. In recent years, the Democratic Party has made it a priority to endorse candidates who promise to campaign and raise funds ethically. Joe has lived up to every bit of his promise, as have his campaign staff and volunteers. He has ignored the rumormongers and demanded his campaign team and volunteers refrain from responding to false statements made about him by others. But that’s exactly the type of guy Joe is. He sets his sights high and expects the best of those around him.

Classy in every respect of the word.

But Joe isn’t a flashy guy. He doesn’t have slick answers to debate questions that fit neatly into sound bites or tweets. That’s because Joe thinks through every problem carefully and mulls over ramifications to find the right solutions for Sacramento. We need Joe on the City Council because he will protect District 4 by always putting Sacramento first. He will serve us well because he grew up here, raised his family here, opened his business here, and will continue to live and work here long after his campaign is over.

A thriving Sacramento is Joe's passion.

Sacramento faces tough times and, with tough times, we need a serious candidate with the experience, talent and foresight to see the long-term solutions to fixing Sacramento.

And that’s Joe Yee.

Disclosure: Anna Molander is a supporter of Joe Yee and has served on a commission with him.

It's closing arguments time in District 4 council race

2012-10-30T00:49:40Z

District 4 City Council candidates Steve Hansen and Joe Yee will hold their final debate Tuesday night after as the year-long campaign comes to a close.

The debate, which is hosted by The Sacramento Press, will occur at 6:30 p.m. in the Cosmopolitan Cabaret theater, 1000 K St. Access Sacramento will broadcast the event live on cable channel 17 and on AccessSacramento.org.

The Sacramento Press is hosting – if you plan to attend and would like to ask a question, RSVP here.

The candidates have contrasting styles and messages, as shown in this video of their closing statements during the Local Elections Candidates Forums hosted by the League of Women Voters on Oct. 6. Yee emphasizes his experience, while Hansen tends to present himself as an agent of change.

Joe Yee's statement:

"To achieve the goals I've outlined earlier – business growth, job creation, financial responsibility, public safety reinvestment in Sacramento and the future, thoughtful and inclusive decisionmaking process – that all takes experience. As the economy of Sacramento and the region recovers, we'll be challenged to move quickly, but we still need to make the right decisions for District 4 and the city. That takes experience, and my experience has proven, over and over again, that we must reach out, work with the neighborhood organizations and individuals in District 4 and in the city to make the right decisions, because we need to listen and work together to achieve that. This is a time for tested, thoughtful leadership, and I ask for your support and your vote. Thank you.

Steve Hansen's statement:

"Thank you to all of you who have watched today so thoughtfully. You've heard my passion, you've heard my vision. I hope you've heard my plan. I have a different kind of experience that doesn't revolve around City Hall but rather working in the community, working in our neighborhoods, and working to build a better city. We have to worry about our future, and I am committed to putting in the time, energy and making sure that not only we work hard, but we rebuild the opportunities that our grandparents, our forefathers and mothers helped to give us. That has not been well-stewarded by the current council or by City Hall. I think we need change, and we need a city that doesn't take anything for granted. Hopefully you'll work with me, you'll vote for me, and we together can lead this city to a brighter future. Thank you."

The Sacramento Press would like to thank our event sponsor, Capitol Towers, for supporting the debate.

Wednesday's Sac Press Live: Is the charter commission a good idea or a waste of time?

2012-10-29T19:47:13Z

The ballot measure to create an elected charter commission has generated some of the most heated debate this fall, and it will be the subject of our Sac Press Live chat on Wednesday.

Critics have scoffed at Measure M, calling it an unnecessary distraction, while supporters see it as a way of opening up the political process and putting the strong mayor initiative on the back burner.

We'll have Councilwoman Angelique Ashby, who has been vocal in her opposition, and blogger-activist and charter commission candidate Isaac Gonzalez on for a Google+ Hangout to chat about it at 12:15 p.m. (We're working on rounding up more participants and will have an update shortly. Someone page Cosmo Garvin.)

If you have a question or comment that you'd like us to discuss during the chat, please leave it below. We’re more likely to read comments that come from verified community contributors.

Background:

On Nov. 6 voters will choose to vote in favor of creating the commission or not, and will also be allowed to vote for the 15 candidates they want to serve on the body. Commissioners will have up to two years to go through the city charter and suggest any changes.

Arguments in favor and opposed via the City’s election page:

Argument in favor of Measure M:

Voting Yes on Measure M will give Sacramentans the opportunity to study our City's Charter and potentially reshape and improve how our local government works.

In recent years, there has been much debate around controversial proposals that would dramatically change how our city is governed.

Instead of making important changes to Sacramento's City Charter behind closed doors like the strong mayor initiative was launched-Measure M would create an elected charter commission of local citizens working through a transparent process to review how our city government works.

Too often we hear complaints about special interests controlling the process. Measure M would provide an open and formal process to study how our local government works and research potential changes that might improve our city. It will allow Sacramentans to have a voice in the process and an opportunity to vote on any suggested changes to the charter.

The City of Los Angeles used a charter review commission to improve its governance by adding an ethics commission and empowering neighborhood councils, among other reforms. Sacramento may be ripe for similar reforms. The cost of the commission has been questioned.

Let's be clear- Measure M would create a temporary commission comprised of unpaid citizen commissioners using current city resources. No new staff would be hired. No new bureaucracy would be created. Sacramento may not be clamoring for charter change, but voters must have a chance to decide, to say yes or no. Isn't the establishment of the charter commission an open method to answer these questions?

Yes on M will allow fifteen unpaid commissioners to review the city charter and bring any proposed recommendations back to Sacramentans for a public vote. This is democracy at its best - transparent, responsive and holding public institutions accountable. Let Democracy work- Vote Yes on Measure M.

Argument against:

Due to record deficits, $15.7 million this fiscal year alone, and another projected $7.6 million deficit next year, the City of Sacramento has made severe cuts to services to balance its budget. As a result, three fire stations are browned out every day. More than 160 police officers have been laid off. Nine Community Centers that served seniors and youth are closed. The City Animal Shelter is open half days.

The Parks Department’s budget has been slashed in half and all 12 city pools are slated for closure next summer. The Building Department has had service cuts, making it difficult for businesses and homeowners to pull permits and schedule inspections.

Despite the fact that Sacramento has a budget shortfall, a few Councilmembers pushed Measure M to the ballot at a cost of over $200,000. If Measure M passes, it will cost a minimum of $600,000 to implement, and risks millions more. Why spend tax dollars to create a new bureaucracy with no accountability, no oversight, no transparency, and no requirement for an outcome?

This flawed measure is modeled after a 15-member commission that cost the City of Los Angeles more than $1.8 million dollars in the 1990’s (the equivalent of $2.5 million today). Measure M will likely cost Sacramento even more in legal fees. Similar measures have been rejected by courts as unconstitutional because Measure M does not guarantee equal representation for all neighborhoods, a violation of the Voter’s Rights act.

In June, 2012, The Sacramento Bee wrote: “Pull the Plug on Elected Charter Commission. An elected charter commission is a bad idea for Sacramento at the wrong time.” We agree.

Join small business, firefighters, police officers, community and neighborhood leaders from throughout Sacramento. Vote NO on M.

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ANALYSIS: Freeport bike lane faces challenges, including opposition from residents

2012-10-29T14:58:44Z

Sacramento city staff presented their final recommendation for the Freeport Boulevard Bike Lane Project to an overwhelmingly skeptical crowd of Land Park and Curtis Park residents at McClatchy High School on Thursday, Oct. 25.

At issue was a 1.2 mile section of Freeport Boulevard, a four-lane, two-way roadway that runs north from Sutterville Road to the railroad and light rail crossing at Fourth Avenue. The project is estimated to cost $1.4 million. The funding source is still to be determined.

The section of road is scheduled for resurfacing in 2014, and the city wants to take the opportunity to transform a major thoroughfare into a “complete street” more amenable to bicyclists and pedestrians by adding a bike lane and making other changes that would result in a loss of street parking and the reduction of Freeport Boulevard from four lanes down to two.

In the long term, in accordance with the city’s master plan, the project makes sense for several reasons. This segment of Freeport Boulevard passes by Sacramento City College, McClatchy High School and the Fourth Street light rail station, and commuters and students on foot and bicycles are thick during peak hours.

If the project is implemented, Sacramento City College students living in Midtown would have a nearly straight, 2-mile shot by bicycle to school. And of course encouraging more walking, bicycling and transit use reduces greenhouse gases and other pollutants.

Nevertheless, most of the 75 or so people who showed up at McClatchy High School had few kind words to say to city staff about the proposal – despite the fact that the Land Park Community Association recently issued a statement in support of the project.

Parking was a major issue. One man said that without street parking, he’ll have to park in his driveway, and it will be impossible to back out because of traffic.

One woman asked why the effects of the parking reduction hadn’t been mentioned in the Freeport Boulevard Bike Path draft Environmental Impact Report. A staff member explained that it isn’t required to be in the report. The woman scoffed.

Many residents were concerned traffic would be diverted onto neighborhood streets. That’s confirmed by the Environmental Impact Report, which states that traffic will be diverted to north/south corridors as far west as Riverside Avenue and as far east as 24th Street. Exactly what side streets these commuters will use is “intuitive,” according to the EIR, but nevertheless will have no impacts requiring “mitigation” in the “project area.”

The EIR also says that the completion of Curtis Park Village, Paul Petrovich’s urban-style mixed-used infill project located on the old Southern Pacific railyard east of City College and accessible by Sutterville Road, will not significantly impact traffic in the Freeport Boulevard Bike Lane Project area.

That audience wasn’t swayed.

“This is not smart planning, and this is not a smart street,” one man said, summing up the mood in the room.

For bicyclists, the Freeport Boulevard Bike Lane Project appears to be a sweet deal. While no bicycle advocate made a statement at the McClatchy High School meeting, the Sacramento Area Bicycle Alliance thanked the department of transportation for its decision on Facebook.

“Proposed intersection modifications where southbound 19th Street merges with Freeport at Taylor's Market aren't optimal, but they're an affordable, workable improvement,” the posting stated.

If the audience at McClatchy is any indication, however, cutting Freeport Boulevard from four lanes down to two is far from a popular proposition. Neither is eliminating up to 90 parking spaces. Residents are also weary of waiting in long lines at rail crossings.

Will the Freeport Boulevard Bike Lane Project go forward? That depends on the Sacramento City Council, which will vote on the issue Nov. 8.

TOUGH ROAD AHEAD

The bike lane project has three major obstacles.

The first is to create northbound and southbound bike lanes stretching from Sacramento City College to Midtown.

The second challenge is to make the intersection at Freeport Boulevard, 21st Street and Fourth Avenue safer for average bicycle riders in order to keep traffic flow continuous on the southbound bike and auto lanes, which are right next to each other.

That’s no easy task, considering the roadway crosses three pairs of oblique-angled railroad tracks that are extremely slippery, even when they’re not wet, and then merges with southbound traffic rounding the blind corner at Freeport Boulevard and Fourth Avenue, where Taylor’s Market is located.

The third obstacle, and judging from the reaction of the audience gathered in the McClatchy High School cafeteria, the hardest to overcome, is convincing local residents that the Freeport Boulevard Bike Lane Project is a good idea.

With the first goal in mind, establishing bike lanes along the length of Freeport Boulevard, project manager David Edrosolon explained to the audience that he and his staff had explored various options for the Sutterville Road-to-21st Street segment, eventually deciding that the best choice was to cut Freeport Boulevard’s four 8 and a half-foot-wide lanes down to three lanes: one 11-foot-wide lane traveling north, one 11-foot-wide lane traveling south and a 10-foot-wide, two-way left-hand turn lane dividing them.

That’s a significant cut: Four travel lanes down to two, on what still is labeled State Highway 160 on the map. In addition, most of the parking on the west side of Freeport Boulevard, as many as 90 spaces, will be eliminated. That creates space for two 5-foot-wide bike lanes running alongside the northbound and southbound auto lanes, from Sutterville Road through the intersection across Broadway under the freeway and all the way to W Street.

To solve the project’s second challenge, providing safe passage for bicyclists through the intersection, bicyclists will have the option to either merge naturally with southbound traffic rounding the blind chicane where Freeport Boulevard emerges from Land Park, or push a button to stop the traffic if it’s too dangerous to merge.

Two cutouts for buses to pull over for bicycle access would also be added – one in a designated park area. One Land Park resident’’s rant about this incursion into parkland drew the biggest applause of the night at the meeting.

For pedestrians, two triple-four crosswalks will be installed at difficult-to-cross intersections at Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Avenues. They are much-needed.

Expect a raucous meeting on Nov. 8. No doubt, more than one button will be pushed.

City auditor calls for new policies in wake of credit card scandal

2012-10-24T15:09:58Z

The city of Sacramento’s investigation into $2 million in employee credit card charges came to a close as City Auditor Jorge Oseguera presented his findings and recommendations, including reducing the number of employees who can use credit cards, stricter authorization policies and updated credit card use training.

The scandal that rocked City Hall this summer was addressed without so much as a whimper, as the discussion finished in just under 13 minutes with little public comment.

“The city’s policy under the credit card purchase program explicitly states that they are to be used for business purposes only,” Oseguera said.

With department credit card purchase totals reaching upward of $1.4 million, Oseguera’s investigation took only a snapshot of the city’s 2011-12 fiscal year. A sample of 27 statements from 316 transactions found that the most common misuse came from three sources:

While transactions reviewed did not reveal extensive personal purchases, some transactions violated policy.
Some purchases were approved without proper documentation.
Purchase card statements were not always approved by the authorized signers.

Oseguera noted that the regulations governing credit card use by city employees could get confusing, as the “rules come from various sources,” and that increased training for city employees could help address the issue.

Sacramento resident Mack Worthy attended the meeting, and was not impressed by the auditor’s recommendation.

“If you’re going to teach a professional how to use a charge card, you’ve got a problem,” he said.

The initial investigation began this summer, when credit transactions made by Lisa Serna-Mayorga, a Sacramento City Council operations manager and daughter of former Mayor Joe Serna Jr., showed detailed receipts for gasoline, lunches and even a trip to Disneyland.

A citywide audit was then ordered after Serna-Mayorga was found to have charged roughly $25,000 on her employee credit card. Additional expenses for pizza, flowers, office supplies and coffee were prominent purchases among many of the Sacramento City Council members and their employees. Serna-Mayorga has since resigned and has sought legal representation.

According to the report, cardholders charged the most on grocery stores and hotels. Other purchases included flight and travel expenses and upgrades, payment of fines and fees for traffic violations, alcohol and ammunition.

Oseguera and his team suggested 14 solutions to these financial inconsistencies, including a proposal to seek a monthly purchase approval by the city manager as a way to save on costs.

“I don’t want to speak for the city manager (John F. Shirey),” said City Councilman Kevin McCarty, “but I know that you and your committee have worked hard to flush out some of the details.”

The complete findings of the city auditor’s investigation can be found here:

The city of Sacramento's audit of credit cards use by city employees

District 4 still anybody's race after Land Park forum

2012-10-18T15:03:34Z

As the District 4 City Council runoff between Steve Hansen and Joe Yee enters its final sprint to the finish, the candidates came together Wednesday evening in Land Park for a forum that highlighted their similar platforms but starkly contrasting personalities.

With the forum coming on the heels of the second presidential debate, at least one person in the crowd at California Middle School couldn’t help but make the comparison.

“It’s fun to come and be a part of what’s happening here,” said resident Michelle Mosnier. “Both of these guys are so different, it’s like watching the (national) debates!”

The hourlong discussion was moderated by former Sacramento State public policy professor Dr. Bob Waste and featured a range of topics, including neighborhood safety, attracting business and park maintenance. Both Yee and Hansen are registered Democrats and more often than not agreed on the issues brought before them, be it bridge development off of Broadway or ideas to maintain the vitality of Sacramento’s youth culture.

However, when asked about current or former government officials who had endorsed their campaigns, the stark differences of each candidate’s public persona came into the spotlight. Yee, as always, was noticeably more quiet and concise with his answer. With his feet firmly planted behind the podium, he offered up his endorsement from current District 4 Councilman Rob Fong and former Sacramento Mayor Anne Rudin. He has a long list of political endorsements, with Councilman Steve Cohn being one of the latest to join the list.

Hansen, who spoke directly to the crowd and paced steadily in front of the first rows of spectators, seemed to dodge the question and listed no names, despite the fact that he could have cited the endorsement of a political heavyweight like Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg. His answer showed a sense of political theater and rhetorical flair that was at odds with Yee's more just-the-facts-ma'am delivery. “The only endorsement I care about is from you, the people,” he said.

Newly developed bike lanes, balancing the city budget and campaign finance transparency were also points of public interest, but on the substance, there was little disagreement.

The night did take a mildly awkward turn during the closing statements, when Hansen essentially “called out” from the crowd a former District 4 candidate and current Yee supporter, saying, “There’s somebody filming me – one of my former opponents, Terry Schanz has been recording me all night. And that’s OK. I don’t do politics like that.”

When asked of her impressions of the evening, former Sacramento Mayor Rudin was as diplomatic as ever. “While I do endorse one (person) in particular, I thought both candidates did a good job showcasing their personalities.”

The event was generally well attended, with about 60 or so neighbors crowding the small school’s event center. Some commented that this was the lowest numbers of participants to be present for a District 4 debate since June. “I think it’s coming down to the wire,” said SacramentoSchool Board member Patrick Kennedy. “A lot of people have already made up their minds.”

Both candidates have spent a lot of time campaigning in Land Park, a highly populated and politically influential area. The Wednesday forum was informative, but not a game changer. With the vote tallies for the hotly contested seat so close during the primary election, it could still be anybody's race.

The Sacramento Press will host a debate with Yee and Hansen on Oct. 30 at 6:30 p.m. at the Cosmopolitan Cabaret, 1000 K St. Get event details and RSVP here.

District 4 candidates to debate in 'pivotal' Land Park forum tonight

2012-10-17T14:36:49Z

Sacramento City Council hopefuls Steve Hansen and Joe Yee are preparing for a potentially “pivotal” forum Wednesday night on Yee's home turf, Land Park.

Yee and Hansen will debate in the second half of the “Candidates and Ballot Measure Forum,” to be held from 6 to 9 p.m. at California Middle School on Vallejo Way and Land Park Drive. The first half of the civic extravaganza will feature discussions of the three city ballot measures M, T and U – or charter commission, green waste and the half-cent sales tax – according to Mark Abrahams, president of the Land Park Community Association.

Hansen's base of support is in the central city, but he will need to pick up support in River Oaks (whose neighborhood association held its own Q&A with the candidates Tuesday night) and Land Park if he is going to win on Nov. 6. Yee, meanwhile, will look to hold Land Park and do well enough in the central city to win.

The final vote tallies from the June primary election are a good reminder of the importance of Land Park.

STEVE HANSEN 3,454 28.39%

JOSEPH YEE 3,379 27.77%

PHYLLIS A. NEWTON 2,758 22.67%

TERRY SCHANZ 1,782 14.65%

While Hansen did come in first – edging out Yee by 75 votes – there were two other strong candidates from Land Park in the race – Phyllis Newton and Terry Schanz, the latter of which has endorsed Yee. If the primary results can serve as any guide, how the rest of the Land Park vote swings could be decisive, making tonight's meeting a key test for both candidates.

Hansen said as much when I asked him to size up the end of the race in an interview Monday.

"The Land Park forum on Wednesday night in a lot of ways is going to be a pivotal forum, because I think there are a lot of people there who are trying to make a decision about who they want to support and why,” he said.

Update: In another nod to the importance of the forum, Hansen urged his supporters to attend the "highly anticipated Land Park candidate debate!" in a Facebook post on Wenesday morning.

Yee also sent us this statement:

"I am looking forward to addressing the voters and community this evening. The Forum represents an opportunity for me to directly respond to community's concerns for Land Park, District 4 and the City. We will also have an opporunity to speak to my priorities of neighborhood engagement, responsible business growth and job creation, the restoration of basic City servicies. The Forum will also give the voters an opportunity judge the value of experience and knowledge gained by running a small business for more than 20 years and almost 19 years of city planning."

Event details via Mark Abrahams:

Candidates and Ballot Measure Forum, October 17, 6-9 p.m. at California Middle School on Vallejo Way and Land Park Drive.

The first half of the evening will be devoted to discussion of the three city ballot measures M, T, and U, or charter commission, green waste, and half-cent sales tax. Speakers will include Sacramento City Council members Kevin McCarty and Angelique Ashby, Craig Powell of Eye on Sacramento and Anna Molander, former chair of the Democratic Party of Sacramento.

After an intermission where plans will be discussed regarding a renovation of the Land Park Amphitheater, the second half of the evening will feature questions for candidates Hansen and Yee. The forum will be moderated by Dr. Bob Waste, former professor of public policy at Sacramento State. The audience members are invited to submit questions. The forum, co-sponsored by the Land Park Community Association and the Broadway Partnership, is free to the public.

The Sacramento Press will host a debate with Yee and Hansen on Oct. 30 at 6:30 p.m. at the Cosmopolitan Cabaret, 1000 K St. Get event details and RSVP here.

Voter questions and followups: How the Sac Press debate with Hansen and Yee will work

2012-10-17T00:33:03Z

The race between Joe Yee and Steve Hansen for the District 4 seat on the Sacramento City Council is reaching its hurried climax, as the candidates go from one forum to the next, with two this week alone. We decided to take a slightly different approach for the debate we're hosting on Oct. 30, and we'll need your help.

The format is based off of two common observations that seem to hold true in most races. First, candidates tend to answer questions more candidly and completely when they come from voters as opposed to journalists. Secondly, followup questions are key to getting candidates to move beyond prepared stock answers and into the real substance of the issues.

Here's how the forum will work.

We're asking everyone who plans to attend the debate to RSVP using this link. The debate will occur at 6:30 p.m. in the Cosmopolitan Cabaret theater, 1000 K St. As part of the registration process, you will be asked to submit a question you'd like to ask the candidates. If you live in District 4 and are willing to ask your question in front of the audience, please fill out that form.

I'll be sorting all the questions by topic and trying to identify the ones that are the most insightful, penetrating, and that address important issues for city residents. That's why it's important to RSVP: The sooner people register and submit their questions, the sooner I can get started.

The night of the debate, I will be a facilitator, establishing the topic order and asking specific audience members to ask their presubmitted questions at the appropriate times.

But we won't just be moving from question to question. Sacramento Bee Associate Editor Foon Rhee will take on the task of asking followup questions for each candidate. He will also be given time at the end of the evening to ask questions on any subject he thinks has been overlooked.

And, in a move inspired by Candy Crowley’s recent moderation of the presidential debates, Sacramento Press Associate Editor Brandon Darnell will live fact check the debate, and pass on questions or concerns to Rhee.

The Sacramento Press is a community-driven online newspaper, and it only makes sense that we would get most of our debate questions from residents. We also do our best to combine that community ethos with the values of traditional journalism, and Rhee's (and The Bee's) participation will help add an element of expertise and tough-mindedness that is as important in political coverage as it is in debate moderation.

The forum comes in the final week of a campaign that has been fought hard by both candidates. Hansen said he believes it could be a crucial time period.

"We're kind of forum-hopping these days," Hansen said Monday. "I think that, that last week, it's going to be almost a closing argument kind of thing. There is a large number of absentee voters or maybe still holding their ballots. We'll be looking to see how we can earn their votes."

For Yee, one of his frustrations has been condensing his responses to TV-friendly soundbites -- an issue we'll avoid with an hour and half devoted to just two candidates.

"It's tough to try to answer a complex question in 60 seconds," Yee said. "I find that to be a real challenge. So, that's been a bit of frustration for me personally."

When asked to name the highlights of the campaign, both Yee and Hansen mentioned talking to voters and witnessing the tireless efforts of their volunteers.

"I think the high point has been talking to people in the district, as well as throughout the city," Yee said. "I think that's been very, very gratifying."

Hansen was taken aback by the work of his volunteers and the encouragement of his supporters.

"I sort of took a leap of faith in getting in the race, and to me, it's been miraculous, because that leap of faith has been rewarded with people who have helped encourage and support me that really weren't known to me beforehand," he said.

The candidates will see the fruit of their labor on Nov. 6, but only after answering a final round of questions on Oct. 30. We hope to see you there.

Jared Goyette is the editor of The Sacramento Press. Find him on Twitter, Facebook, or Google+.

Occupy Sacramento plans to 'risk arrest' defying new law that goes into effect Thursday

2012-10-11T00:26:59Z

Occupy Sacramento members say they will risk arrest as they plan to challenge the new city ordinance that sets restrictions for protests at City Hall.

Protesters will assemble at City Hall at noon on Thursday to protest the law they call unconstitutional, according to a press release, which stated details won’t be released in advance.

The new law, passed last month, goes into effect on Thursday and sets a curfew on the site, prohibits obstructing access to City Hall, bans the use of amplified sound without a permit and prohibits signs, displays or structures from being placed on the property.

It also prohibits sponge baths in the fountain at Cesar Chavez Plaza, across the street from City Hall.

Protesters wrote in the press release that they expect it to last until 5 p.m. Friday.

According to Occupy Sacramento, there were 110 arrests last year when members refused to leave Cesar Chavez Plaza after closing time. Charge were dismissed after defendants denied plea bargains and requested jury trials.

Hansen picks up more endorsements for District 4 - why it could matter

2012-10-08T15:26:18Z

There is a school of thought that newspaper and media endorsements are of diminished importance, but the The Sacramento Bee editorial page’s endorsement this Saturday of Steve Hansen for the District 4 seat on City Council could prove to be pivotal.

Hansen, who is running against architect Joe Yee, has been racking up key endorsements of late: He recently received the backing of the influential firefighters union, and last week was endorsed by the Sacramento News & Review. The police union has also supported him for months.

Yee, as the Bee notes in its editorial, has "endorsements from most local elected officials, the city's other major unions and the Regional Builders and Realtors."

The op-eds in the SN&R and the Bee cited Hansen's economic plans, his familiarity with Midtown and the arts scene, and his proposals to enhance transparency, including making the city auditor independent of City Council and the establishment of an ethics commission.

You can read them both here:

The Bee op-ed: Endorsements: Steve Hansen for Sacramento City Council District 4 [Tiered Paywall]

The SNR op-ed: Vote Steve Hansen

Newspaper endorsements aren’t as decisive as they used to be, in part because of the decline of newspapers in general, and in part because the public now holds the press at large in less high esteem than it did in past. But the dynamic of this race is such that the Bee’s endorsement could be key for Hansen’s changes on November 6.

Yee is the experienced and institutional candidate – he has decades of experience in urban planning and has served on the council before. While his rhetoric never soars, his delivery is measured and he can quickly delve into wonky details, as he did during our chat with him last month.

Hansen is running as the “fresh face” in this campaign – a younger, more charismatic challenger who is presenting himself as an outsider with new ideas, like those above that caught the attention of SN&R and the Bee.

In this context, Yee is running more as the experienced and trusted incumbent, while Hansen is running as the “outsider” challenger. An obstacle that challengers tend to face in any campaign is convincing voters to take the risk of going with the less experienced candidate. The Bee’s endorsement helps Hansen bridge this gap, re-enforces his legitimacy as a serious candidate, and could persuade voters that were already leaning his way that it’s worth it to take the plunge.

Yee is betting that his experience will weigh more in voters' minds. In the op-ed Yee published in The Sacramento Press on Sunday, he makes that case forcefully, concluding the piece with this final line, "We do not need new gimmicks or bureaucracy to protect and grow jobs. We need leadership and experience."

The Sacramento Press editorial staff does not endorse candidates, but we will be holding a forum in which both candidates will take questions from our confirmed contributors and other community leaders. The forum will take place Oct. 30, at 6:30 p.m. at the Cosmopolitan Cabaret. We'll provide more details on the forum and how you can participate in an upcoming article.

Gone to pot: Report recommends changes to city ordinance on medical marijuana

2012-10-05T14:57:59Z

Sacramento might become a less pot-friendly city Tuesday if the City Council follows through on city staff recommendations to further restrict where marijuana can be grown or purchased.

The staff report makes the following recommendations for the council: 1) Prohibit the outdoor cultivation of medical marijuana in residential areas, and 2) expand the distance dispensaries can be from parks and schools, from 600 to 1,000 feet.

The agenda packet includes a letter from Dennis A. Hunter, a retired resident of South Natomas who calls for the city to enact the ban on growing pot in residential areas.

It’s not typical of the kind of writing one normally finds in council agendas.

Hunter, in an impassioned and at times dramatic style, writes that when his neighbor began growing marijuana, the odor drifted over onto his property.

"The first major problem is the stench of the marijuana plants. It is overbearing. It migrates onto our property and surrounds our house. It seem as if a scunk has constantly been spraying."

He says that he is not opposed to medical marijuana on principle.

"Let me say that my wife and I have nothing against any individual who chooses this form of treatment for illness. However, we are keenly aware of how easy it is to obtain a medical marijuana card. I shutter to think what the quality of lives would be like if our other neighbors obtained medical marijuana cards and began growing their own marijuana outdoors."

Sacramento regulates marijuana dispensaries under a city ordinance passed last year, a fact that the staff report brings up in its "Policy considerations" section, which adds some useful context:

“The Sacramento City Council found in adopting the location criteria in November 2010 that it was appropriate for a medical marijuana dispensary to be located a minimum distance from sensitive uses. These distance requirements were developed after substantial staff research and public input. Nothing in the operation of the dispensaries has changed to indicate that a dispensary proposing to relocate to a different site should be permitted to locate closer to one of the sensitive uses listed in the ordinance. The only change has been the level of federal enforcement on marijuana dispensaries, causing owners of existing dispensaries to look for new locations.

“Currently, the Sacramento City Code does not address the topic of indoor or outdoor cultivation. If an ordinance restricting the outdoor cultivation of medical marijuana in residential areas was adopted, patients or their caregivers would still be permitted to grow medical marijuana inside a structure in residential areas, but the ordinance would also ensure that the growing of the plants would not become an attractive nuisance (anything on a premises that might attract children or entice visitors or trespassers into danger or harm).”

The proposed changes are likely to draw supporters and detractors to City Hall on Tuesday. Check back Wednesday morning for video highlights of the discussion on SacramentoPress.com.

Citizen Oversight Committee for Measure U

2012-10-02T00:33:16Z

City Council will consider a proposal Tuesday for a committee that would oversee any funds the city collects if Measure U, a proposed half-cent increase in sales tax, is approved by voters in the upcoming November election.

If approved, Measure U is expected to generate about $28 million per year, and the funds will be put into the city’s general fund to be used for things such as police and fire services, public safety, park maintenance and youth services.

The proposal that City Manager John Shirey will present to the council Tuesday calls for the committee to have five members, with specific requirements for each seat.

“Four out of the five seats require people with specific backgrounds and experience,” said Stephanie Mizuno, assistant city clerk.

Each seat represents a different interest that will be affected by increased sales tax.

A public accountant with audit experience
A representative for business interests
A member from a neighborhood association
A representative of a bona-fide taxpayer organization
A member of the community at large

“I think that having a representative from a neighborhood association will increase accountability. It assures an independent view coming in and also a person that offers a neighborhood perspective,” said Sondra Bentancourt, from the Ben Ali Neighborhood Association in District 2.

Committee members will be expected to serve two-year terms and cannot be current city of Sacramento employees or council members. The city’s Personal and Public Employee Committee (P&PE) will be responsible for interviewing and nominating candidates. Based on the P&PE’s recommendations, the City Council will appoint the committee members.

The committee will have to review the city’s annual independent audit report. Additionally, it will be required to present a written report at City Council meetings stating:

The amount of revenue generated by Measure U
What programs and services are being funded by Measure U and how the funds are being distributed
The review of the city’s annual independent audit report and how that relates to the use of Measure U funds

The full report regarding the committee guidelines can be found here.

What do you think about this? How will this help Measure U be more effective if passed?

RE: Henry Harry's Open Letter to Jay Schenirer

2012-09-29T03:09:29Z

Henry,

Wow, that is quite a “quick comment”. I hope you will continue to write on this vital issue and explore the situation in much more depth.

I agree with you that gentrification of an area is not a desired outcome if you care about economic equality, justice and humanity. Fighting the negative pressures of redevelopment/revitalization is one of my primary concerns and it motivates me to contribute my time and energy to the Oak Park community. To me, gentrification denotes the displacement of current residents as rents and property values increases.That is a very possible outcome for Oak Park. It is not the only outcome nor is it one we can accept.

We all claim to value and love diversification but let’s be honest. It doesn’t look that way in far too many situations. How many times do we all attend functions where the overwhelming majority looks like us? How many birthday parties, New Year’s celebrations, holiday gatherings, and birthdays are truly diverse? Not enough. This doesn’t mean we don’t value diversification, but it does mean that we’ve too often not enjoyed it in our social and everyday lives.

That’s understandable; values are often something we must continuously strive toward. They are often the underpinnings of goals.

Oak Park deserves or, at least, needs revitalization, right? Currently we see too few shopping choices, too few jobs, and too few opportunities for civic engagement. New and sensitive growth is welcome can help us in achieving more equality. But, it will not happen by chance.

As Historic Oak Park demonstrates that there is money to be made here, money will flow into our community. Development will follow and we’ll see either revitalization or gentrification. We can ascribe blame to others, economic realities, racism, history, capitalism, and many other factors. And we should attempt to understand the roots of the problems. At the same time, however, we should work to assure that we direct and influence the direction our community takes and avoid being crippled by analysis. We should also make certain that development, while welcome, is based on consultation with residents—consultation, not presentations of “done deals”.

We will not assure the future we desire if we don’t start now, right now, working together as a community who cares about all of its residents. We will not be powerful if we act alone. By working as a community we have more power and more opportunity to have influence. Oak Park demonstrated that it has a powerful voice during the City Council District redistricting process. Our voices matter and we can demand they are heard. One voice is beautiful while many voices are powerful. Let’s be both beautiful and powerful!

Henry, I assure you that I don’t pretend to know the answers. I do feel certain, however, about process. I am confident that combined voices are much loader and demand attention. Let’s determine our own futures by working together. NO young blacks should ever be are “made more and more outcasts in their own neighborhood.” No human should ever be made to feel like an outcast in their own neighborhoods.

A couple of notes:

First, we should work with our elected officials when they are working for us. Jay Schenirer has demonstrated that he is committed to the values and goals that will move Oak Park into a community of economic and racial equality. He is on our side, an asset to our community and a powerful ally. Let’s work together to make use of his experience and knowledge while holding him accountable to representing Oak Park for all residents. I am certain that he would agree with this sentiment and I also know this is exactly what he has been doing.

Second, let’s determine the best way(s) to work together. One organization that is already leading the way is The Oak Park Neighborhood Association (OPNA). As a longtime leader in the community, OPNA, is positioned to fight for all of Oak Park, but, it cannot happen without participation of the residents. That includes you and all others who truly care about making a difference.

Third, this response is simply meant to be an invitation to further exploration of the challenges we face in Oak Park. Let’s truly discuss how we can best serve our community by “Preserving our history while creating our future”.

Disclosure: This is a personal response to Henry Harry's open letter. I am the president of OPNA but this comment is not representing an official position as I've written it on my own and not submitted to to OPNA. I'm also an Oak Park resident.

Proposed changes in Sacramento City Code for Special Events

2012-09-28T21:48:30Z

Sacramento businesses, concert and special event organizers may soon be facing major changes in their efforts to put on events.

After working for two years to review the existing city ordinance, a City Council-appointed committee determined that several changes are needed:

Anyone organizing a special event will now have to turn in an application 60 days in advance, versus 10 days in advance.
They have to notify nearby businesses and residents 30 days in advance
appropriate noticing for amplified sound is necessary
new rules and regulations regarding alcohol management
The city would have to provide more specific reasons why the city could deny an application for a certain event

The measure was announced at the City Council meeting Tuesday, and members will vote on it and take public comment on Oct. 9.

“The last update was in 1995, so there was a clear need to make a change to the code for the city of Sacramento,” said Teresa Jackson, general recreation supervisor.

The new rules could cause some friction with event promoters who wait until the last minute, however.

“If you want to promote your event, you can’t start doing that until you have everything in place, so it won’t make a huge difference,” said local music promoter Jerry Perry of Jerry Perry Presents. “For people who are scrambling, that would definitely be tough. I can understand kind of why they are doing it. It’s because they get swamped with a lot of permits and everything at the last minute.”

Jackson said the new regulations will streamline the process – a necessary part of the city’s growth.

In addition to the changes listed above, the park code is being updated. This will allow commercial activities to be held in parks. At the moment, activities in the parks are limited to nonprofit organizations.

At the City Council meeting, Sacramento resident Mac Worthy expressed concern over this part of the change and if there would be more changes made to the laws regarding the use of city parks.

“We’re allowing for this to change because we know there’s a need for the space and also the enjoyment of our park users, and to generate additional revenue for park maintenance,” Jackson said.

The full report can be found here.

What do you think? Is this good or bad for special event planners and what will the impact be?

Submit questions: Steve Hansen live chat Wednesday at noon

2012-09-24T15:06:26Z

City Council candidate Steve Hansen is this week's Sac Press Live guest, which will be streamed live on SacramentoPress.com Wednesday at noon.

Hansen is taking on architect Joe Yee for the District 4 seat, which represents the central city and Land Park.

The live stream starts here at noon:

Got a question for Hansen about what he would do on the council? Ask it in the comments section below this article. We'll cover all the on-point reader questions we can during the interview.

One issue we're sure to ask about: Hansen's stance on Measure U, which came up during our chat with Yee on Sept. 12. Yee said that while he supported the temporary half-cent sales tax proposed to fund city services, Hansen did not – but Hansen quickly issued a statement after the chat saying that "Contrary to the comments earlier of my competitor, I do support Measure U, the temporary sales tax, which has become a necessity in the face of increased crime and deteriorated parks."

Hansen has two online interviews that provide good background on his candidacy and views on the city:

Comcast Newsmakers interview – Aug. 29

He also sat down with the ranSACkedmedia podcast on Sept. 6

If you see anything in those interviews that you'd like to hear more about from Hansen, sound off below.

Keep up with our political coverage with our weekly newsletter, Sacto Politico.

Jared Goyette is the editor of the Sacramento Press

Follow @JaredGoyette

Opinion: Fluoride Propaganda by First Five of Sacramento

2012-09-18T21:27:40Z

In a recent "Oral Health Begins At Birth" ad, First Five of Sacramento used disinformation to promote water fluoridation. The eight page ad was seen in the mid-August 2012 Sacramento News & Review. First Five was born out of Prop 10, using tax on tobacco to fund various childhood health programs.

In the first paragraph Mike Blount laments the lack of dental care in California. Blount goes on to claim water fluoridation is an "investment toward the health of area residents." He then makes broad claims of the supposed effectiveness of the program and its effect on tooth decay. Another story dramatizes a seven month old treated for dental decay, including statements by his mother on fluoride. Also seen is an info-graphic titled "How Does Fluoride Work?" Here we also have claims of fluoridated water supposed positive effect on bones. Also the delivery of the fluoride drug is outlined. Finally, a smiling cartoon character asks "Are you receiving fluoridated water?"

We will focus on what First Five is advertising here (and on its web site) and leave the moral and ethical issues of drugging the population without consent for lawyers to work out. If you interested in the countless studies of the harm of fluoride drugs to the rest of your body go here. Let's take these claims one by one, and look at the facts. See the ad here.

SAFE FOR BABIES?
The unnamed dentist here is prescribing fluoride to a 7 month old. The fact is fluoridation is not medically recommended by the American Dental Association (ADA) or Center for Disease Control (CDC) for babies below 12 months of age. LINK

HEALTH AND WELL BEING
How can we ignore negative effects of fluoride on the whole body? Recent studies link fluoride to bone cancer, bone fractures, thyroid disorder, lowered IQ and tooth damage among other things. What kind of health investment puts one area above all others? Even the AMA - American Dental Association concedes that no studies were done to determine any side effects caused by fluoridation.

HARM TO TEETH
Too much fluoride damages your teeth. Yes, you have seen the first visible signs of an overexposure to fluoride. White spots on teeth is called Dental Fluorosis. Teeth impacted by fluorosis have visible discoloration, ranging from white spots to brown and black stains. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 41% of American children now have some form of dental fluorosis, with 2 to 4% of children having moderate to severe stages (CDC 2005). We are concerned that dental fluorosis in a child may signal that damage to other tissues has also occurred. That damage may be less visible and less obvious but possibly far more serious.

The discoloration induced by fluorosis - particularly in its advanced forms can cause significant embarrassment and stress to the impacted child, resulting in adverse effects on esteem, emotional health, and career success. The only one benefiting here is your dentist with costly office visits for you.

HARM TO BONES
The bones are effected in three ways; Skeletal fluorosis, brittleness and cancer.

Excessive exposure to fluoride causes an arthritic bone disease called skeletal fluorosis. In its early stages, is a difficult disease to diagnose, and can be readily confused with various forms of arthritis. In the advanced stages, fluorosis can resemble a multitude of bone/joint diseases, including: osteosclerosis, renal osteodystrophy, DISH, spondylosis, osteomalacia, osteoporosis, and secondary hyperparathyroidism.

Studies on human populations consuming fluoride in drinking water, have found an association between dental fluorosis and increased bone fracture in children; and between long-term consumption of fluoridated water and increased hip fracture in the elderly. According to the US National Research Council, "The weight of evidence indicates that, although fluoride might increase bone volume, there is less strength per unit volume."

As acknowledged by the U.S. National Toxicology Program there is a "biological plausibility" of a link between fluoride exposure and osteosarcoma (a rare type of Bone Cancer). In addition to its biological plausibility, there is now a substantive body of evidence indicating that fluoride can in fact induce osteosarcomas in both animals and humans. Most notably, a recent national case control study conducted by scientists at Harvard University found a significant relationship between fluoride exposure and osteosarcoma among boys, particularly if exposed to fluoridated water between the ages of 6 and 8 (the mid-childhood growth spurt).

FLUORIDE & CAVITIES
First Five is yet another organization relying on 50 year old endorsements. Studies from 50 years ago do not pass muster under today's standards for safety or effectiveness. Research from the same era also "proved" cigarettes don't cause cancer. Even the AMA - American Dental Association concedes that no studies were done to determine any side effects caused by fluoridation. There has never been a study of the results of fluoridation of the quality required by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA). No study involving randomized clinical trials & double blind testing of this unapproved drug.

If Water Fluoridation works at reducing cavities, why do non-fluoridating countries (97% of Europe) have essentially the same levels of cavities as the few fluoridating ones? (see chart) One of the biggest factors that mars many studies claiming to show a benefit from fluoridated water is the failure to account for income levels. Data by the Dept. of Health & Human Services (DHHS) shows a strong relationship between income level & dental health. A quality diet and health care benefits the whole body.

In the ad, an unnamed dentist lists a number of possible causes of tooth decay. But the dentist never asked a simple question; Did the child go to bed with a bottle? Baby Bottle Tooth Decay (BBTD) also called nursing caries is caused by babies sucking on sugary beverages for hours on end, leading to decay and tooth extraction under anesthesia. Fluoridation cannot prevent this.

A NUTRIENT - WHO SAYS?
The mother in the story mentions missing "nutrients." This is an interesting statement. The fact is no disease will result from depriving man or animals of fluoride. Also consider the reported fluoride concentrations in mothers milk of 0.004~0.04ppm. These levels are much lower than the average level used in fluoridation programs (0.6~1.2ppm) Studies have shown that increasing the mothers fluoride intake results in little or no change in the concentration in her milk.

HOW DOES IT "WORK?"
First Five says it works systemically by drinking it down. But the current consensus is that fluoride's benefit (whatever it may be) comes from topical (surface contact) with teeth after the teeth have erupted into the mouth.

The Center for Disease Control stated in 1999:"fluoride prevents dental caries predominately after eruption of the tooth into the mouth, and its actions primarily are topical for both adults and children."
The CDC repeated this position in 2001, affirming that "fluoride's predominant effect is post-eruptive and topical."

ARE YOU GETTING IT?
In reality it is hard to avoid fluoride considering it is in many processed food and drinks. The total fluoride exposure from all sources must be considered when determined the drug dosage. This total dosage is something overlooked by fluoride promoters.

Many young children swallow over 50% of the tooth paste used, particularly if they use candy-flavored varieties. Research has shown that some children swallow more fluoride from toothpaste alone than is recommended from all sources combined.

Other sources include processed foods made with fluoridated water, fluoride-containing pesticides, bottled teas, fluorinated pharmaceuticals, teflon pans, and mechanically deboned chicken. Taken together, the glut of fluoride sources in the modern diet has created a toxic cocktail, one that has caused a dramatic increase in dental fluorosis (see above) over the past 60 years. One example is wine and grape juice. The wine and grape juice made in the U.S. have high levels of fluoride pesticide. The problem with fluoride, therefore, is not that children are receiving too little, but that they are receiving too much.

CDC ADMITS HARMS OF FLUORIDATION
When First Five was contacted about the sources for the data in the ad, I was directed to the CDC web site and found admission of harm.

Q #20. What are the effects of excess levels of fluoride and why are they different for children and adults different? LINK
A: ... increased likelihood of bone fractures, and may result in effectson bone leading to pain and tenderness. ....because it impacts teeth while they are still in formative phases. . ....have an increased chance of developing pits in the tooth enamel, along with a range of cosmetic effects to teeth. (Fluorosis)

The CDC says bone and tooth damage are the result of excess fluoridation. It is only logical that if these tissues are effected, then others areas of the body are as well.

WHAT AGENCY IS IN CHARGE OF FLUORIDATION?
I am wondering why I was referred to the CDC on this. The CDC promotes fluoridation but;

Is not overseeing the safety of the program
Does not vouch for the safety of the chemicals used
Accepts no other liability in the matter

We also found no ownership of fluoridation at the American Dental Association (ADA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), or the National Sanitation Foundation International (NSF). In fact, no federal agency accepts liability for the "safe levels" or the "safety of the chemicals" it recommends for fluoridation.

CONCLUSION
The suggestion that "water fluoridation is safe for all" is an irresponsible position that deserves a rebuttal and to be reevaluated by all agencies. It is clearly not for babies, dialysis patients, thyroid disease patients, or anyone that consumes anything beyond the “average” amount of soda/tea/juice/water etc.

But is it for anyone at all if as the CDC tells us "you will get brittle, aching bones" if you get too much over the years? Just how are we supposed to monitor our dosage of the drug "doctor" (City of Sac)? Not only do doctors have no way of monitoring your intake of fluoride, they do not routinely test your blood levels, which do not reflect bone, brain, & thyroid fluoride levels.

The only truthful thing the City of Sacramento has said about Water Fluoridation is that over 99% of it is flushed unsued down the drain. (according to Sac. Dept. of Utilities) Tell us again how that is an effective program.

Sacramento is burdened with water fluoridation not by choice, but due to industry lobbyists. For how this happened see the story.

Disclosure: Brian Lambert is a member of Fluoride Free Sacramento

Joe Yee wants to represent Sacramento’s central city – what should we ask him?

2012-09-10T15:04:58Z

Sacramento City Council District 4 candidate Joseph Yee is our guest this week on Sac Press Live, our weekly live streaming talk show that takes place every Wednesday at noon.

The live stream will be available here:

Ask questions by joining the conversation below this article.

Update: Steve Hansen issued the following statement in response to the chat:

"Contrary to the comments earlier of my competitor, I do support Measure U, the temporary sales tax, which has become a necessity in the face of increased crime and deteriorated parks. Further budget cuts will undermine basic services. The City must be cautious in maintaining a higher sales tax than the region for any longer than necessary and ensure that one time money is not spent structurally. The Council must also lead by example through strong oversight and controls to prevent abuse, which will be my focus, if elected."

We''ll follow-up with a full article soon.

Yee is running against Steve Hansen in the November election for the District 4 seat, which represents downtown and Midtown. Hansen will also be joining us for a chat on Sept. 26.

This is not Yee’s first experience with city politics – he served for a year on the City Council as an interim councilman in 2000. Yee has worked for more than 30 years as an architect and designed the West Sacramento Library and numerous educational facilities in the Sacramento region. He and his wife, Daphne, have lived in Land Park since 1976.

We'd like to hear from District 4 residents. What issues are important to you when it comes to the city of Sacramento? What should the city government be doing more of, and where does it need to cut back? What improvements are you looking for? What questions do you want answered?

When it comes to Yee – what specifically do you want to hear from him?

If you think there is a question or an issue the press hasn't brought up in this City Council election, now is your chance to do it. Post your comments and questions in the conversation below this article and we'll use whatever input we get during the interview.

You can also join the video chat and ask your questions directly. If interested, send me, Jared Goyette, an email at jared.goyette[at]sacramentopress.com.

Budding effort to recall Kevin Johnson faces long road ahead

2012-09-07T16:24:46Z

An anonymous individual – who currently goes only by the moniker “Citizen X” – started a petition on Change.org to recall Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, but it looks like the person is facing an uphill battle: The road to citizen recall of an elected official is long and arduous and only rarely succeeds.

The petition cites Johnson’s nonprofit activities and recent disclosure shortfalls as some of the reasons for the recall effort and has, so far, gathered 41 signatures. A Facebook page supporting the recall effort was also started Thursday, and it garnered 91 likes by Friday morning.

According to the city charter, the steps to a recall of a city official follow the outline found in the state elections code. The process is complicated, and the as-yet-unidentified Citizen X may have his hands full in the pursuit of a recall of Kevin Johnson. What for sure is that he’ll need more than an anonymous online petition at Change.org to get the job done.

Here are the steps any recall effort would need to follow:

Give notice – The elections code states that someone must “file, serve and publish a Notice of Intention to Circulate a Petition for Recall.” This form has to be in a specific format, filed with the city clerk and served on the mayor, either in person or by courier.

Here is where “Citizen X” may need to reconsider anonymity: The state elections code requires the notice of intention and the petition to be signed by 20 proponents, and it must include their names, addresses and verification that each is registered to vote in the city of Sacramento.

The notice must also be published in a local newspaper at least once. The mayor would have seven days to respond to the notice and file his response with the city clerk.

Create the petition – Just like the notice of intention, the form of the petition is specific and must be approved by the city clerk before any signatures can be gathered (and no, an online petition on Change.org doesn’t qualify). The process of submitting, reviewing, correcting and approving the petition can be lengthy, according to Assistant City Clerk Stephanie Mizuno.

“It’s very time consuming and regulatory,” Mizuno said Thursday. “It takes someone who has a strong desire to want to initiate a process of this nature. They have to be diligent in understanding the timeframe and the regulatory requirements – that’s where most initiatives fail.”

Gather signatures, and be quick about it – The petition must get the signatures (actual, pen-on-paper signatures, that is) of at least 10 percent of the number of registered voters in the city – approximately 21,400, according to Mizuno. And the elections code gives recall proponents only 120 days to do it. Note the qualification: Only signatures from city residents that are registered to vote count toward the total.

Submit petition signatures, get verification from county registrar of voters – The city clerk will verify that the petition has the minimum number of qualified signatures and then send the petition to the county for final verification. The county has 30 days to complete the verification and, if all goes well with the process, the petition is then returned to the city clerk.

Petition sent to City Council for approval and call to ballot – The city clerk is required by elections code to send the petition to the City Council at the next regularly scheduled meeting for approval. Can the City Council refuse to approve the petition? No.

“They have a duty under the elections code to accept a sufficient petition,” Mizuno said.

Hold an election – Once the City Council members approve the petition, they have 14 days to instruct the city clerk to put the recall question on the ballot and hold an election “not less than 88 days and not more more 120 days” from the date of City Council’s approval.

Here’s where timing become significant: If there is no regularly scheduled election within that timeframe, then a special election must be held. Mizuno estimated the cost of a special election to be more than $1 million.

But wait – there’s more.

Timing plays an even bigger role in state elections code and in the city charter when it comes to a recall: The state elections code says a recall cannot be initiated before the person has been in office at least 90 days, or within six months of the end of his or her current term, while the city charter puts both of those numbers at six months.

In the case of Johnson, whose current term ends Nov. 6, that means a recall cannot be initiated against him until after May 6, 2013.

To make things more complicated, the next regular election is set for June 2014 and the latest any measure or initiative, including a recall initiative, can be accepted by the city clerk’s office for that ballot is mid-February, according to Mizuno.

And, one more small detail: Once the question of “should Mayor Kevin Johnson be recalled” is opened to voters, it necessitates a corresponding election for his replacement. Mizuno said a nomination period would be opened, campaigns would be started and the ballot would have to include all qualified candidates.

If anyone thinks campaigns are costly, this particular ballot initiative has potential to send spending through the roof. A recall initiative is like any other measure on the ballot in that there are no limits on campaign spending to support the measure – and no limits for a campaign to oppose the measure, Mizuno said. If Johnson wanted to campaign against the measure – which is likely – the fundraising would have no ceiling.

“It is a complicated – but doable – process,” Mizuno said.

The state provides a guide to the process:

Step-By-step Guide to a Recall

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Facebook and on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Keep up with our political coverage with our weekly newsletter, Sacto Politico. Sign me up!

Sac Press Live special edition: Mayor Johnson's problems with nonprofit disclosures

2012-09-06T17:34:59Z

Mayor Kevin Johnson’s ability to raise money is unrivaled in City Hall, according to a report by Ryan Lillis in The Sacramento Bee, and that clout has been the cornerstone for a number of nonprofit efforts Johnson has initiated during his time in office. But Johnson and his staff’s inability to meet deadlines and avoid “clerical errors” recently earned his office some unwanted attention, and sparked questions of conflicts of interest.

Those questions will be the focus of a special edition of Sac Press Live Friday with guests Lillis and Sacramento News & Review's Cosmo Garvin at noon.

[Check back here for the live chat at noon]

Links:

K.J. Inc,. by Cosmo Garvin in The Sacramento News and Review

Mayor Johnson's arena task force funded largely by Sacramento Kings, by Ryan Lilllis in The Sacramento Bee

We’ll be talking about the recent news of late reports of donations to a foundation created by the mayor that resulted in a Fair Political Practices Commission examination of Johnson's network of nonprofit organizations.

Johnson’s nonprofits came under fire in a SNR piece by Garvin that questioned the transparency of the organizations that run parallel to the workings of City Hall, but – because they are private efforts – operate under a less accountable system of rules than public programs.

Those rules include what donations (or “behests”) need to be reported for tax purposes, and which do not. Garvin notes in his article that, despite strict limits on campaign contributions, “behests aren’t campaign contributions, so Johnson can raise unlimited amounts of money from companies and individuals.”

This blurring of the lines between public and private interests, Garvin wrote, is cause for concern: Donors contributing to private efforts spearheaded by a public official generally want something in return.

Editor's note: The chat scheduled with Craig Powell has been postponed until next Tuesday.

Problems floating around about Johnson's nonprofits comes just weeks after he missed a deadline to submit an opposing argument to the tax measure appearing on the November ballot – which was declared to have been due to a “clerical error” and “mixed up deadline dates.”

That error prompted members of the political watchdog group Eye on Sacramento to file suit against the city clerk for the ability to put an opposing argument on the ballot. The group lost the suit, and ballot materials will only have the supporting argument for the measure.

Friday’s chat will continue in a second special edition at 2:30 p.m. with Craig Powell, president of Eye on Sacramento, who will be talking about the missed ballot argument deadline and what that means to taxpayers.

The chat will be streamed live on SacramentoPress.com Friday at noon with Lillis and at 2:30 p.m. with Powell.

Have a question for either guest? Post it in the conversation below this article.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Facebook and on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Keep up with our political coverage with our weekly newsletter, Sacto Politico. Sign me up!

Next Sac Press Live: City Council candidate Joe Yee

2012-09-05T16:16:09Z

Our next Sac Press Live chat will feature a discussion with architect and District 4 City Council candidate Joe Yee about the upcoming election and some of the issues the district faces.

We'll be asking Yee where he stands on neighborhood issues such as waste collection, utility rates and traffic and parking problems, and we’ll dive into questions about public policy, development and what he thinks is the best way forward for Sacramento.

Yee, principal architect with the Anova Nexus Architects firm, and his wife, Daphne, have lived in Land Park since 1976. He has worked for more than 30 years as an architect – he designed the West Sacramento Library and numerous educational facilities in the Sacramento region – and also served for a year on the City Council as an interim city councilman in 2000.

Yee will be facing challenger Steve Hansen for the District 4 council seat in November, and Hansen will be joining Sac Press for a live chat on Sept. 26.

The chat will be streamed live on SacramentoPress.com Wednesday, Sept. 12 at 12 noon.

Have a question for Yee? Post it in the conversation below this article.

Sacramento goes high-tech with new iPhone app for 3-1-1 service

2012-08-23T15:27:10Z

Sacramento launched a new smartphone application Thursday that will give residents a way to notify the city about some of the most frequently reported service issues and problems such as potholes, missed garbage cans on collection day, illegal dumping and stray animals, according to a press release.

“The app allows us to increase our capacity to take more calls, be more responsive and improve accountability,” City Manager John Shirey said in the press release.

Currently, 22 full-time city employees handle approximately 1,300 calls and 75 emails each day through the city’s 3-1-1 call center, according to Department of Transportation Spokeswoman Linda Tucker. The service is always available, and city staff estimates about 100,000 calls are lost each year as a result of lengthy hold times.

Although the iPhone app is new to the city, it isn’t the first foray into using technology to provide better service to the city, according to city spokeswoman Amy Williams: Sacramento also has an online system for residents to comment on City Council agenda items and a subscription email alert system called GovDelivery.

Large cities across the country have been turning to smartphone apps to help their cities run more efficiently, including Salem, Mass. (which currently offers three smartphone apps), Portland, Ore. and Omaha, Neb., which is also launching an iPhone app similar to Sacramento’s on Thursday.

In California, a number of southern cities already have released smartphone apps, including Riverside and Irvine, both of which did so earlier this month.

Sacramento’s new iPhone app is an “end-to-end product,” according to the press release: The information put in by the user will automatically get to the appropriate city staff without requiring 3-1-1 staff to retype and relay the information.

“What a convenience this will be for those we serve to have the ability to let us know what needs addressed,” Shirey said.

Residents can learn more about the new app and expected service improvements at a demonstration hosted by city staff at 11:30 a.m. Thursday at City Hall, 915 I St.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Facebook and on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Keep up with our political coverage with our weekly newsletter, Sacto Politico. It goes out every Wednesday morning and includes a summary of all the week's political news affecting the capital city, with links to all the interesting, must-read stories from newspapers, magazines and blogs. It also features the best of our live chat series, Sac Press Live. Sign me up!

New report offers 'road map' for development at downtown railyards

2012-08-22T13:31:27Z

The best things Sacramento could do to bring the downtown railyards to life and spur greater development would be to start small and build from the inside out, some say.

That’s the message in a new report from the Urban Land Institute about the potential in the railyards, and it was the topic of a recent Sac Press Live interview with John Hodgson, president of the Hodgson Company and a member of the Urban Land Institute.

Hodgson talked about the ULI report as a roadmap for development in the railyards. It includes recommendations to build incrementally, create interconnected, mixed-use neighborhoods and start with inexpensive interim uses to draw people and develop interest in the railyards.

A number of ideas have been floated for developing the downtown railyards – not the least of which was the recent push to build an entertainment and sports complex on the 240-acre site.

But the ULI report offers neither support nor opposition to an arena, and Hodgson said there is “no silver bullet,” however, he suggested that such a venue could be a successful part of development in the railyards to get the best long-term benefit for Sacramento and the region.

“I think it is an absolutely spectacular idea,” Hodgson said. “We need to create an opportunity for special uses, and the arena could still be an important asset. We need to create the blueprint, though.”

Transformation at the railyards has already begun: A new pedestrian walkway to new railway platforms opened Aug. 13, and renovations on older train station buildings are also in the works. But building out the entire 240-acre site isn’t going to happen overnight, Hodgson said – primarily because it would be too expensive. So, development at the railyards should happen incrementally, and at the same time the plan should create connected, symbiotic neighborhoods

“You have to do this a half block at a time,” Hodgson said. “You can’t put all your residential in one area and all your commercial in another. Midtown is a good example of a diverse mix of uses that makes it a vibrant area of Sacramento. The whole point is you need to create a series of neighborhoods.”

Although Hodgson said he believes an entertainment and sports complex would be a catalyst for further development, there are smaller, more immediate things the city could do to create interest in the railyards and, potentially, lure investors. Some ideas Hodgson suggested include opening some of the historical buildings on the site as museums or opening portions of the railyards site as places for smaller events and social gatherings.

“Have fundraisers out there,” Hodgson said. “Have special events. It has unbelievable potential. The point here is get people out there, and get them to enjoy the space.”

The new ULI report is the result of an intensive, three-month study of the railyards and surrounding areas to determine the potential for the site – but it does not create an ordinance or a mandate for the city, Hodgson said, so the future of the railyards is still largely unwritten.

“With the railyards, you have a new landscape that you can begin to develop and paint a new picture,” Hodgson said.

Read the ULI report here.

Urban Land Institute Railyards ReportMelissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Facebook and on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Downtown bicycle lanes see stalled construction

2012-08-20T23:31:37Z

The busy streets of downtown Sacramento were promised new bicycle lanes by mid-summer – a promise that has yet to be fulfilled.

Bicycle lanes planned for several downtown streets have not yet been painted, but officials said that cyclists can expect to see them by the end of September or early October.

The $629,000 bike lane project expenditure was approved by the City Council in April 2011.

The project is said to create bicycle lanes on the most frequently traveled streets in downtown to create a safer cycling environment. As city officials previously told The Sacramento Press, J, I, Fifth, Ninth and 10th Streets along with Capitol Mall are included in the project.

The project was scheduled to take place in June or July, but as of mid-August, construction has yet to begin as the city faces delays.

According to Ed Cox, the city’s pedestrian and bicycle coordinator, it could be another month or two before the project is complete.

“There are delays that come in the process of making things happen,” Cox said. “But we’re on track now.”

Cox said that when construction does begin it’ll happen in two phases. In phase one of the project, the city will do base repair on the damaged areas of the streets to create a clean slate of pavement. Then, in phase two, workers will come back to re-stripe it and label it as the bike lane.

A majority of the construction will take place on the weekend to avoid disrupting the flow of traffic during the week.

Bikers like George Neill, president of cycling club The Sacramento Wheelmen, are anxiously waiting to ride safely through the new bike lanes.

“We’ve had a few bicycle members that have gotten hurt,” Neill said. “Bike lanes just give us one less thing to worry about.”

Neill said with all the commuting cyclists, there’s no question that the bike lanes would be beneficial to the downtown area, especially on busy days like Friday when most people cycle to work.

Thursday, city engineers will meet with the City Council to create an exact schedule on the construction.

“Late September, (or) early October,” Cox said. “That’s my anticipation at this point.”

Court rules on tax measure: No more time to add ballot argument

2012-08-20T22:40:56Z

Sacramento voters reviewing a proposed city sales tax increase will find a supporting argument statement – but no opposing argument – on sample ballot materials after a judge blocked a request Monday that would allow other ballot arguments to be filed.

Representatives of the political watchdog group Eye on Sacramento filed the lawsuit Friday to force the city clerk to extend the deadline after Mayor Kevin Johnson missed the Aug. 8 deadline to submit a opposing ballot argument.

“It is a prerequisite of a writ (of mandate) that there is a violation of duty by the city clerk,” Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Michael Kenny said before the ruling. “I see none of that here.”

Craig Powell, president of Eye on Sacramento, said he filed the suit against City Clerk Shirley Concolino after she refused to extend the submission deadline.

“We are extremely disappointed in the ruling,” Powell told reporters after the hearing.

Powell told the court that the core of the case was “equity,” and the city clerk did not use her discretion to set and adjust election deadlines wisely.

“It is my duty to ensure a fair, impartial and neutral election process,” Concolino said in an emailed statement Monday. “The neutral process includes the deadlines. If I were to arbitrarily change or modify a deadline, I would be negating this neutral process and would in fact be giving preference to one side or the other.”

Statements written by members of the City Council in favor of the sales tax proposal were received on time, according to the clerk’s office, however, the opposing argument, which was to be written by Johnson, missed the deadline.

Without a deadline extension, the ballot will only contain the pro argument, Concolino said after the hearing.

If the court had ordered the clerk to extend the deadline, Johnson would have likely resubmitted his argument opposing the ballot measure, according to Steve Maviglio, Johnson’s 2012 campaign manager.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Facebook and on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Johnson misses deadline for ballot argument, watchdog group sues

2012-08-17T18:51:54Z

Members of the local political watchdog group Eye on Sacramento filed a lawsuit in Sacramento County Superior Court Thursday seeking a court order compelling City Clerk Shirley Concolino to accept their ballot argument opposing the tax increase measure on the November ballot.

The suit, filed by EOS board members Craig Powell, Greg Hatfield and Erik Smitt, claims that, when Mayor Kevin Johnson failed to submit an opposing ballot argument before the deadline, members of the public should have been allowed to submit their own ballot arguments.

“No one dreamed that the Mayor might fail to discharge his official duty to submit an argument against Measure U," Powell said in a press release Friday.

Steve Maviglio, Johnson’s 2012 campaign manager, said in an email Friday that an opposing ballot argument was submitted by the mayor’s office, but it was late because of confusion over deadlines.

“The clerk established two deadlines: one for the charter commission and another for ballot measures,” Maviglio said in the email. “It was a simple mistake by staff that confused the two deadlines, resulting in the argument being turned in hours past the deadline.”

Johnson was tasked with writing the ballot argument – at his request – at the July 31 City Council meeting. Johnson had until the Aug. 9 deadline to turn in the written argument opposing the measure, but missed that deadline.

City councilmen Steve Cohn, Kevin McCarty and Darrell Fong were assigned the supporting ballot argument, which was submitted before the deadline and will be included in Nov. 6 sample ballot materials, according to the city clerk’s elections website.

Under state law, a council member’s ballot arguments get priority over all other arguments in sample ballot materials, according to Powell. Election officials must include that council member's argument in sample ballots and reject all other arguments submitted by the public sharing the same position, he said.

In light of state law and Johnson’s decision to write the ballot argument opposing the tax measure, Powell said members of the public who had worked on their own ballot arguments – Eye on Sacramento included – halted their efforts and didn’t submit any statements.

Once the deadline to file ballot arguments passed and there was no opposing argument, however, Powell said he and others “pleaded with the city clerk” to extend the filing deadline. The lawsuit was filed, Powell said, in response to the request for filing extension being denied.

"If this city official's decision blocking access to the ballot is allowed to stand, Sacramento voters will be unjustly cheated out of their basic democratic right to weigh both the ‘pro’ and ‘con’ arguments on the city's own proposal to raise sales taxes," Powell said.

Calls and emails to the mayor’s office and the city clerk’s office for comment were not returned.

All of the Nov. 6 ballot measures can be found on the City Clerk's Elections website.

Here is the full text of the Eye on Sacramento lawsuit filed Thursday:

Eye on Sacramento - petition for writ of mandate Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Facebook and on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

You might not have time to check the site every day, but you can still keep up with our coverage with our weekly newsletter. The “News Digest” goes out every Tuesday morning and highlights our best stories, photos and videos from the week prior. Sign me up.

K9 Unit heroes honored at Sacramento City Hall

2012-08-15T14:12:53Z

Bodie isn’t your average, gun-toting, badge-wearing police officer – he doesn’t carry a gun at all – he’s a member of Sacramento Police Department's canine team and he and his partner, Officer Randy Van Dusen, were honored at City Council Tuesday for their heroism and service to the city.

“The public support of K9 Officer Bodie has been tremendous, and I am proud to be a part of recognizing his bravery,” City Councilwoman Angelique Ashby said Tuesday.

Ashby presented Bodie, Van Dusen and Officer Adam Cunningham with a ceremonial resolution commending them for heroic actions and service to the city.

Bodie made headlines in May when he shot in the line of duty while in pursuit of a robbery suspect in Land Park. The incident occurred near Crocker-Riverside elementary school in the neighborhood and Bodie is credited with preventing the suspect from entering the school grounds, according to a press release.

Bullets ripped through Bodie’s jaw and right front paw, and he lost a lot of blood before his handler, Van Dusen, could get him to a veterinary hospital for treatment.

The shooter was shot and killed by Van Dusen while attempting to flee, according to police reports at the time.

Tuesday night’s honor came in the way of a ceremonial resolution from the City Council that said, in part, “The city of Sacramento honors you for your service, and we thank you very much,” and a check in an undisclosed amount from council members to help with Bodie and Van Dusen’s expenses during Bodie’s recovery.

“We are honored to be here tonight,” Van Dusen told the council. “It shows a good thing came out of a bad situation. Adam (Cunningham) and I are both honored to work in the city of Sacramento and for the citizens of Sacramento. We feel very lucky.”

Bodie made no comment, but quietly accepted the dog treats Ashby offered from the dais.

After the shooting In May, Bodie spent eight days in intensive care at VCA Sacramento Veterinary Referral Center before being sent home with Van Dusen to recover for another several months.

K9 police supporters and dog-lovers from throughout the region who heard about the incident donated nearly $30,000 to help pay for Bodie’s medical bills and his follow-up therapy. Bodie is expected to return to full duty in a few months, according to the Sacramento Police Canine Association Facebook page.

Eight officers and one sergeant and their canine partners make up the Sacramento Police Department K9 Unit, according to the association. The unit supports police patrol operations and other investigations and SWAT. Currently, there are eight German Shepherds and one Dutch Shepherd on the K9 unit.

Bodie is only the second K9 officer in Sacramento Police Department history to be shot in the line of duty. The other K9 officer, Bandit, was shot in March 2010 and returned to duty after a full recovery.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Facebook and on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Sac Press Live chat: John Hodgson from the Urban Land Institute on development in Sacramento's railyards

2012-08-14T15:44:32Z

While the arena deal might be dead, planning for the downtown railyards remains at the center of the agenda for Sacramento, and next week, city staff will present the city council with a report on the best way Sacramento can encourage development in the 240-acre site.

The basis for that presentation will be a recently-published report conducted by the city and the Urban Land Institute think tank, "Redeveloping the railyards to strengthen the urban core."

This Wednesday at noon, we'll be chatting with one of people behind the ULI Report, John Hodgson, a land use attorney and founder and president of The Hodgson Company. The chat will be live streamed in this article. You can also join us via Google Hangouts.

We'll dive into the details of the report, which at this point, provide the best blueprint for how the city plans to proceed with the railyards.

You can download it or read it in full below. Please post any questions you'd like us to ask in the conversation below this article.

Urban Land Institute Report on the Sacramento Railyards

The report was produced by a panel from the think tank and a Sacramento team that included Hodgson, Mayor Kevin Johnson, Assistant City Manager John Dangberg and Mike McKeever, executive director of the Sacramento Area Council of Governments.

Hodgson's bio:

John Hodgson is the founder and president of the Hodgson Company. He has headed numerous residential and mixed-use master-planned projects throughout the greater Sacramento Valley area. He also has a strong interest in urban revitalization and mixed-use development in the urban centers of the region.

Hodgson is a full member of the Urban Land Institute and recently served as chair of ULI Sacramento.

He served six years as the chair of the Capitol Area Development Authority. He currently serves as chair of the South Sacramento Habitat Conservation Plan and is also active in numerous civic organizations.

Hodgson is a member of the State Bar of California and a graduate of the University of California, Davis, and UC Davis Law School (King Hall).

From the report’s summary of recommendations:

-- Rather than build a large facility that concentrates all the transit activity and connections, the panel recommends that the city consider separating the various transit modes(intercity rail, bus, and light rail) within an area that not only is accessible for travelers who need to make connections but also takes advantage of this activity by allowing development to occur around it and create actual destinations beyond the transit access itself.

-- The panel also recommends that the city and the rail operators consider ways to share high-speed and Amtrak service on tracks at the same level or to relocate the high-speed-rail terminal. With itsoverarching canopy, the conceptual facility proposedby the California High-Speed Rail Authority (HSRA)would be about 30 feet taller than the new Fifth andSixth street bridges, completely overwhelming themassing of the historic Central Shops buildings andobstructing their view from downtown or even fromthe Depot District on the other side of the tracks.

-- The city and its partners should be mapping out and committing to completing a network of linked open spaces and great streets in discrete phases that together create an amenity that guides and shapes development but can accommodate incremental growth over time that could manifest in many different scenarios depending on the market.The current land use plan, while allowing mixed use in many places, seems to reinforce a segregatedoverall pattern.

-- Rather than look at the site as a series of district plans, the panel recommends that the city
look at it as a series of component neighborhoods within a larger site that connect to their adjacent neighborhoods and can grow incrementally over
time.

-- Building neighborhoods, as opposed to districts,means building places that

-- Are seamless, without hard edges, and held togetherby strong public spaces and streets;

-- Create a strong open-space system by framing parks with development; and

-- Celebrate the Central Shops buildings and other focal points within the site.

City plans parking upgrades and crackdown on disabled placard abuse

2012-08-10T22:10:53Z

Sacramento City Council members approved a plan Thursday to explore modernizing the city’s parking inventory by upgrading meters, shifting to a demand-based parking system and cracking down on disabled placard abusers. They say the ultimate goal is better customer service – and if revenue increases, too, all the better.

What happened:
The plan was approved by unanimous vote, and the first report back is expected in November.

What it could mean to you:
- New parking meters: The new machines would provide pay-by-phone service, take credit cards and send a text message to your phone when your time is about to expire.
- A new parking rate system: A demand-based system would mean that the closer you park to the city core, the more expensive it will be to park. Director of Public Works Jerry Way said this would encourage drivers to park farther out and make better use of public transit in the central city.
- Disabled parking: Possible legislation could make it more difficult to get a disabled placard and require everyone (including disabled drivers with placards) to pay at on-street meters.
- Cost: Upgrading existing parking meters would require a $2 million to $4 million capital investment, according to the city report. In return, according to a city staff report, the upgraded city parking would be more efficient and cost-effective and would result in increased parking revenue. The report did not estimate the amount of any potential revenue increase.

What they said:
City Councilman Kevin McCarty: “I know there is a fear that this will instantly make it more expensive or more difficult to park, but, If we can improve our parking and it works for residents and we can make more money, we can certainly make a good use of those additional resources.”

Director of Public Works Jerry Way told council members the city is behind in keeping up with technology, and upgrades to the system will create a benefit in the long run.

“By being creative, we can improve efficiency and leverage other community projects,” Way said.

City councilman Steve Cohn: “We tend to get a lot more people reacting to the punitive side of our parking regulations, but we need to emphasize the customer service side,” said.

The background
Currently, the city takes in about $9 million from parking revenues. The city’s parking inventory – which includes 17 off-street parking facilities with 10,000 spaces and another 5,000 on-street metered spaces – was a key component in recent arena financing discussions. The city estimated that it could get $250 million up-front payment from a private operator by leasing all of it out, and the money would be the cornerstone of funding the construction of a new entertainment and sports complex at the downtown railyards.

That didn’t happen, but it did open the eyes of many to the potential of the city parking assets that hadn’t been realized before. Cohn said part of the lesson learned was that leasing the parking inventory could have been worth more to the city if the system had been modernized.

“When we looked at monetization of our parking for the arena plan, we discovered that we couldn’t get as much for it because we weren’t as modernized at other cities,” Cohn said.

But the suggested changes to city parking could ripple out to surrounding neighborhoods and create more problems, Chan said. If parking gets more restricted or more expensive at the city core, there could be a “push outward” with people heading to other neighborhoods to park, including already crowded Midtown. Those effects are something he and his staff will also consider, Chan said.

As the exploratory plan gets underway, Cohn asked city staff to work with business groups, including the Downtown Sacramento Partnership and the Midtown Business Association, to get broader input from as many interests as possible that could be affected by any future parking system changes.

“We need to find that sweet spot between improving customer service and not negatively impacting local businesses because of it,” Cohn said.

Cracking down on disabled placard abuse
Improving parking equipment and adjusting parking rates is only part of the city’s plan, and likely the easier part to accomplish: Cracking down on disabled placard abuse in the city could be trickier.

There are about 100,000 people with disabled placards in Sacramento, according to the city report, and recent state legislation has made them easier to obtain. Because disabled placard holders are exempt from parking time limits or fees at on-street parking meters, there is a domino effect on parking revenue: Vehicles exempt from paying meter fees often hold onto spaces for long periods of time that could be use by a fee-paying vehicle, reducing the amount of potential parking revenue, according to the city report. That effect is exacerbated by scofflaws who abuse the placards by trading them from vehicle to vehicle, or letting unauthorized persons use them.

“We’ve had a lot of feedback on what this will mean to the disabled community,” Way said. “Our aim, though, is to attack the problem of disabled parking placard abuse.”

Way and Chan say they want to work with the city to draft legislation that will make it more difficult for people to get disabled parking placards, and to change current legislation to require everyone to pay for on-street parking.

Disability rights advocates say they are concerned that legislation that changes the way disabled parking works in the city could have unnecessary negative impacts on disabled people who drive and park in the city, especially those with low incomes.

“I’m sure you aren’t intending it to be a blanket solution to all our economic problems,” Joan Barden told council members Thursday. “Most of the people with placards aren’t criminals and aren’t passing them around or breaking rules, and they can’t afford higher parking rates.”

Cohn said he recognizes the sensitivity of the issue, and asked Way and Chan to form an advisory committee that includes disability rights advocates.

“Clearly there needs to be discussion about reforms,” Cohn said. “One person’s so-called ‘abuser’ might be what another person says is using the system the way they are allowed to, but clearly there still needs to be some reform.”

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacarmento Press. Follow her on Facebook and on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

City set to launch two audits of credit card use in wake of Serna-Mayorga scandal

2012-08-06T15:14:35Z

The Sacramento City Council is getting set to launch – not one, but two – audits of credit card use at City Hall in the wake of a scandal among the ranks of council staff uncovered last week.

Both the first audit, an internal investigation into the use of approximately 300 city-issued credit cards by employees citywide, and the second audit, which extends higher up the chain at City Hall to the offices of City Council members and the mayor, are on the council agenda for Thursday night.

According to a city staff report, the second audit will be conducted by an external company, is expected to cost the city $12,000 and will take about two weeks. The internal audit is expected to be complete by the end of October.

City Councilman Steve Cohn, chair of the city’s Audit Committee, put the item on the agenda, and told council members the additional audit by an external company is necessary to avoid a conflict of interest for City Auditor Jorge Oseguera, who reports directly to the council.

The first audit was already on the city auditor’s schedule for later this year, but once the news broke of questionable credit card use by former council operations manager Lisa Serna-Mayorga, Cohn called for it to be moved up.

“I feel there is some urgency to getting the results of the audit sooner than planned,” Cohn told the council July 31.

In last Wednesday’s Sac Press Live Chat, Cohn explained why he was requesting that the council act quickly on both audits.

The Serna-Mayorga case is the subject of criminal investigation by the Sacramento Police Department. The city has refused to release credit card records to the Sacramento Bee and other media outlets, saying the release of the records could hamper the investigation.

"Premature disclosure of this evidence could hinder voluntary and candid participation in the investigation by city employees and other witnesses, including members of the public," the city attorney wrote in a letter to the Bee, reports Ryan Lillis.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Facebook and on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Sacramento mobile food vendors unite

2012-08-01T14:33:01Z

This just in from the California Mobile Food Association... what? Haven’t heard of them yet? You will.

A large contingent of mobile food truck operators banded together to form a new nonprofit organization, according to a Tuesday night press release from the alliance's founders.

The group, formally called the California Mobile Food Association (CalMFA) includes more than 20 area mobile food vendors. Their goal?

“Creating a supportive ecosystem for local mobile food businesses, driving awareness for local communities/charities and representing the voice of local mobile food operators within Sacramento’s business community,” according to the release.

President Chris Jarosz, owner of Wicked 'wich, said the new association is mostly food trucks, but it also incorporates other “out-of-the-box” mobile concepts including a trailer-based wood-fired pizza oven, a tricycle-based ice cream brand – and even a mobile boutique.

The association appears to be an outgrowth of NorCal Food Trucks, an association that was formed earlier this year. We’ll get more details from Jarosz as soon as we can.

The city has been working with brick-and-mortar restaurants and food truck operators to develop a new food truck ordinance that would soothe tensions between the two groups, but negotiations are still ongoing.

Midtown Business Association Executive Director Elizabeth Studebaker recently circulated a poll to Midtown business owners asking them what their thoughts are on mobile food. The deadline to respond is Aug. 6, and The Sacramento Press will follow up with the MBA at that point.

Despite those conflicts – or perhaps because of them – organizers of the newly formed CalMFA said the group will serve “as a means by which local business owners can collectively foster healthy relationships with local government and fellow businesses,” according to the release.

CalMFA operates under the brand FoodMob and can be found online at gofoodmob.com.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Facebook and on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

McKinley Park fire: How you can help the effort to rebuild

2012-07-31T15:08:41Z

It takes a village to raise a child, the saying goes, and in Sacramento it often takes a community to build – and rebuild – the parks and playgrounds children love so much.

Residents of East Sacramento and other nearby neighborhoods were left reeling after an early morning fire destroyed much of the children’s playground in McKinley Park, one of the city’s most popular parks. Now, neighbors, families, community leaders and local businesses are pulling together to recover from the loss – and you can help.

City Councilman Steve Cohn, who represents the district where McKinley Park is located, established a “Gifts to Share” account through the city of Sacramento dedicated to the McKinley Park playground rebuild. Anyone can send tax-deductible donations through GTS, and the money is held in an account exclusively for the McKinley Park project. Donations can be made by check, payable to "Gifts to Share/McKinley Playground," and mailed to City Councilman Steve Cohn at City Hall, 915 I Street, 5th floor, Sacramento, CA 95814. More information can be found on the city’s website or by calling Cohn’s City Hall office at 808-7003.

[Note: Cohn will participate in a Sac Press Live chat Wednesday at noon with our readers]

Other local organizations that are accepting donations to add to the rebuilding effort include the Friends of East Sacramento, which regularly hosts volunteer days to clean up the park. The group announced on its Facebook page that they are extending their volunteer efforts for the rebuild of the playground. Information is available via email at friendsofeastsac@aol.com or, to make a tax deductible donation via PayPal go to friendsofeastsac.org.

Another group that has stepped up to help is the Friends of Bertha Henschel Park, an organization associated with another nearby East Sacramento city park. To help, contact Friends of Bertha Henschel at BerthaHenschel@gmail.com

A new community organization, East Sac Give Back, has also established a method for donors to contribute to the rebuild effort. The group immediately started raising money when the news of the fire broke, and CEO Michael Saeltzer reports they have raised $2,100 so far.

Anyone interested in making a donation to the park rebuild through East Sac Give Back can do it through their GoFundMe website.The group’s application for tax-exempt status is still pending.

Cohn said he has been impressed by the outpouring of community support even at this early stage.

“I’m hearing from people from all over the city and even from outside Sacramento,” Cohn said Monday. “This playground has affected so many people’s lives over the past 20 years. Everyone is rallying to do a rebuild.”

Cohn said donations to help get the playground rebuilt have varied from a $5,000 commitment from State Sen. Darrell Steinberg to the jingling coins in a piggy bank, offered to Cohn at his doorstep by a 7-year-old neighbor over the weekend.

“That’s the thing about McKinley Park,” Cohn said. “It is a community park with a neighborhood feeling and it means a lot to all of us.”

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Facebook and on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

List of potential Sacramento elected charter commission candidates gets longer

2012-07-27T15:41:35Z

At first blush, it looked like the candidate list for an elected charter commission on the November ballot was going to be slim pickings, but the latest tally from the city clerk’s office shows a steep uptick in the number of interested people – and the list appears to be growing at a steady pace.

According to the city elections website, the list of people who picked up election packets to become charter commission candidates went from four on the first day the packets were available to 37 as of Thursday.

Some notable names on the potential candidate list includes three recent City Council candidates (Phyllis Newton, Terry Schanz and Betty Williams), current city Planning and Design Commission members Anna Molander and Alan LoFaso, and several neighborhood leaders.

“Everything is typical at this point.,” Assistant City Clerk Stephanie Mizuno said in an email Thursday. “The week of Aug. 6 will be very active.”

According to Mizuno, the official filing deadline is Aug. 9, and, so far, no completed nomination packets have been returned.

Here's the full list of people who have picked up packets, according to the city:

Edgar Hilbert-Garcia
Michael Edwards Mark Stivers
C.T. Weber
Phyllis A. Newton
Neil Pople
Phil Pluckebaum
Hank Freeman
Shannah Freeman
Bill Camp
Kenny Muchahariyaj
Carlos Rico
Michael Leong
Efren M Guttierrez
Charter Commission
Rick Guerrero
Betty Williams
Asael Marco Sala
Roy Frank Ridley Jr.
Ali Le Cooper
Matthew D. Roy
Anna Molander
Derek Cressman
Shane Singh
Gregory John Anderson
David Ruff
Alan Lofaso
Terry Schanz
Alan Browne
W. Bernard Bowler
Tamie A. Dramer
Larry Meade
Susan Patterson
Fergus Johnson
Isaac Gonzalez
Hazel Leong
Charter Commission
Laura Strand
Michelle Smira

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Facebook and on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

POLL: How deep should the audit of city credit cards go?

2012-07-26T15:54:38Z

It’s been a tough week for Lisa Serna-Mayorga: The former aide to Mayor Kevin Johnson resigned shortly after city officials discovered $9,000 in personal expenses she loaded on a city credit card, and she now faces a criminal investigation. Serna-Mayorga has retreated into an Internet black hole, (ranSACked media.com notes that her Facebook page is gone, her LinkedIn account has been deactivated, and she’s not answering her phone) while city officials are left trying to sort out how the whole thing happened.

Ryan Lillis reports in The Sacramento Bee that Serna-Mayorga spent the money on a variety of personal expenses including gas, groceries and a trip to Disneyland while she was council operations manager for the city – a position she was appointed to by Johnson in 2008. She reimbursed the city for those expenses just before leaving her position as director of constituent affairs for the mayor’s district office.

Serna-Mayorga is the daughter of former Sacramento mayor Joe Serna, Jr., and the sister of current County Supervisor Phil Serna.

This isn’t the first time in recent memory that allegations of fraud and abuse have resulted in criminal investigations at City Hall. In 2010, city officials took some heat when development department employee Dan Waters (son of former City Councilman Robbie Waters) breached federal rules by giving permits to builders to develop an area of Natomas that the federal government had defined as a flood zone. That fiasco cost the city $350,000 in general fund dollars to correct violations of federal flood management laws. A subsequent audit of the development department found that the city lost $2.3 million in uncollected development fees in the three fiscal years leading up to and including the Waters situation.

Our capital city is not alone in city hall scandals. In recent memory, other California cities have faced similar problems, including the pensions abuse and financial misdeeds of city officials in Bell, and the payroll scandal in Vernon, where some city managers were making more than the governor.

But hey, however bad things get in Sacramento, at least we’re not Trenton, N.J.

The next step in the current drama is the pending criminal investigation of Serna-Mayorga to determine if her spending habits should result in formal criminal charges. According to the Bee, City Auditor Jorge Oseguera had planned an audit of all credit card use starting in September (save for the mayor and council members because of a conflict of interest).

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Facebook and on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Sacramento to talk medical marijuana on Tuesday

2012-07-23T19:44:15Z

Sacramento will consider more guidelines for medical marijuana dispensaries Tuesday, as a city committee will look at how far the dispensaries should be from parks and schools, even as federal court cases determining their legality are still under way.

The City Council’s Law and Legislation Committee will discuss medical marijuana dispensaries at 3 p.m. on Tuesday at City Hall, 915 I St., so the city is prepared to act at the end of the court proceedings, Law and Legislation Committee Chairman Jay Schenirer said Monday.

“We need to work this out so we can move forward once those cases are resolved,” he said. “I think we have a model policy, and we want to be moving in the right direction so we’re not just starting when those cases are resolved.”

The cases in question are the result of federal crackdowns on marijuana dispensaries over the past year. Despite their legality under state law and the laws of many cities, federal law holds that marijuana is an illicit drug, and does not allow for its medicinal usage.

“You have this untenable policy situation with the federal, state and city governments all having different policies,” Schenirer said, adding the the eventual outcome of the court cases will help determine what rights marijuana dispensaries have, which should give a clearer picture to local officials, enabling them to make laws.

No laws will be enacted on Tuesday, and Schenirer said the meeting is designed to give city staff direction when drafting ordinances, which will likely come back to the Law and Legislation Committee for final review before going to the full City Council for a vote – but only after the court cases are decided.

One of the issues being looked at Tuesday is how close a medical marijuana dispensary can be to a school or a park, which would be similar to a recent City Council action that bans tobacco-centric businesses from opening within 1,000 feet of a school without a special use permit. A similar ordinance has been aired regarding gun shops.

In April, San Francisco medical marijuana dispensary owners faced steep penalties – and 40 years in prison – if they didn’t shut down their dispensaries situated near parks and schools, according to a Sacramento Bee article.

The dispensaries were targeted under a federal law designed in the Reagan era to combat crack-cocaine dealers selling to kids, the article states.

Sacramento regulates marijuana dispensaries under a city ordinance passed last year.

That law doesn’t trump the federal 1,000-foot rule, however, and the Bee article mentioned one Sacramento dispensary that closed after federal pressure.

Schenirer said he’d like to see a grandfather clause that would allow existing medical marijuana dispensaries to continue operation in their current locations under city law.

“To the extent that we have control,” he said, “I’d like a grandfather clause for people who have previously done well.”

Food trucks, city: We’re close to getting an ordinance

2012-07-20T23:30:45Z

After a two years of on-again, off-again talks, the dispute between food truck and restaurants in Sacramento might be drawing to a close – a new food truck ordinance is in the final steps of negotiation before being put to the City Council after a meeting between food truck operators, traditional restaurateurs and city officials on Friday.

“Basically, the only things that are really left to negotiate are how far a truck can park from a restaurant and for how long,” KrushBurger food truck owner Davin Vculek said.

He added that the current 30-minute time limit will likely be extended to a limit that allows a food truck to serve for a whole shift – be it lunch or dinner – in one spot.

Right now, under a 2008 ordinance, food trucks are only allowed to stop for 30 minutes at a time in city limits, and there is a curfew.

The new ordinance gives food trucks a wider berth, but in its current state prohibits them from operating within 400 feet of a restaurant – something Vcule said he would like to see amended.

“I think it’s a step in a positive direction,” Vculek said. “We meet again in two weeks and hopefully secure all the sticking points, and then it will be in the council’s hands to pass through as an ordinance.”

City Councilman Jay Schenirer, chairman of the Law and Legislation Committee – through which the ordinance must pass before going to the full council for a vote – said he thinks a lot of progress has been made, and just a few details need working out.

“This is a complicated issue,” he said. “I was very pleased with the outcome today.”

When it comes to the ordinance, he added, one option is to provide different tweaks to it for different geographic regions in the city – recognizing that the downtown/Midtown core is a different environment from Land Park, East Sacramento or The Pocket.

The next meeting will be held Aug. 3, and Schenirer said that a best-case scenario has the Law and Legislation Committee discussing the ordinance in late August or September.

“I think that the brick-and-mortar restaurant owners and the food truck operators came together and are both looking for a win-win situation here,” he said. “I think there’s still some details to be ironed out, but I’m hopeful that we can finish that Aug. 3.”

Vculek said the meeting was attended by representatives of various city departments, other food truck operators and restaurant owners. Other meeting attendees did not immediately return phone calls Friday afternoon.

“The city has made an attempt to work with both sides, and now we’re at a point where both sides have made concessions and are working on something that we can all agree on,” Vculek said.

If an ordinance is passed, Vculek said, it will likely be revisited after six months.

“It’s going to be a process,” he said. “I don’t think it’ll be set in stone.”

Decisive meeting for food truck ordinance negotiations on Friday

2012-07-19T03:06:11Z

It’s crunch time for the negotiations over a new food truck ordinance: The city, food trucks operators and restaurant owners will hold what all parties see as a potentially decisive meeting Friday.

Brad Wasson, manager of the city's revenue division, will present a proposal with the hope of obtaining approval from both parties.

“We've put together a kind of straw man proposal for them to look at,” Councilman Jay Schenirer said. “My hope is that it's something they could both live with, and if so, we figure out how to go forward and implement it."

Under the current Sacramento city code, food trucks can stay on the street until 6 p.m. in winter months and 8 p.m. in summer months with a 30-minute parking limit, which includes preparation time. Food trucks are also not allowed to park on private vacant lots or next to parking meters.

Chris Jarosz, co-organizer of the NorCal Food Trucks coalition and owner of Wicked ’wich, said the trend of food trucks run by chefs is a relatively new concept to Sacramento, since most of these trucks emerged about a year ago. He said the current law reflects the needs of more traditional food trucks.

NorCal Food Trucks met with Schenirer and Councilman ~~Darrell~~ Rob Fong twice recently.

One idea that has been a focus of the negocations has been developing dedicated spaces for mobile food vendors called “pods.”

Past discussion topics have included giving food trucks more time to park on the street, extending the curfew and giving food trucks the ability to park on private property with the consent of the owner.

Keith Breedlove, owner and chef of Papa Dale’s Drivin’ Diner, said his top concerns are curfews and permitting access to meter parking and private property.

“Private property is the really big one,” he said. “If someone wants to invite us to park at their lot, we can’t really, and that’s a consumer saying we want you here, and we can’t access it.”

Jarosz said that NorCal Food Trucks believes that regulations are necessary because, like in any business, there are “bad actors” who try to take advantage of a situation.

“We feel that having some regulations in place to protect both restaurants and food trucks is a good thing,” he said.

Breedlove said that the restaurant owners who attended the last meeting with the council members were very pro-food truck.

Executive Chef and co-owner of the Paragary Restaurant Group Kurt Spataro said that he is generally supportive of the idea to revise ordinances and plans to listen in on the discussion July 20.

“I’m basically supportive of the idea, and I like the concept of entrepreneurship and bringing more people in the food business and the restaurant business,” he said. “There just needs to be some parameters set, and we’re in the process of doing that.”

Schenirer said they hope to have a more defined plan by Friday afternoon.

“If it's a positive meeting, then I think we're on a roll, but if not, then frankly I'm not sure where we will go with it," he said.

Sacramento race for elected charter commission gets slow start

2012-07-17T12:47:29Z

Despite predictions that city residents would be joining the race for the elected charter commission in droves, so far there doesn’t appear to be a run on the clerk’s office for candidate forms.

“No, we are not busy with candidates,” Assistant City Clerk Stephanie Mizuno said Monday afternoon.

Mizuno said staff had prepared 14 candidate packets, and by 3 p.m. only two had been picked up.

Any of Sacramento’s 472,000-plus residents who are over age 18 and registered to vote in the city are eligible to be a charter commission candidate. [See our step-by-step guide to becoming a commissioner here.] To date, only a handful of people have made known their interest in the position, including a former mayoral candidate, a local labor leader and the former communications chair of the Stonewall Democrats.

Edgar Hilbert-Garcia – former write-in candidate for mayor in the June election opposing incumbent Kevin Johnson. He was one of the first to pick up a candidate packet at at City Hall Monday.

“It’s an opportunity to be a part of making important changes,” Hilbert-Garcia said. “I want to be there to listen to people and to know what the people want to change.”

Michael Edwards – Sacramento City College student. He said he heard about the opportunity to serve on the charter commission at a community meeting in his Southside Park neighborhood. Edwards, 21, said he hopes to accomplish “a lot” on the commission, but declined to give specifics.

“It’s not really going to be up to me,” he said. “It’s up to the people to say what they want the commission to accomplish.”

Neil Pople – former communications chair of the Sacramento chapter of Stonewall Democrats. He announced his run via Facebook July 13.

“There was a part of me that said I wanted to stand up for regular people like me,” Pople said. “The commission is a way to lay the groundwork for good governance. It’s something I think I can contribute to.”

Pople said he is serious about the race, especially raising money to fund a modest campaign: He’s set up a page on the fundraising website rally.org and is already lining up endorsements.

Bill Camp – executive secretary of the Sacramento Central Labor Council. The local labor leader spoke against the measure to the City Council when members were considering placing it on the ballot.

“I went to the training session for the commission, and I want to talk to some friends and take some time to think about it, but I am considering it,” Camp said. “Call me back in a couple of weeks and I’ll have made a decision by then.

While potential candidates have been enthusiastic about the promise of an elected charter commission, Craig Powell, president of the political watchdog group Eye on Sacramento, remains skeptical: He doesn’t expect voters to approve the commission in November.

“This is ultimately a train wreck,” he said. “I think it’s going to lose and lose big.”

There’s still time for anyone interested in running for the commission to get their name on the ballot. The filing period ends Aug. 9.

In the meantime, the City Clerk’s office is hosting workshops to give potential candidates the rundown of the rules and requirements associated with running in the election. Two more workshops are scheduled: one on Wednesday, and one July 23.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Facebook and on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Occupy Sacramento loses legal challenge – What’s next?

2012-07-12T15:36:34Z

A federal judge upheld a Sacramento city curfew ordinance Wednesday, ending a months-long legal challenge by the Occupy Sacramento movement claiming the curfew rule violated the group’s First Amendment rights.

Denny Walsh reports in The Sacramento Bee that U.S. District Judge Morrison C. England Jr. ruled that the city ordinance imposing curfews in parks without a permit "is … valid time, place and manner restriction.”

Occupy attorneys claimed the ordinance was sporadically enforced and any enforcement was based on the message of the protesters, but England disagreed, saying the ordinance "predates the Occupy Sacramento demonstrations by roughly 30 years,” and the evidence showed that the city has been consistently enforcing the ordinance.

Occupiers from Vancouver to New York filed legal challenges to camping rules that would prevent them from protesting in public parks, and most of those challenges have failed. The most recent legal challenge in Sacramento joins that list.

From the beginning of the Occupy movement in Sacramento, the group has faced numerous challenges with the city and the courts, including arrests for violating “no-camping” and curfew ordinances in Cesar Chavez Plaza.

Charges stemming from those arrests were eventually dropped by the district attorney, but they fueled weeks of protests at City Council meetings. Hundreds crowded council chambers and lined up to the podium to both chastise council members for being insensitive to the movement’s message, and to plead for exceptions to the no-camping and curfew ordinances.

A shift in the movement occurred after a judge ruled against Occupy attorneys in a preliminary “no-camping” rule challenge, but suggested that the grounds of City Hall weren’t subject to the same rules as parks. Soon after, protesters left Cesar Chavez Plaza and moved across the street to the lawns at City Hall – where a small contingent of Occupiers remains today.

That move spurred the city to find new ways to contain the protest without violating the protesters' rights: A new city ordinance adjusting rules about activities at City Hall is headed to the city Law and Legislation Committee and then to the full council. If it is passed (which seems likely), protesters who want to hang out on City Hall lawns would be subject to fines of $250 to $25,000 for breaking laws set forth in the proposed "Use of the City Hall Facility" ordinance. Those who defy the rules would be guilty of misdemeanors.

With the city no-camping ordinance upheld, and the curfew rules upheld and a squeeze coming on activities at City Hall – what’s next for the few remaining local Occupy protesters? Attorney Mark Merin told the The Bee that the recent ruling does not mean the end of the Occupy movement.

"The movement will rise again, perhaps in a different form,” Merin said. “The will of the people to decide important issues – not just who's raising the most money in a political campaign – won't be permanently suppressed."

This is a topic The Sacramento Press will continue looking into, and we’ll be watching the conversation below this article for your thoughts on where the story might be headed.

OTHER ITEMS OF NOTE TODAY:
R Street lofts low-income housing project gets funding- Sacramento Bee

No more parking tickets for parking at broken meters – L.A. Times

How the threat of losing beer unites a community - Atlantic Cities

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Facebook and on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Who leaked Maloof emails? Isaac Gonzalez answers Carmichael Dave

2012-07-11T18:25:57Z

It’s a question that’s been on the mind of everyone who has been following Sacramento’s arena debacle: How did Isaac Gonzalez get ahold of that email cache that changed our understanding of how the negotiations between the city and the Maloofs actually played out?

On Tuesday, Gonzalez addressed the question during a Sacramento Press live chat with Carmichael Dave Weiglein.

The context: About halfway through the chat, Weiglein asked Gonzalez to clear up questions about leaked emails and letters that circulated between the Maloofs, their attorneys and NBA representatives, which Gonzales obtained from an unnamed source and made public.

The emails outlined issues the Maloofs had with the “handshake agreement” for the arena deal and proved the Maloofs’ claims that they had expressed these issues well before the council voted to approve the deal.

City officials claimed they did not know about the emails or the Maloofs’ concerns. As far as the city was concerned, all parties had agreed to a bona fide “framework” agreement, and any claim to the contrary from the Maloofs was disingenuous.

The emails had been mentioned in the media [Editor's note: Nick Miller of Sacramento News & Review previously reported the story, but without full document release on April 26.] and partially quoted in a powerpoint presentation the Maloofs and their attorneys gave in New York as the arena deal crumbled – but the emails and letters in their entirety had not been made public until Gonzalez posted them on his site, ranSACkedmedia.com, Wikileaks stye, on May 8.

How did Gonzalez come by those emails and letters? Here’s what he told us during the Sac Press live chat Tuesday:

He refused to disclose his source, but insisted he or she does not work for the Maloofs. He hinted at a city connection, mentioning it was someone who “works on I Street” – where City Hall is located – and said a sheaf of documents was dropped off by the source at his home.

You can view the full conversation here:

This article was co-written by Sacramento Press Editor-in-Chief Jared Goyette.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Facebook and on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Sacramento's revolving door policy, bankrupt cities, electric car chargers: Wake-Up Call

2012-07-11T14:57:24Z

Welcome to another edition of the "Wake-Up Call," a rundown of items that we're working on, found interesting, or otherwise thought you might want to know about today. As is always the case here at Sac Press, suggestions are welcome.

THINGS WE’RE WORKING ON

SACRAMENTO’s REVOLVING DOOR: A recent Sacramento County grand jury report found that two former Sacramento city managers negotiating on behalf of a trash disposal company made some city employees feel intimidated, leading to a contract that a Sacramento Bee editorial said showed “gross incompetence and shocking indifference to the issues of ratepayer costs or basic fairness in public contracting.”

City Councilwoman Angelique Ashby told us she wants the city to implement a policy that would prevent the scenario from repeating by more strictly regulating what has been termed the “revolving door,” or the practice of private companies hiring former government officials to gain favorable terms from lawmakers.

“When you work for the state and you retire, you can come back as a retired annuitant, but one thing you cannot do is come back as a consultant on subject matter from which you had direct involvement,” Ashby said.

Brandon Darnell will have more later today.

WHAT WE’RE READING

GOING BELLY-UP: The list of cities going under in the state is getting longer: Phll Willon of the L.A. Times reports that the city of San Bernardino is set to file for bankruptcy thanks to an unmanageable $46 million budget deficit – which city leaders say they didn’t even know they had. Willon writes: “City Atty. James Penman said city budget officials had falsified documents presented to the mayor and council for 13 of the last 16 years, masking the city's deficit spending.”

The cities of Stockton and Mammoth Lakes each filed for bankruptcy last month.

MISSED OPPORTUNITIES: In 2010, California had a chance to shave some of the $68 billion cost of its high-speed rail project – and took a pass on it.

Dan Weikel and Ralph Vartabedian write in the L.A. Times that SNCF of France, the developer of one of the world's most successful high-speed rail systems, proposed that the state use competitive bidding to partner with it or another foreign operator to design a sophisticated network for 200-mph trains.

The proposal included realigning the route to bypass Fresno, making it more direct and making construction more economical. But that would have meant passing up the sixth-largest city in the state, and legislators said "no thanks" to the politically unpopular idea.

PLUGGING IN: Electric car owners will soon have 28 more charging stations at eight Sacramento public parking garages to use starting in November. David Ruiz reports in The Sacramento Bee that the City Council approved installation of the stations in June, and installation is expected to begin in August. The additional stations bring the total in the city to 50, including some older units that the council approved for upgrades. All of the charging stations are free, Ruiz reports, and will work with nearly every model of electric car.

SOMETHING TO DO

“Mumbo Gumbo brings their signature danceable sound—a mixture spanning rock to soul, afropop to lush balladry and zydeco to country—to Fairytale Town for a live performance on Wednesday, Jul. 11. Gates open at 5:30 p.m., and the concert starts at 6 p.m. Tickets are $10 per person and go on sale in June. Members receive 2-for-1 admission, and children 12 and under are free. Blankets and chairs are welcome, food and drink will be available for purchase.” For more on concerts at Fairytale Town, see the full rundown posted on our site.

This morning Wake-Up Call was produced with the help of 32 ounces of espresso roast coffee and 2.5 ounces of vanilla cream.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Facebook and on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Tahoe Park community steps up for their pool, opens it for summer swimming

2012-07-02T20:42:43Z

Tahoe Park pool didn’t make the list for the Save Mart “Save Our Pools” campaign, so, faced with the possibility of a dry pool during a hot summer, neighborhood leaders joined forces with a city councilman, a county supervisor and the Sierra Health Foundation to plan their own rescue effort – and succeeded.

“The neighborhood just wouldn’t take no for an answer,” City Councilman Kevin McCarty said. “I’m proud of everyone for that.”

While Save Mart grocery stores were working with the city of Sacramento to raise $1 million to save six city pools from closure this spring, a contingent of Tahoe Park volunteers and neighborhood association leaders were diligently stuffing envelopes and knocking on doors to raise the money needed to keep their pool open.

Eric Guerra, president of the Tahoe Park Neighborhood Association, took the lead in the fundraising campaign, which he said was initially only intended to raise enough to keep the kiddie pool open at Tahoe Park.

“The cost of getting the large pool open full time would be over $80,000 and we knew that wasn’t possible,” Guerra said. “But we thought maybe we could do more than just the wading pool.”

Guerra and fellow neighborhood association members Ryan Murphy and Kimberly Pell decided to shoot for a middle ground: $42,000 to open the pool part-time.

Pell, a high school teacher at Jesuit High School, met Sierra Health Foundation CEO Chet Hewitt at a career day at her school and asked if the foundation would be interested in participating in saving Tahoe Park pool. The response was positive: Hewitt said if the community and the council member would raise half of the necessary funds, the foundation would come in with the other half.

McCarty said that, once Sierra Health Foundation was on board with their matching pledge, he reached out to Sacramento County Supervisor Phil Serna to help the Tahoe Park community raise the rest.

“What speaks volumes about Tahoe Park is that many people gave small amounts,” Guerra said. “Even some people who don’t really use the pool or don’t have kids – they felt bad about not having it open for everyone else.”

In total, donations from community members and nearby businesses came to just under $4,000, Guerra said, and McCarty and Serna together raised another $17,000.

“We are all clear this is not a long term solution,” Guerra said. “By far everyone feels this is a city responsibility, but, still, we understand the city’s fiscal challenges, too.”

The formal ribbon-cutting ceremony in late June was the first time anyone used the pool since 2010, Murphy said, and about 50 people came out to celebrate. The pool has been packed with swimmers since then, he added.

“When I ride by the poole and see it’s clean and people are there and kids are swimming, I think to myself, ‘OK. The effort was worth it,’” Murphy said.

Tahoe Park Pool, 3535 59th St., will be open for recreational swim from 2-6 p.m. every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday through Aug. 25.

Tahoe Park joins Glenn Hall and Southside Park in the list of city pools that have been granted a reprieve from summer closure through community efforts.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter @MelissaCorker.

So, you want to get elected to the Sacramento charter commission?

2012-07-02T16:20:50Z

The question of whether to create an elected charter commission will appear on the November ballot, and, if a majority of city voters agree to it, they will also select 15 people to serve on that body. Commissioners will have up to two years to go through the city charter with a fine-toothed comb to suggest any additions, deletions or changes to the guiding document for the city.

So, just how do people interested in serving on the commission get their name added to the list of charter commission candidates on the November ballot?

First, make sure you’re eligible: Candidates must be at least 18 years old, United States citizens and registered to vote in Sacramento. Then follow the steps below. All information was provided by the Office of the City Clerk.Should you get enough votes, you'll be one of 15 proud new members of the city's charter commission. Enjoy it while you can – you'll have lots of work to do.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for the Sacramento Press. Follow her on Facebook and on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Glenn Hall Pool neighbors, Q-Balls give big for more swim time this summer

2012-06-27T15:48:06Z

For the third year in a row, budget cuts reduced programs and swim hours at local pools, but donations from generous neighbors – and a local rock ’n roll band – pulled together to give water-lovers in East Sacramento additional splash time at Glenn Hall Pool this summer.

“It’s going to mean a lot to many people to have the pool to splash around in this summer,” Steve Harriman, River Park Neighborhood Association board member said Wednesday. “For some kids in the city, going to a pool is all they have.”

The fundraising campaign will allow the pool to open for recreational swimming from 1 to 5 p.m. on on Fridays and Sundays, June 29 through Aug. 19.

Open recreation swim times are also offered at Doyle Park Pool, Clunie Pool in McKinley Park and the wading pool at Bertha Henschel Park.

According to a press release from City Councilman Steve Cohn’s office, the River Park Neighborhood Association’s fundraising effort, together with a grant from the concert series Pops in the Park and a $1,000 contribution from local rock band Q-Balls will allow residents more than 66 additional hours of swim time this summer.

“I’m really excited about this because the people in River Park have done a lot to make this happen,” Cohn said Wednesday. “They’ve raised money three or four years in a row now, and they are still doing it.”

Cohn said the cost to add a single hour of additional recreation swim time at Glenn Hall Pool is $150, and the group raised a total of $10,000.

Harriman said past fundraising efforts for Glenn Hall Pool have included car washes, bake sales and even a door-to-door flyer distribution campaign to encourage donations.

“People are feeling fundraising fatigue right now,” Harriman said. “The good news is, there are some people who are in a financial position to do something, and they care enough to do so.”

The River Park Neighborhood Association isn’t done yet, Cohn said. The group will continue their fundraising efforts with the hope of adding even more swim hours.

“We have an eight-week schedule now, but the more we collect, the more hours we can add,” Cohn said.

Tax deductible donations to the effort can be made through the city’s Gifts to Share program. For more information, contact Cohn’s CIty Hall office, or the River Park Neighborhood Association on their website.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Facebook and on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Mayor Kevin Johnson gets help to 'play nice' with council

2012-06-26T12:45:00Z

As soon as Mayor Kevin Johnson declared victory in his bid for re-election, he moved out key members of his City Hall staff and brought in two longtime city employees, leading some to question if he is doubling down on arena efforts in his second term – or just trying to shore up support on the City Council playground.

“The city does better when people are working together,” political analyst Andrew Acosta said. “His ability to work together and have a relationship with council members has not been demonstrated so far.”

Acosta was a key campaign advisor in the June primary elections for local council candidates Kevin McCarty (District 6), Bonnie Pannell (District 8) and Joe Yee (District 4).

The mayor’s former chief of staff, Kunal Merchant, and Special Assistant R.E. Graswich have taken lead positions with Think Big Sacramento, a coalition of business and government interests dedicated to economic development in the railyards. To replace them, Johnson brought in public-sector veterans Cassandra Jennings and Patti Bisharat as policy directors and administrative leaders.

Chief executives commonly make staff changes when they go into a second term, but it appears Johnson brought in people with extensive public sector experience to help him in what some consider one of his weakest areas: playing well with others.

It’s no secret that the mayor has clashed on occasion with fellow council members. Not only have they disagreed about arena issues and the strong mayor initiative, Johnson has found himself on opposite sides of the table on numerous budget and city service issues, too. Some conflicts – such as a few curt words exchanged at the dais during council meetings – have proven to be fairly benign, while others have created communication chasms resulting in more than just bruised egos. After a weeks-long rift during the redistricting process, for example, Johnson went so far as to put his political weight behind the opponent of current District 8 Councilwoman Bonnie Pannell in the June primary.

But Johnson’s candidate, former Sacramento NAACP President Betty Williams, lost her bid to take the council seat from Pannell, and Johnson will have to find ways to mend that (and many other) council fences.

Johnson may be trying to change his ways in his second term by bringing Jennings and Bisharat on board: Together, they bring to the table six decades of city government experience, according to Joaquin McPeek, the mayor’s spokesman.

That’s good news for Johnson, who came into the mayor’s office with plenty of ambition and drive but with zero political experience. For a mayor who scores high on charisma, he gets low marks on ability to finesse an often tenuous interplay with fellow elected leaders at City Hall.

Craig Powell, president of political watchdog group Eye on Sacramento, said the mayor’s decision to bring in two city government powerhouses will do a lot of good in the way of building – or rebuilding – relationships on the City Council.

“They have worked hand-in-glove with everyone on council over the years, so having them there will make dealing with the council easier,” Powell said.

Jennings, in particular, has worked closely with all levels of city government and all city departments in Sacramento. Bisharat has a strong financial and administrative background and will act as a chief advisor on items before the city council. Both women will have key oversight on administrative activities in the mayor's office, McPeek said, including the day-to-day operations.

“Maybe the mayor is saying he needs people that have a wealth of knowledge that can put more meat on the bones of some of the initiatives he’d like to tout,” Acosta said. “Right now they’re just floating out there. That’s a problem for the guy.”

Jennings and Bisharat may be the key to the mayor’s fence-mending efforts on the City Council but, by taking on the day-to-day council-oriented tasks in the mayor’s office, they will also free up time and energy for Johnson to keep his eye on what might be the real prize of his second term: an entertainment and sports complex in the railyards.

“The mayor has spent an enormous amount of time and resources on getting an arena built,” political analyst Doug Elmets said. “He’s not going to be satisfied until he’s got some blueprint for the future that includes an entertainment facility.”

With Merchant and Graswich in the Think Big think tank, they can be Johnson’s eyes and ears in the push for getting an arena built – something the mayor has been keen on since the Kings’ owners, the Maloofs, started sending smoke signals about a move out of Sacramento.

“It’s a grind to work in the mayor’s office day to day,” Elmets said. “(Merchant and Graswich) will have larger, more entrepreneurial roles with Think Big.”

Elmets said those goals include building a new concept for an arena and moving the community along economically, but stopped short of calling the new positions “rewards” for work well done in the mayor’s service during his first term.

“I’d say it’s more of a recognition that they understand the mayor’s goals and objectives and have the credibility – certainly with Johnson – to try to implement something that is going to be challenging in and of itself.”

Should the arena be the backbone of Johnson’s second term? Acosta says no. The mayor would do better to create an agenda that speaks to the people – and strong mayor and the arena are not it.

“How does your agenda fit with where the people are? I think they have to connect,” Acosta said. “You can’t just come up with something that has no real connection to what voters are feeling and expect it to fly.”

JOHNSON’S FUTURE

What will the future hold for Johnson? Elmets suggests Johnson may have a higher political calling, perhaps even in the role of governor of California.

“The one thing I wouldn’t do is underestimate Kevin Johnson,” Elmets said. “Particularly now that he’s been re-elected. I think he’s looking at the road ahead and not focusing on what’s transpiring in the rear-view mirror.”

As far as Johnson’s long-term future, Acosta said he expects it may include higher office – whether that would be a successful move for Johnson is another story, Acosta said.

“When you don’t play well with others, where are you going to go? The state Legislature? Probably not,” Acosta said. “I would assume he wants to go to the next level, but what that will be – we don’t know. I’m not sure he knows.”

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Facebook and on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

City may face a spike in ambulance fees

2012-06-25T19:35:22Z

The City Council will consider a resolution Tuesday to allow the Sacramento Fire Department to hike the cost of ambulance rides in the city by nearly 22 percent, and more than double the charges for being treated but not transported by firefighters.

The Sacramento Fire Department is a designated 9-1-1 transport agency for emergency medical services, and the service is paid for by fees charged to patients. City staff reported to the City Council Thursday that current fees are well under that of private agencies providing similar service – and not enough to fully recover the cost of providing the service.

The department is proposing a $240 increase for the base rate for all levels of emergency transport it provides, including basic life support and advanced life support, and a $129 increase in the “medically assessed and treated but not transported” rate.

“Treated but not transported” fees occur when the fire department shows up but the patient decides not to be taken to the hospital, or they get transferred to another ambulance provider. This was the case nearly 7,000 times in 2011.

According to a city staff report, direct costs of providing emergency transport service include labor, supplies, equipment and vehicles, while indirect costs include dispatch services, training and other support services. Revenue generated from the fee increases will offset – but not fully cover – the costs associated with providing the services, the report states.

The fee increases are reminiscent of a 2010 “crash tax” proposal by the fire department to charge non-resident drivers for emergency responses to accidents in which they were at fault. The crash tax proposal was rejected by the City Council in March 2011.

Unlike the crash tax proposal which focused on charging non-residents, the current fee increases would apply to anyone receiving the emergency medical services.

Since the program was implemented, rates have increased six times – but the current fees in Sacramento are still 22 percent lower than comparable services by private providers, according to the staff report.

Here is the full staff report to the City Council on the proposed EMS transport rate increases:

Proposed changes to EMS fees

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Facebook and on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Will dump coupons add to service from the claw?

2012-06-25T18:03:46Z

This week brings more solid waste discussion at the City Council with a new twist: Will the city augment service from the claw with “dump coupons?”

The City Council discussed proposed changes to the city solid waste and recycling program in March, including changing curbside recycling to every-other-week collection, implementing year-round containerized yard waste collection and retiring loose-in-the-street pickup by the claw for all but three months of the year.

Now, after months of community outreach on the proposed changes, a new idea is being floated based on public comments from those discussions: dump coupons.

The idea stems from the proposed return of the Neighborhood Cleanup Program, which was suspended in 2010. That program allows residents to schedule one appointment per year for the city to pick up large items like appliances, furniture and large yard waste that will not fit in a garbage or yard waste can.

But residents said that one appointment isn’t enough – especially with the proposed changes to the overall waste pickup program in the city.

They suggested introducing a pilot dump coupon program that would allow residents to deliver up to five cubic yards of waste to the Sacramento Recycling and Transfer Station (at no charge to the resident) once per year.

The city would pick up the tab for the tipping fee – the per-ton fee the station charges for accepting waste. The cost of such a pilot program is not estimated in the city staff report.

Dump coupons likely won’t solve all of the problems associated with changes to the city’s collection system, but could give residents a respite from being overwhelmed by the amount of yard waste they have to deal with each year.

Here is the staff report to the City Council on the proposed solid waste changes:

Solid waste collection changes

The City Council is expected to include the possible pilot program Tuesday as part of a larger discussion on the city’s solid waste and recycling business plan. The City Council meets at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 915 I St.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Facebook and on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Election updates show narrow leads in local council races

2012-06-22T12:55:33Z

Updated June election results from the Sacramento City Council races show that both the District 4 and District 2 races are still very tight, making every vote more valuable to the candidates as November nears. Although the primary occurred June 5, the county has still been processing and certifying precinct reports.

Here is the break down for District 4:

STEVE HANSEN . . . . . . . . .    3,454      28.39 %
JOSEPH YEE . . . . . . . . . . 3,379      27.77 %
PHYLLIS A. NEWTON. . . . . . . 2,758      22.67 %
TERRY SCHANZ . . . . . . . . .    1,782     14.65 %
MICHAEL DANIEL REHM . . . . . 294       2.42 %
DAVID A. TURTURICI . . . . . . .    254       2.09 %
NEIL DAVIDSON . . . . . . . . .    224       1.84 %
(other/write in)                                  7    .12 %

The latest vote count in District 4 shows Steve Hansen’s lead increased slightly to 75 votes ahead of Joseph Yee – but it may be challenging for Hansen to maintain such a slim lead.

In the primary race, Yee was the top vote-getter among six candidates from Land Park, which is widely known to be a strong voting block in District 4, making the race more challenging for Hansen, whose support in the primary came largely from his Midtown and downtown base.

Here is the break down for District 2:

ROB KERTH . . . . . . . . .    2,133    35.08 %
ALLEN WARREN . . . . . .   2,004    32.96 %
MISTY YAJ . . . . . . . . . .        685    11.27 %
JASON L. SAMPLE . . . . . .   502     8.26 %
KIM MACK. . . . . . . . . . .       382     6.28 %
SONDRA BETANCOURT. .   367     6.04 %
(other/write in)                         22        .18 %

The updated vote count from the District 2 council race gives Rob Kerth 2,133 votes to Allen Warren’s 2,004 – bumping Kerth’s lead from 97 to 129 votes.

Out of the 6,073 votes cast in the District 2 race in June, Kerth and Warren together received 4,137, meaning there are a lot of votes up for grabs between now and November.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Facebook and on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Council puts elected charter commission on November ballot

2012-06-21T14:42:35Z

Mayor Kevin Johnson’s strong mayor initiative may be dead, but charter reform is still on life support at City Hall after a 6-3 vote at a City Council meeting Tuesday to put a measure on the ballot that will let voters decide whether a new, elected charter commission should be formed.

The measure puts two questions on the November ballot: Do the voters want to form an elected charter commission? And if the answer to the first is yes, then who do the voters want to be on that commission?

The second question will be followed by a list of candidates, and voters will be asked to select 15 commissioners from among them.

If elected, the commission will have up to two years to study the city charter and recommend any changes, which would go to the voters for approval in the 2016 election.

“If Sacramento elects a charter commission, it can take its time to do this correctly and look closely at what Sacramento needs instead of sneaking through major charter revisions during the Christmas holidays,” Anna Molander, former chairwoman of the Democratic Party of Sacramento County, said Tuesday.

“It will give Sacramento the opportunity to transform itself through the work of its citizenry, as it has always done,” she added.

Council members against putting an elected charter commission on the November ballot included Johnson and fellow council members Angelique Ashby and Jay Schenirer – both of whom said the idea is fine, but the city’s economic concerns need to come first.

“When we are talking about money, people will be saying ‘that’s two police officers or one rescue boat’ or something else that has been on the chopping block,” Ashby said Tuesday. “We could make these choices – and they would definitely be spending choices. It’s just not the right time to push for this.”

McCarty said he understands the costs involved and believes they are valid.

“There is no free lunch, and democracy does cost something,” McCarty said.

Putting the measure on the ballot will cost the city roughly $305,000 in election costs, according to the city staff report. If a commission is elected, another estimated $316,500 will be spent to support the commission through its two-year term, including staff time, meeting support and supplies.

Council members also voted Tuesday to set contribution limits for commissioner campaigns at $500 for individuals and $1,500 for large political committees, and the council selected members Kevin McCarty, Steve Cohn and Angelique Ashby to write arguments for and against the proposal that will also appear on the ballot.

The idea of an elected charter commission has been floating about City Hall since early this year when the City Council rejected Johnson’s push for a strong mayor initiative to go to the ballot – which would have been the third incarnation of the proposal from the mayor’s camp since he was first elected in 2008.

Cohn said the issue has been discussed repeatedly at the City Council and needs to be finally resolved.

“We can’t keep running away from this,” Cohn said Tuesday. “At some point, the people of this great city need to have a say on it.”

If an elected charter commission gets the go-ahead from Sacramento voters, it will be only the third one created in state history after San Francisco’s elected commission in 1978 and another in Los Angeles in 1996.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Facebook and on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

City Council denies McDonald’s drive-thru for Oak Park

2012-06-20T05:46:05Z

Two years of conflict and debate over a potential McDonald’s restaurant in Oak Park came to an end Tuesday when the City Council unanimously voted to deny an appeal to build the project with a drive-thru.

“I’m pleased that the council stayed focused on the real issue, which was the drive-thru,” Michael Boyd, president of the Oak Park Neighborhood Association, said after the meeting. “They listened to the community, which has spoken so loudly for so many years and wanted to be heard. We’re very grateful.”

Franchise co-owner John Ritchey declined to comment on the denial of his appeal after the council vote, but a representative provided a prepared statement from the Ritchey family.

“We are extremely disappointed with this decision,” Ritchey said in the statement. “Our restaurant would have created much-needed jobs in a community with high unemployment and limited transportation options. It is unfortunate that the council members did not agree.”

The decision from City Council Tuesday sets the stage for Ritchey to either alter design plans to build the project without a drive-thru, or to pursue the matter in court. If Ritchey chooses to build without a drive-thru, the plans could sail through the planning and design process because current zoning rules would allow the project, according to Principal Planner Greg Bitter of the city Community Development Department.

Ritchey and more than 50 supporters for the project were met at City Hall Tuesday by an equal number of protesters opposing the plan to build the drive-thru on the corner of Stockton Boulevard and Second Avenue in Oak Park, across from the UC Davis Med Center.

“It doesn’t have to do with the quality of food or the quality of the company,” Sacramento architect Ron Vrilakas told the City Council. “It’s about what we want the community to become over the long run.”

Vrilakas’ feelings were echoed by many people who attended the meeting, many of whom are part of Healthy Development for Oak Park, a neighborhood group that organized to oppose the McDonald’s.

Protesters came to the meeting armed with signs that read “NO DRIVE-THRU,” and 27 people spoke to the City Council in opposition to the drive-thru during public comment.

“They anticipate 1,000 cars day-in and day-out, 365 days a year for the next 20 years,” said Oak Park resident Chris Bender. “This is not neighborhood enhancement.”

Another 35 people spoke to the City Council in support of the project, largely because of the employment opportunities it would provide.

“McDonald’s hires everyone,” said Oak Park resident and 15-year recovered addict Sherry Hall. “They hire old people, young people, the disabled and people like me who are trying to turn their life around.”

Ritchey’s application for a special permit to build a McDonald’s drive-thru in Oak Park was rejected by the city Planning Commission April 12 because it failed to meet criteria in the city 2030 General Plan.

The city’s General Plan calls for urban corridors to have multi-story and more-intense uses at major intersections with moderate lot coverage and lower-intensity uses adjacent to neighborhoods. The McDonald’s design uses about 10 percent of the lot with the drive-thru being the most prominent feature, according to commission findings.

Margaret Trujillo, area construction manager for McDonald’s, also spoke to the City Council in support of the project on behalf of franchise co-owner, John Ritchey, Jr.

“At the heart of everything we do, there is nothing more important than the trust of our customers and their families,” Trujillo said.

Among the design concessions that Ritchey agreed to, according to Trujillo, were additional signage posted on the property for pedestrian safety, and the addition of a low wall to obscure the glare of headlights from vehicles in drive-thru lanes.

After more than 50 speakers addressed the City Council, members deliberated briefly before voting to deny the appeal.

“This is a question of whether this is the right place at the right time for a drive-thru, and I don’t think this is,” Councilman Jay Schenirer said. “The type of use we put into this corner – which is a gateway to Oak Park – is really important.”

Councilman Kevin McCarty said he agreed with Schenirer, calling the importance of community input “spot-on” on the issue.

“I don’t know that this (McDonald’s drive-thru) is the best fit for this area,” McCarty said. “We need to find something that makes us all proud.”

Opposition to the Oak Park McDonald’s project began in 2010 when community members first realized a McDonald’s was being considered for the Stockton Boulevard/Second Avenue site, and continued for nearly two years.

During a nearly two-hour debate at the April 12 Planning Commission meeting, residents, community activists, doctors and architects voiced unease about the project’s impact on traffic, air quality, walkability, bike safety, land use, adjacent homes and perpetuation of an unhealthy and sedentary lifestyle.

The Planning Commission voted 6-1 to deny the drive-thru permit, and Ritchey immediately filed an appeal to the City Council.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Facebook and on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Drive-thru, gun store, restaurant, pool discussed on 'Insight'

2012-06-20T05:25:55Z

On Tuesday morning’s Capital Public Radio “Insight” program, I discussed a new gun store, a controversy about a McDonald’s drive-thru and other issues with host Beth Ruyak.

The first story we discussed was the opening of a pool in Southside Park. The Southside Park Pool only opened because of a grassroots effort led by the Southside Park Neighborhood Association, which saw a partnership with the city and the YMCA of Superior California.

A joint campaign between the city and Save Mart supermarkets raised $1 million to keep other pools open, but Southside Park Pool was not a part of that effort.

On a more controversial topic, a new gun store is slated to take the spot of the old Cornerstone breakfast place in Midtown. A firearms dealer license was issued last week, and while many residents and local business owners support the shop, others say Midtown isn’t the right place for it. Click to see their comments on the gun store.

Even more controversial than the gun store was the decision on whether a new McDonald’s in Oak Park would get a drive-thru approved. The City Council decided not to allow it, and the show was recorded before the meeting on Tuesday.

The chain restaurant appealed a Planning Commission decision that denied a drive-thru, and residents were looking to keep the drive-thru out of the area, citing nuisance concerns and the fact that it’s across the street from a UC Davis Med Center obesity clinic.

New to the grid is the Lil’ Hopper, an offshoot of the Sactown Hopper run by Allen Transportation. While the Sactown Hopper has been taking people between Sacramento State and the central city for a few months, the Lil’ Hopper starts this week, running a 30-minute circuit of popular restaurants, bars and clubs in the downtown and Midtown core. The $10 ticket is good for both bus routes.

Finally, we discussed the arrival of a new downtown restaurant with a concept similar to Dean and Delucca’s. Trio Restaurant, Bakery and Market is a Mediterranean-themed eatery that will move in to Eighth and J streets. It’s owned by Gönül Blum, who also owns Vanilla Bean Bistro, and it opens July 1.

Brandon Darnell is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter.

Drive-thru will be focus of Council’s decision on Oak Park McDonald’s

2012-06-18T20:20:04Z

An intense struggle between residents of Oak Park and owners of a McDonald’s franchise will come to a head Tuesday when the City Council considers allowing a new drive-thru restaurant at the corner of Stockton Boulevard and Second Avenue – directly across the street from a UC Davis Med Center obesity clinic.

“We are interested in something better for Oak Park,” Dr. Charlene Hauser, an Oak Park resident and a key member of the opposition to the project, said Friday. “We’d love to have something here that we feel would improve the neighborhood.”

But McDonald’s franchise co-owner John Ritchey said in an email statement Sunday that he feels the restaurant will benefit the area.

“We believe the new restaurant will provide our friends and neighbors in Oak Park a contemporary and comfortable dining experience,” Ritchey said in the email. “It will create much-needed jobs in a community with high unemployment and limited transportation options.”

The Planning Commission denied a special permit April 12 to build the restaurant with a drive-thru on the site, and the franchise owners filed an appeal April 26. The City Council will discuss the appeal Tuesday.

According to a city staff report, the question to City Council is not whether a McDonald’s franchise can be built at the Stockton Boulevard/Second Avenue site – city zoning rules will allow the restaurant to be built – the question is whether it may feature a drive-thru.

There could be a lot at stake for Ritchey with the council’s decision.

McDonald’s representatives declined to indicate the specific value of a drive-thru to their restaurants, but acording to a report in QSR, a trade magazine targeted at fast-food executives, drive-thru sales account for more than 60 percent of overall revenues for McDonald’s – a significant amount for a corporation that reported earnings in excess of $27 billion in 2011.

If the council denies the appeal, Ritchey will have the option to change the building design to exclude the drive-thru and resubmit the plan to the Planning Commission for approval, or the matter could go to litigation.

The special permit for the proposed drive-thru in Oak Park was denied by the Planning Commission because the restaurant design conflicts with goals of the city’s General Plan, including having a pedestrian-friendly design and creating a buffer between the restaurant and nearby residential areas, according to the city staff report.

In a letter to the City Council, Margaret Trujillo, area construction manager for McDonald’s, argued that the project would revitalize a vacant infill site and that city staff did not consider the General Plan as a whole when they denied the drive-thru permit.

“The project is appropriately located, pedestrian-oriented, aesthetically pleasing and consistent with the General Plan,” Trujillo said in the letter.

Ritchey also defended the proposed drive-thru as a positive factor for residents and customers.

“Speed and convenience are the reasons restaurants offer drive-thrus, and we’re always working to make the service faster so people spend even less time in line,” he said in the email.

Oak Park neighbors say the conflict over the proposed restaurant started in 2010 when McDonald’s representatives canvassed the neighborhood asking for input on the project.

“They showed up and asked people which design they wanted,” Hauser said. “They weren’t asking if we wanted a McDonald’s – they were asking what did we want the one they were going to build to look like. We were stunned, and that’s when we all said, ‘Hold on! What’s happening here?’ ”

Neighbors gathered at community meetings to discuss the project and phone calls, letters and emails from neighbors and neighborhood groups started pouring into City Hall – including a 275-page petition with more than 1,700 signatures submitted by Healthy Development of Oak Park, a neighborhood group that organized to oppose the McDonald’s.

The problem, according to Oak Park neighbors, is bigger than the drive-thru, however.

Residents opposed to the project questioned pedestrian safety near the restaurant, the effect on the “walkability” of the neighborhood and concerns about less-nutritional items on the McDonald’s menu in their letters and emails to the city.

Hauser, a family medicine specialist at the UC Davis Med Center, said she has seen her patients struggle on a daily basis to make good, healthy choices in their lives, and a fast-food drive-thru encourages exactly the opposite.

“I want the active choice to be the easy choice for people because it’s the healthy choice,” Hauser said.

Members of Healthy Development of Oak Park are expected to attend the City Council meeting Tuesday to protect the proposed project, according to a Friday press release. Trujillo said she and Ritchey will also attend the meeting to speak in support of the project.

“As always, McDonald’s wants to be a good neighbor no matter where we are,” Ritchey said.

The City Council will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall, 931, I St.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Facebook and onTwitter @MelissaCorker.

Oak Park activists prepare for fight against McDonald’s drive-thru

2012-06-14T19:07:15Z

Doctors, teachers and neighbors gathered Wednesday to discuss a looming concern in the Oak Park community that will soon be discussed at the Sacramento City Council – a proposed McDonald’s restaurant with drive-thru between Second Avenue and Stockton Boulevard.

“We just want communities that are safe for ourselves and communities that are safe for my patients,” family physician and Second Avenue resident Charlene Hauser said. “Drive-thru fast food is completely unsafe.”

The proposed site location, currently a vacant lot, is across the street from the UC Davis Medical Center, which includes a cancer center and pediatric obesity clinic. On Tuesday, the Sacramento City Council will discuss the issue for the first time after two years of intense debate.

Wednesday’s meeting occurred a block from the proposed site, where 10 Oak Park residents, a Hiram Johnson high school student and a Med Center physician met in a Second Avenue house to finalize their presentation to City Hall. It was organized by Healthy Development for Oak Park, a neighborhood group that was formed in October 2010 to oppose the McDonald’s.

The vacant lot is on the same block as residential properties, and many have railed against it – more than 1,700 Oak Park community members have signed a petition opposing the McDonald’s drive-thru.

Retired teacher JoEllen Arnold, 62, has lived three blocks away from the proposed McDonald’s site. She said she opposes the drive-thru because of how she has seen the community improve.

“I’ve seen the neighborhood improve so much, and adding traffic and trash and less safety to the neighborhood would be a real downer for the neighborhood," she said.

Teacher Chris Johnson, 59, lives one block away from the proposed McDonald’s site. Johnson said that the issue started two years ago when McDonald’s conducted a survey asking residents to choose their favorite building design.

The drive-thru sparked the concerns of residents, which led to the formation of Healthy Development for Oak Park. The group conducted a survey within a half-mile radius of the proposed site location to collect signatures. Businesses owners and neighbors wrote opposition letters to the city.

The city Planning Commission heard a request from McDonald’s on April 12 and voted 6-1 against building the development.

The planning commission report stated that it did not align with the 2030 General Plan, which dictates building development and land use in the Sacramento region. The drive-thru design also clashed with the Oak Park Design Guidelines. The reported stated, among other things, that the layout was “not pedestrian-oriented” and insensitive to the transition between residential and commercial areas.

For UC Davis family physician James Moore, the issue is larger than building design: He is concerned with the fast-food restaurant’s proximity to the UC Davis Medical Center.

“I see several pediatric patients, which struggle with obesity, and often I’ll send those patients over to the pediatric obesity clinic across from the proposed site,” Moore said. “One of my biggest concerns is that I’m trying to convey an image of healthiness and right across the street is a McDonald’s where there is basically easy access to food that generally I wouldn’t recommend.”

Meeting attendees said they are concerned about safety, increased traffic congestion on a residential street, decreased property values, health implications and nuisances such as noise and car lights throughout the night.

In 2003, the city approved a mixed-use development lot that included ground-level retail, second- and third-floor office space, and a fourth floor of apartments in the proposed McDonald’s site. However, the project was canceled.

Some residents would prefer that the lot be used as a mixed-use property like in 2003 or property that encourages community interaction such as a wellness center, coffee shop or community garden instead of a drive-thru.

The Sacramento City Council will discuss the site location Tuesday at City Hall, 915 I St., at 6 p.m.

Winners and losers in this year’s Sacramento city budget

2012-06-13T18:48:50Z

The City Council passed its final budget Tuesday night by a vote of 8-1 on the heels of an unexpected announcement by City Manager John Shirey that tentative agreements had been reached with three city unions.

The agreements with Stationary Engineers International Union Local 39, Sacramento Area Firefighters Local 522 and Sacramento City Exempt Employee’s Association could reduce the city’s budget gap by nearly $8 million and prevent more than 100 layoffs.

The details of the agreements have not been released, but the main issue in contention between the city and the unions is the amount of money employees contribute toward their retirement funds, and it's likely the agreement has increased what the union members will be required to pay.

The final city budget includes $15.7 million in cuts, eliminates 285 of the city’s 4,077 staff positions and includes a budget amendment requiring labor unions to bring formal concession agreements to the City Manager by June 30 or accept layoffs.

That became the sticking point for Councilwoman Angelique Ashby, who said she thought the move was too hasty because it would prevent council members from participating in continued negotiations.

“I don’t like this strategy,” Ashby said before the vote. “I don’t like taking the council out of the game.”

Councilman Rob Fong wanted to move forward with the budget vote, he said, because the city manager, city staff and council members had done all they could.

“We already have a very tough and challenging economic environment, and we need to work together,” Fong said.

The city budget process was not as volatile this year as in previous years, when hundreds of residents attended each budget hearing to voice their concerns, but it did draw a small but passionate crowd of community members who made their cases for the programs most important to them.

Some decisions were left up in the air as the final budget vote was taken.

YET TO BE DETERMINED
Deferred layoffs: An amendment to the budget lets the city manager defer layoffs until July 31 for unions working to get the tentative labor agreements ratified by their memberships. So far, three labor unions have tentative agreements – but the Sacramento Police Officers Association is not one of them.

If the firefighters union members approve their tentative agreement with the city, it will prevent the layoff of 44 of the fire department’s 590 employees.

19 of the police department’s 536 officers will be laid off with Tuesday’s budget vote. The officers could get their jobs back if the Sacramento Police Officers Association and the city end up with an agreement that's approved by the union membership – but the two sides have yet to even enter formal negotiations.

Mark Gregersen, the city’s director of labor and workforce strategy, said “off-the-record discussions” have been going on for months between union reps and the city, but have not produced any results.

Craig Powell, president of political watchdog organization Eye on Sacramento, said the group that benefits most from the stalemate are the senior police officers and administrators.

“They get to keep their fat-cat salaries and pensions without paying anything into their retirement,” Powell said Tuesday. “The losers are the junior officers and their families, especially those who lose their jobs.”

But Dustin Smith, acting president for the police union, said he feels the union is making a good-faith effort.

“We’ve given about as much as we can as a department, and I don’t know what really there is that’s left,” Smith said.

Potential sales tax increase: City Council members are considering a sales tax increase to generate revenue, but they have said they will not put the measure on the ballot until labor concessions have been fully explored. The council only has until July 24 to make that happen – and it’s not certain the voters would approve a sales tax increase if the measure were to be on the November ballot.

Even with tentative union agreements, however, the budget approved by the City Council Tuesday has left some clear winners and losers.

WHO WON

The outcome of this year’s budget process could have been harsher for many residents were it not for bold public-private partnership moves and the powerful pleas of the underserved.

Swimmers and sunbathers: The city and the YMCA struck an agreement in May allowing the youth organization to operate the popular Southside Park pool during the summer and to offer swim lessons and aquatic exercise classes for community members.

Another six city pools were saved through the efforts of a city-wide campaign with Save Mart grocery stores that raised $1 million.

3,000 disabled teens and young adults who use the Access Leisure program: More than 30 teens, parents and community leaders spoke out against cuts to Access Leisure, which offers social and recreation opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities, and the council listened.

“It was a moving testimony,” Jim Combs, Department of Parks and Recreation director said Friday. “This has been a longtime program with this department; it serves an underserved population. The council was very sympathetic to that.”

The City Council voted to restore $150,000 of the program's regular $200,000 funding, which brings back most of the program’s offerings, but isn’t quite enough to maintain its popular summer camps.

16,000 low-income utility customers: A new rate assistance program will be introduced to reduce monthly utility bill increases by almost 90 percent for the city’s poorest customers.

The program will cost the city $1.13 million, but Shirey said that will be covered by the tax revenue generated by previously approved utility rate increases.

Homeless families and their advocates: The city’s winter shelter program will get $100,000 for an additional 50-70 motel vouchers for families and disabled people who use the program to keep warm and dry when they need it the most.

“This always comes up in the winter, and winter will definitely come again,” Shirey told the council. “I’m just recommending that we put it in the budget now so we don’t have to put in a mid-year adjustment later, like we did last year.”

WHO LOST

Stalled labor negotiations and deep spending cuts left the city’s 4,000 employees with nearly 250 fewer in their ranks and curtailed services for residents. Some of the “losers” from the budget include:

Community art lovers: More than $15,000 in cuts to the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission will result in a reduction of community arts education programs and community outreach.

Homeowners planning renovations and new business owners: $968,000 in cuts and nine staff layoffs in the city’s Community Development Department will slow the planning department application and review process.

History buffs and researchers: $14,000 in cuts and the layoff of a staff member in the Center for Sacramento History will result in slower service and delays in categorizing and providing accessible city records.

Residents: City-dwellers must live another year with reduced city services, increased utility rates and fewer public amenities to enjoy as Sacramento continues to struggle with a tough economy.

YOUR TAKE

In a budget with $15.7 million in cuts, our list of who wins and who loses is by no means all-inclusive. Here is the final budget document in full – let us know what cuts you think will be felt the deepest or where the city made the best moves.

FY2012-13 Proposed Budget

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Facebook and on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Editor's note: The next of the third paragraph has been clarified.

East Sacramento group vets proposed changes to ‘The Claw’

2012-06-12T12:29:59Z

Residents of many tree-lined streets in Sacramento are worried that a proposal to reduce the frequency of green waste pickup by “The Claw” will leave their neighborhoods overgrown and unkempt when leaves start falling in autumn.

The issue is the main subject of the East Sacramento Preservation Association meeting 7 p.m. Wednesday at Clunie Community Center, 601 Alhambra Blvd., and some residents have made their opinions clear.

“This is a joke!” wrote Sacramento resident Julie Neller on the organization’s Facebook page. “The claims of what good it will do (saving money and better for the environment) don’t justify the end result of what is really going to happen.”

Steve Harriman, integrated waste general manager for the city Department of General Services, told The Sacramento Press in May that changes to the program are necessary because it is an expensive and difficult system to operate.

“We are trying to create a system where every customer has the same service,” he said.

For more than 35 years, the city has included both containerized waste collection and loose-in-the-street yard waste collection via Sacramento’s motorized leaf-collecting machine – known as “The Claw,” – to keep city neighborhoods clean. Residents opt in to claw pickup service by paying a $13.71 premium on their monthly waste utility bill.

According to recent staff reports, the city green waste collection program currently serves 124,000 people, but “The Claw” service is only used by 12,000 subscribers.

Limiting loose-in-the-street pickup will require repealing Measure A, the 1977 voter-approved initiative that prevents the city from requiring residents to use containers. In June, the City Council will vote to determine if a repeal of Measure A will be added to the November 6 ballot.

“The real issue for me is the green waste,” Neller, 31, said Monday. “We have an enormous 60 year-old tree in the front yard that drops so many leaves in the fall that coming by every week isn’t even enough.”

Neller said the tree, like many others in her neighborhood, provides a shade canopy and helps keep her utility bills down in the summer.

Like many other Sacramentans who have come to rely on claw service, Neller is concerned that, without it, she will not be able to keep up with the large amount of work necessary to keep her yards maintained.

“If I can only use a bin, I’ll have to maybe trim just two bushes this week and then wait to do more the next couple of weeks,” Neller said.

City staff are holding town hall meetings at a variety of locations throughout the city to give residents a chance to voice their opinions on the issue, and have set up a website, cleanstreets.com, which includes a link to a survey for people to voice their opinions about the proposed changes to the waste pickup program.

“I know the city and county are broke, but I think there are other things the city could tighten their belt on instead of taking away this valuable service,” Neller said.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter @MelissaCorker.

City Council vote will determine if program for disabled teens is off the city budget chopping block

2012-06-11T20:46:03Z

A city program that serves 3,000 teens and young adults with disabilities that was slated for elimination due to budget cuts may be saved if the City Council approves the latest amended budget during its meeting on Tuesday.

The original budget proposal included more than $350,000 in cuts to the Department of Parks and Recreation that would have eliminated three full-time positions and eliminated the Access Leisure program, which provides social and fitness programs, special events and outings for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

The amended budget restores $125,000 in city funding to the program. Additionally, Access Leisure collects approximately $25,000 from program activity fees, according to a city staff report.

The cuts to the Access Leisure program are among numerous reductions to the city budget that the City Council is faced with, including the proposed elimination of 143 full-time city positions – among those, 45 police officers and 28 fire department positions.

About 30 people addressed the City Council on May 1 about the cuts, urging the council to restore funding. Among them was Brittany Willeford, a 22-year-old woman with an intellectual disability who said the program is an important part of her life.

"We wouldn’t have anywhere else to go for dancing, camping, going to the movies without Access Leisure,” Willeford told the City Council during the meeting. “It is important that we feel like a part of the community, and having Access Leisure lets us do that.”

The amended budget will be enough to restore the program to a 75 percent operating level, Department of Parks and Recreation Director Jim Combs told The Sacramento Press Friday. Social and recreation services, such as bowling, movie outings, field trips and dances, would be in place at that level, Combs said, but the program would no longer include the popular summer camps.

The budget change is partly due to a review of the city’s year-to-date revenue trends: According to the city staff report, the city has been bringing in enough revenue to allow the city manager to adjust the general fund to provide the program funding.

Combs said he believes the change of heart from the city manager’s office about the Access Leisure program comes from more than just an uptick in revenue – it is due in large part to the compelling testimony at City Council of the many people affected by the program's elimination.

“People were in tears in there,” he said. “It was a moving testimony. This has been a longtime program with this department; it serves an underserved population. The council was very sympathetic to that.”

Alan Tomiyama, recreation manager with the Department of Parks and Recreation, said Monday that he remains “cautiously optimistic” about how the council will vote Tuesday.

“The council clearly heard what the citizens were saying, and we are hopeful they will approve the budget recommendations put forward by the city manager,” Tomiyama said.

Joaquin McPeek, spokesman for Mayor Kevin Johnson, said that the mayor appreciated the outpouring of community support for Access Leisure – and the hard work and collaboration from the city manager's office and Department of Parks and Recreation.

"If Sacramento truly wants to be a city that works for everyone, we've got to find ways to maintain and improve the quality of life for all of its citizens," McPeek said in an email Monday. "Marshaling resources to restore this program does exactly that."

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter with The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Facebook, and on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Council members say no to sales tax increase without pension cuts

2012-06-08T18:52:14Z

City Council members discussed a proposed increase to the sales tax of one-quarter to one-half percent on Thursday – but said the measure won’t make it to the ballot unless the city and labor unions come to some agreement about pension cuts first.

“We need to demonstrate to our constituents that we have undergone pension reform,” City Councilman Rob Fong said. “It would not be responsible of us to go out and ask for more money from our citizens, if we’re not taking care of business on the cost side from a structural standpoint.”

Councilman Kevin McCarty said he agrees with Fong.

“Voters should go to the polls saying, ‘You’ve done everything on your end, Sacramento, before you asked me for more money,’ ” McCarty said.

Former mayoral candidate and city Parks and Recreation Commission Chairman Jonathan Rewers, who proposed the tax increase in May as a way to generate a revenue and restore city services, spoke in favor of the proposal.

“I am in agreement with the staff report that a general sales tax makes the most sense for voters,” Rewers told the council Thursday.

Mayor Kevin Johnson did not comment on the topic during the council meeting, but he told the Sacramento Bee in May that he would not be inclined to support a sales tax.

Rewers told the council that one concern with a general sales tax is not knowing how the money will be used, so any discussion of a tax increase should include a general spending plan for the revenue.

But at least one person in the audience had a different take on the idea.

“These things never come to the public,” local businessman Mac Worthy said after the council meeting. “We’re never invited to those discussions.”

Worthy opposed the suggestion of creating a preliminary spending plan as unrealistic because, with a July 24 deadline to get a measure on the November ballot, the city would not have time to allow public town hall meetings to fully vet it with voters.

According to the city staff report, a quarter-cent tax increase would potentially bring the city an additional $13.5 million in revenue. A half-percent increase would bring roughly $27 million.

State law allows cities to increase their individual tax rate by up to 2 percent over the state tax base – which is currently 7.25 percent – up to a maximum of 9.25 percent.

Sacramento’s current sales tax rate is 7.75 percent. That is the rate for all cities in Sacramento County except Galt which has a sales tax rate of 8.25 percent. In nearby Placer county, the sales tax rate is 7.25 percent, and in Yolo county sales tax rates range from 7.25 to 8.0 percent.

Other tax increases on the horizon include a half-cent sales tax increase being promoted at the state level by Gov. Jerry Brown’s office and a possible increase in transportation taxes – called “Measure A” – that is being vetted at the county level.

“I think this is an interesting idea, but I just don’t want the potential outcome of a possible Measure A (transportation) tax increase being hurt in any way,” said Sacramento resident Mike Barnbaum during public comment on the item.

The Measure A tax funds local roadway and transportation projects, and can be increased with voter approval.

In a recent Sacramento Press poll asking for readers’ opinion on the proposed sales tax increase, more than 56 percent of respondents said they would not vote for it and 27 percent said they would. Another 17 percent of respondents said their vote would depend on how the tax revenue was spent.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Facebook and on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

How Hansen rallied his base on election day in the District 4

2012-06-06T14:29:17Z

It wasn’t a victory speech that let Sacramento know Steve Hansen was the top vote-getter in the race for City Council District 4, it was a victory tweet – but what would you expect from a candidate whose campaign was propelled to success on a digital platform in a new-media world?

"We're done...for now. thank you," he tweeted.

Hansen finished the primary election Tuesday with 2,317 votes – 28.5 percent of the total.

He will have his work cut out for him in the runoff however, as he finished just 86 votes ahead of architect and political veteran Joe Yee who had 2,231 votes (27.5 percent). Phyllis Newton, meanwhile, received 1,798 (22.19 percent) and Terry Schanz finished with 1,213 votes (14.97 percent). The top Land Park candidates – Yee, Newton and Schanz – together tallied 5,242 votes, or 2,925 more than Hansen, the one candidate from the central city. If Yee can bring in Newton's and Schanz's supporters, he will have the advantage in November.

[Read the full break down on the county's election results page]

A lot can happen between now and then, and it would be wrong to count Hansen out. While Newton was the most prolific fundraiser in the race - bringing in $150,000, Hansen came in second with $130,000, according to the Sacramento News & Revew. Hansen has on his side an enthusiastic core of young supporters and volunteers (think Obama 08) and a web savvy campaign. Both factors were evident on election night.

On Tuesday his headquarters was a hive of activity, buzzing with the energy of nearly 70 volunteers who, in addition to making phone calls and going door to door, also utilized Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google Maps and texting.

Hansen’s volunteer corps was a kaleidoscope of people who represented a broad cross-section of Sacramento: from the student representative on the Sacramento City Unified School District board to the elderly funeral home director, the mid-30s law school graduate to the 10-year-old neighbor who helped by watching Hansen’s dog when he was out walking precincts.

All that new-media savvy appeared and volunteer enthusiasm paid off as election night poll results started pouring in and Hansen had earned a spot in the November runoff as one of the top two vote-getters in the District 4 race.

Earlier in the day, 62-year-old funeral director Howard Papworth sat on a sofa in the front room of Hansen’s Midtown Victorian home-turned campaign headquarters, making phone calls to voters, keeping notes and updating lists of Hansen supporters.

Papworth said he first got involved in politics during the 1960 election for John F. Kennedy, and he feels a similar “vibe” from the Hansen campaign.

“City Council needs a Steve Hansen – very badly,” Papworth said. “He’ll bring fresh ideas, which is what we need.”

While Papworth made calls from the living room, other volunteers scattered around the house and out onto the front porch worked on smartphones or laptops, posting to Facebook or Tweeting about campaign activities, or pouring over maps of the district.

Thomas Dodson, 35, is a tall, slender, serious-looking young professional and a social media consultant by trade. Dodson sat in a comfy-looking antique rocking chair in Hansen’s crowded den, uploading the latest video message from Hansen to Facebook. Dodson said it would be the third video of the day – but not the last.

“We are sharing the stories of what’s happening here,” Dodson said between Tweets and texts. “I want everyone to know what’s going on behind the scenes after they see him out on the street and knocking on doors.”

At 6 p.m., campaign volunteer Roy Westfall, 36, hurried out the door on his way to polling places to do some poll checking. He took with him lists of known Hansen supporters to compare against public lists at the polls that indicate which voters have already stopped by their polling places.

The data compiled by Westfall and other volunteers was funneled to Hansen’s lead campaign coordinator and longtime ally, Jameson Parker. The fit 23-year-old (who could articulate campaign data like a Jeopardy champion) stood in front of a 4-foot-by-6-foot wall chart with his iPhone in hand to receive minute-by-minute updates from the poll checkers.

“I’m looking for what precincts we need to spend a little more attention on,” Parker, 27, said as yet another text update buzzed his iPhone. “Where there is a low turnout, we focus our volunteers even more.”

The hallmark of Hansen’s campaign was his reliance on innovative technology and social media to reach out to voters.

That technology included an Internet platform created this year (and beta-tested by the Hansen campaign) called rally.org, which Hansen said was designed to use social media for fundraising and allowed him to connect directly with donors.

There was more to Hansen’s strategy than just a digital approach, though.

He also applied boots-on-the-ground tactics, such as voter list checking at polling places and sign waving at busy Midtown and downtown intersections to keep the attention of likely voters.

By the time the polls closed at 8 p.m., Hansen and his team had put in more than 12 hours of nonstop election day activity.

He was joined for the election party at Headhunters video bar on K Street by more than 150 well-wishers and supporters, including Alkali Flat Neighborhood Association President Luis Sumpter, City Councilman Jay Schenirer, West Sacramento Mayor Christopher Cabaldon and a large contingent of LGBT community leaders.

Upbeat tempo music played over the sound system as poll results were broadcast on eight large flatscreen TVs above the bar. The crowd reacted with increased chatter as ballot returns put Hansen in second place behind Yee – and then applause broke out when Hansen pulled ahead and held a scant 1 percent lead.

As the clock struck 11 p.m., nearly 86 percent of precincts had reported, and Hansen was the frontrunner with 136 votes separating him and Yee. It was clear Hansen made the cut and would compete with Yee in the runoff election in November.

The only thing left to do was Tweet.

Final vote count from the District 4 race:
                                Votes    Percent
Steve Hansen    2,317    28.59
Joseph Yee              2,231    27.53
Phyllis A. Newton    1,798     22.19
Terry Schanz           1,213     14.97
Michael Rehm            207       2.55
Neil Davidson             161       1.99
David A. Turturici        159       1.96

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Facebook and on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Editor's note: This article orginally stated that Steve Hansen is from Midtown. He is in fact from Alkali Flat. We regret the error. (Thanks to Sacramento Press user "Zen" for pointing it out.)

On the record: Johnson and Rewers talk to Sac Press

2012-06-05T15:41:11Z

In separate interviews Monday, Mayor Kevin Johnson and mayoral candidate Jonathan Rewers responded to questions from Sacramento residents during chats with The Sacramento Press. Topics ranged from how the city should handle park maintenance to how the candidates would improve bike safety on city streets.

Here are highlights of the interviews, edited to remove minor audio glitches.

The candidates answer a question from Trisha Hedah, executive director of the Sacramento Area Bicycle Advocates, about what they will do to increase funding for biking and walking.

The candidates respond to a question from a resident about how to protect the economic and cultural benefits of the Second Saturday Art Walk while mediating its downsides for residents.

Johnson and Rewers respond to a question from a resident about outsourcing park maintenance:

We’ll post more soon.

Where do City Council District 4 candidates stand on election day?

2012-06-05T07:36:30Z

On election day in Sacramento, candidates in the running for City Council seats are staying focused on the polls and counting votes. After months of campaigning, interviews, candidate forums and meet-and-greets, where do the candidates for District 4 stand now as voters start lining up to the polls?

David Turturici – The estate planning attorney from South Land Park said early in the race that he was running because he opposed – vehemently – Mayor Kevin Johnson’s arena plan. When the arena deal flatlined, Turturici’s campaign lost its basis, and Turturici lost steam. He didn’t lose his humor about it, however. When asked if he was going to suspend his campaign in May after blowing off a candidate forum, Turturici responded with tongue firmly in cheek.

“No, no,” he said. “I’m going to win. You'll see. I predict I will get 52 percent on June 5. There won’t even be a runoff.”

Michael Rehm – Local attorney Rehm’s low-key campaign included a live Internet show called “The Candidate at Eight,” where he sat in front of his webcam every weeknight at 8 p.m. to answer questions from District 4 residents. The first few shows gave him a chance to talk about raising revenue in the city by allowing naming rights on local buildings and pursuing the health industry to diversify the local economy.

Although a novel concept, the Internet show didn’t really take off – and neither did Rehm’s campaign. As the race wore on, Rehm said his shoestring budget and full-time criminal defense practice prevented him from “going all-out” to compete for the District 4 seat, and he doesn’t expect to be a top vote-getter in the primary.

Neil Davidson – Computer programmer Davidson said he joined the District 4 race after hearing Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum speak about the future of America. It “scared” him into “stepping up to the plate” to get involved in government, he said in January. It may not have been enough to fuel his fire to the finish line, however: Davidson’s quiet campaign peaked after four campaign forums and a few media interviews.

Davidson said he’s OK with that because, for him, the experience has been worth it.

“The best part has been that the things I wanted to talk about – medium-sized entertainment venues and Safe Ground – actually made it into print,” he said. “None of the other candidates really talked about those things, and now they are. I think that’s awesome.”

Terry Schanz – Self-described “hometown boy” Schanz has been hitting some high notes with his campaign for City Council, including endorsements from Sacramento Central Labor Council, Sacramento City Teachers Association and Sacramento County Young Democrats, and a smattering of bright orange yard signs throughout District 4. What Schanz doesn’t seem to have, however, is momentum to match his competitors who have a combination of money, experience and strong media presence.

If lawn signs and Internet buzz are any indications, he has failed to generate the same level of grassroots enthusiasm as the other candidates.

That said, Schanz’s campaign has been a direct-to-the-voters effort with walking neighborhoods and knocking on doors, but will that be enough to prevail?

Phyllis Newton – Newton has set the bar in the District 4 race for collecting endorsements and raising money: She’s backed by influential organizations like the Sacramento Metro Chamber and Sacramento Firefighters Local 522, she got The Sacramento Bee’s endorsement, and her campaign spending reached nearly $120,000 – not including more than $50,000 in independent expenditures made by supporters.

And, of course, there’s that ginormous billboard at the corner of 20th and J streets.

The attorney-turned-nonprofit organization director from Land Park has outpaced her opponents in many ways, but she’s ruffled some feathers along the way, especially in Midtown and central city neighborhoods where her message met resistance when the conversation turned to Second Saturday Art Walk and parking issues.

Steve Hansen – Social media powerhouse Hansen knows his way around Facebook and the Twittersphere: In one recent email blast, he told contacts that his team is “using new media to create a virtual ‘war room’ ” on election night.

Within hours of announcing his candidacy, Midtown resident Hansen made himself available via nearly every digital network, building an Internet presence that he and his campaign team backed up with almost-daily neighborhood walks and meet-and-greets with potential voters.

That kind of connectivity has helped Hansen get his name out in a big way, – but will all that digital media savvy translate outside of the Midtown and central city neighborhoods where Hansen’s fellow young professionals and hip urbanites call home?

As the only Midtown candidate in a wide field, Hansen will need to capture at least some support from the historically powerful Land Park voting block.

Joe Yee – Yee is the veteran of the group: His resume includes 19 years on the city planning commission and a stint as an interim council member back in 2000.

His experience has proven valuable on the campaign trail. When the Sacramento Old City Association asked about long-term efforts to preserve parts of the central city, Yee addressed their underlying concern: keeping the historic character of older neighborhoods intact. When the Land Park Community Association asked where to put a bridge over the Sacramento River, Yee said that points north of Sutterville Road suited him fine, which is exactly what concerned members of the audience wanted to hear.

Yee may have political chops, but that may not be ienough in a race where he’ll have to make up for for his lack of a strong web presence among a field of technology-adept competitors.

District 4 is one of two open seats in the primary without an incumbent in the race and a wide field of candidates eyeing the seat. With so many strong candidates, It appears likely the primary election will result in a runoff of the top two vote-getters in November – but the big question is, which two will it be? We should find out Tuesday night.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Land Park and Midtown – How will one candidate represent both?

2012-05-31T20:15:30Z

A new kind of tension may be ahead for Sacramento politics as two strong neighborhoods with vibrant histories are finally united into a single City Council district and, when the election dust settles, one council member will represent them both.

In Land Park, the streets are wide and quiet, the zoo and lush William Land Park have welcomed families for generations, and residents want a bridge to West Sacramento built farther up the river to keep the traffic out and preserve the peace and quiet of their neighborhood.

In Midtown, an eclectic mix of trendy restaurants and bars, art galleries, coffee houses and other small mom-and-pop businesses have helped attract a growing population of young professionals to the neighborhood, with its old Victorian homes and high-water bungalows on tree-lined streets.

Now, Land Park and Midtown, along with downtown and the smaller neighborhood of River Oaks, share a single City Council district, and seven candidates are vying to represent it. Residents of both Midtown and Land Park are worried that their neighborhoods will be secondary to the other in the new District 4.

That tension bubbled to the surface in the conversation about a recent Sacramento Press article on City Council candidate Phyllis Newton’s proposal to change the hours for the Second Saturday Art Walk.

“Why should Central City residents trust that Land Park resident Phyllis Newton will represent their interests when she appears to know very little about the Central City and its concerns?” Midtown resident Julie Murphy commented on the article.

Newton is one of the contenders for the City Council District 4 seat – a race that includes six candidates from Land Park and one from Midtown.

MIDTOWN
Midtown has been a part of the central city for more than a century. It all started here: The city was laid out in a dense, compact grid so people could move about easily in the days before cars, and businesses and homes were side by side.

Early city development was transportation-driven and boundary-driven, according to local historian William Burg. A new streetcar line in 1870 was key to the population shifts and, as streetcar lines extended beyond the city limits, people began moving away from the central city and started building up the suburbs.

When redevelopment was in full swing in the 1950s and ‘60s, downtown neighborhoods got demolished in favor of development projects. Around the same time and into the ‘70s, a younger, lower-income, creative community began to settle into the central city where rents were cheap. Midtown’s renaissance had begun – and it didn’t stop.

“In places where the arts and music and creativity flows, it reaches critical mass and becomes a place that people want to be a part of and want to get involved with,” Burg said.

Today’s Midtown is a hub of activity with specialty shops, yoga studios, bars and burger joints right along with homes, parks and urban gardens. Arts and entertainment thrive on the grid, and it has become a destination for suburbanites looking for something new and interesting to do.

Midtown has a lot going for it, but it also has issues that the new City Council representative will need to be sensitive to.

Hot-button issues for Midtown residents and businesses include:
- Historic preservation: making modern progress without sacrificing old character
- The arts: protecting and enhancing the arts community, recognizing the value that artists, musicians and performers add to Midtown
- Traffic issues: finding ways to accommodate commuters and visitors while preserving the walkability of residential areas
- Parking: developing a parking policy that is friendly to both the business community and residents
- Homelessness: easing the burden of a high concentration of homeless individuals in the central city
Sources: Julie Murphy, co-chair, Marshall School/New Era Park Neighborhood Association; Elizabeth Studebaker, executive director, Midtown Business Association; Alan LaFaso, president, Newton Booth Neighborhood Association. Are you a Midtown resident with an issue you want us to add to the list? Let us know in the conversation below the article.

LAND PARK
Land Park grew up as a result of people moving away from the central city.

Streetcars stopped running in Sacramento in 1947 in favor of the automobile, and the auto-centric growth of the city meant people needed larger lots for houses and garages, wider streets and more commuting routes.

Land Park is a designed neighborhood, Burg said, with a style defined by a lush park and tree-lined streets.

Despite being initially colonized by middle- and upper middle-class Sacramentans, Land Park is not without its contrasts: The combination of a well-to-do population, along with the not-so-wealthy from Depression-era housing projects New Helvetia and Seavy Circle, is as much a defining characteristic of Land Park as its sleepy cul-de-sacs and 80-year-old trees.

Now that the shape of District 4 has changed, the incoming council representative will need to be aware of the issues important to people in Land Park.

Hot-button issues for Land Park residents and businesses include:
- Preservation: maintain historic aesthetics of older neighborhoods
- Parks: more emphasis on park maintenance
- Cohesiveness: maintain connectivity to the central city
- Livability of neighborhoods: preserve the walkability of residential areas and provide protection from unnecessary traffic
- Consideration for small businesses: streamline processes and help business owners more easily navigate the city system
Sources: Luree Stetson, president, Upper Land Park Neighbors group; Teresa Rocha, executive director, Greater Broadway Partnership; Mark Abrahams, president, Land Park Community Association. Are you a Land Park resident with an issue you want us to add to the list? Let us know in the conversation below the article.

WHO WILL BE HEARD?
Land Park residents are known for being passionate and vocal about neighborhood issues and, from the first time district maps were drawn in 1971, Land Park was the majority stakeholder in City Council District 4.

At the other end of the spectrum, the central city has been politically fragmented for more than 30 years under the care of three council districts. Midtown’s civic voice was often muffled at best.

“The past fracture of being under three districts made central city issues fairly low on the list, and the perception was always that Midtown didn’t matter,” Murphy said.

“Land Park has an identity as a whole neighborhood, where the central city is emerging and experiencing a lot of change,” said Alan LaFaso, president of the Newton Booth Neighborhood Association, located in Midtown.

Midtown and River Oaks combined have the lion’s share of residents, (roughly 40,000 to Land Park’s 16,000) but Land Park has the majority of active registered voters and historically had a stronger electorate voice, LaFaso said.

Now, however, the new district boundaries have unified Midtown, and some see that as an opportunity to push Midtown’s struggles to the top of the list for the City Council by electing a representative with direct experience with those issues.

“A candidate has more working skills coming from this (Midtown) experience that would translate to handling issues throughout the district,” Murphy said. “It might not be so true the other way around.”

Sixteen-year Land Park resident Chris Morfas said he sees an opportunity in all of this to put Sacramento on the map – but it hinges on a focus on the central city.

"The crucial issue in District 4 is that the central city is now united within a single district,” Morfas said Wednesday. “Land Park already has lots of clout. Sacramento's one shot at greatness is to make the central city an attractive location for entrepreneurs, artists, politicians, writers, analysts, poets – all the people that give life to a place. There's room for affordable housing and families, too.”

For Morfas, more people, more housing, more businesses, enhanced river access and better street design in the central city could make all the difference for Sacramento.

Whether the new council member comes from Land Park or Midtown, he or she will need to come to the dais prepared for the new dynamic in the district that redistricting created.

“The challenge is going to be finding out what common ground really is for both areas,” Burg said. “Land Park is more residential in nature, and they may have difficulty understanding that the central city is not just a place for business. They need to realize people live there.”

The bottom line for both areas comes down to one common expectation, however.

“What each neighborhood should expect is to be heard and understood,” Land Park Community Association President Mark Abrahams said Friday.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Jared Goyette co-wrote this article.

Wanted: Your questions for Rewers and Johnson

2012-05-31T19:21:20Z

The primary election is right around the corner, and Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson and Jonathan Rewers each agreed to sit with The Sacramento Press for interviews, and we are opening the floor to questions from our readers.

This is your chance to ask the candidates about the issues that mean the most to you.

Questions can be submitted via Twitter with the hashtag #SPchat or posted in the conversation below this article. Questions should be brief and direct – and, in the interest of covering new ground, no arena or strong mayor questions, please.

Both interview will be conducted as live Google Hangouts: The mayor's interview occur on Monday from 11 - 11:30 a.m., followed by Rewers' interview at 11:45 a.m. Readers whose questions are selected will be invited to participate.

If you’d like to submit a video question to the mayor, you can either record it yourself and Tweet us the link, or have us record it for you by coming to the Sacramento Press office at 431 I St. on Friday anytime between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. If your question is selected, we’ll show it to the mayor during the interview on Monday.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Town hall meeting to address changes to city solid waste collection

2012-05-31T01:02:07Z

The city is asking residents to take part in a town hall meeting Thursday about significant changes to waste collection service and “The Claw,” which is no stranger during the autumn months, when the trees lining the streets drop bushels of leaves.

The meeting is primarily for Midtown and downtown residents, Integrated Waste General Manager Steve Harriman said Wednesday, and the conversation will center on the challenges those neighborhoods face with solid waste pickup.

“The central city has a large population density and lots of mixed-use (developments),” Harriman said. “Waste pickup in those areas affects parking and street sweeping schedules, among other things.”

Harriman said additional neighborhood meetings are being scheduled to specifically address other areas of the city as well.

Changes to the solid waste collection program being vetted by the city include reducing recycling pickup from a weekly schedule to a biweekly schedule, and eliminating the subscription-based “claw” pickup of loose-in-the-street yard waste in favor of a citywide containerized waste program.

“Right now, the claw is in operation year-round, but it serves a small number of customers,” Harriman said. “If we leave the program as it is, those small number of customers would see a huge rate increase. It would at least double, if not triple.”

Currently, the city offers every customer a choice between containerized waste collection and a subscription based claw pickup collection, Harriman said.

According to Harriman, the city serves 124,000 customers, and of those, only 12,000 subscribe to the loose-in-the-street yard waste pickup service with the claw.

“It’s a very expensive and difficult system to operate,” Harriman said. “We are trying to create a system where every customer has the same service.”

City Councilman Rob Fong and city staff will lead the discussion at the town hall meeting, and the public is encouraged to attend and participate, Harriman said.

The meeting will be held from 6 - 8 p.m. Thursday inside council chambers at City Hall, 931 I St.

City staff will be attending the following upcoming neighborhood meetings to share information about the proposed changes to the solid waste collection programs:

June 6 Hagginwood Community Association
June 6 Ben Ali Community Association
June 6 McKinley East Sacramento Neighborhood Association
June 7 Oak Park Neighborhood Association
June 13 Robla Community Action Committee
June 20 Land Park Community Association

More information about the proposed solid waste collection program changes, along with a feedback survey and a blog for the public to leave comments can be found on the city’s Cleaner Streets website.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Proposal to increase sales tax stirs debate; Mayor's campaign staffer calls proposal 'regressive'

2012-05-23T04:06:44Z

City Council members voiced support of a possible sales tax increase that could bring as much as $13.5 million to city coffers, but won’t act on it until after this year’s city budget is finalized. They mayor said he opposes the proposal, and his campaign manager called it "regressive."

The tax increase was recommended by Parks and Recreation Commission Chairman and mayoral candidate Jonathan Rewers in response to the results of a poll commissioned by the city that showed 71 percent of city voters would favor a sales tax increase to support city services, especially if the money is used to offset cuts to city police, fire and youth services.

“Despite what I think, a sales taxes seems to be something that the voters would be interested in,” Rewers told coucl members Tuesday. “It’s time we talk abour reinvesting in our services.”

The poll was conducted in April by a Santa Monica-based public opinion research firm, Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz and Associates, to gauge public support for potential revenue measures to restore city services.

The Sacramento Press reported on the poll results and Rewers' recommendation earlier Tuesday, and an intense debate among our readers quickly ensued.

Juliana West commented on The Sacramento Press Facebook page that she thinks funding city parks and park maintenance is important – important enough for a tax increase, which she believes will likely happen anyway.

“If it wasn't for our neighborhood cleanup group, I do not feel our park would even be clean enough to go to with my kids,” West said on the Facebook page. “It is something that needs to be done, is very important to me and, yes, I would be willing to spend an extra quarter percent to make sure our parks get taken care of.”

Mayor Kevin Johnson’s campaign manager, Steve Maviglio, also joined the debate below the Sacramento Press story, saying the sales tax is “the most regressive type of tax there is, hitting low-income families the hardest.”

Maviglio took particular objection to Rewers’ suggestion that, in addition to any tax measure, a companion measure should be on the ballot giving voters an opportunity to say how they would want the tax revenue spent. Maviglio said that Rewers was advocating “letting voters draw up the budget” and called the idea “another absurd proposal that sounds good on paper but makes little sense.”

“We elect city councillors and the Mayor to look at the city budget, assess the needs, and make the best determination of where our tax money should be spent,” Maviglio wrote.

Council members, however, seemed open to the idea of increasing the sales tax to help fund city services.

City Councilwoman Angelique Ashby said she agrees with Rewers.

“It sounds like people in Sacramento want to invest in themselves,” Ashby said. “We need to hear from people in the community about what they want, and we should be responsive to their answers.”

“I think this is important, and we need to find out what community members want, but we should be careful what we wish for,” Councilman Jay Schenirer said.

Councilman Kevin McCarty said people in his district are definitely interested in having a conversation about a sales tax increase – and they are likely to vote yes.

“It’s gratifying to know that the public is pretty educated on this and are not ideologically rigid on this tax issue,” Councilman Steve Cohn said. “They seem pretty pragmatic, as these surveys show.”

The council did not take any action on the poll results Tuesday, but members indicated they would take up the issue after the city budget is completed in June.

According to the city clerk, the deadline for the City Council to put a tax proposal on the November ballot is July 24.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Parks Commission chairman calls for sales tax increase; draws opposition

2012-05-22T21:29:38Z

The chairman of the city Parks and Recreation Commission is calling for a quarter-percent increase in sales tax to help fill the gap in the Department of Parks and Recreation budget – a move he says is supported by voters and would increase the city’s annual revenue by $13.5 million.

The money would go into the general fund, which currently faces a $15.7 million shortfall, and is the primary funding source for police, fire and parks services.

“We are at the point with parks where there is no more money, no more efficiencies to be had, and no crews left,” Parks and Recreation Commission Chairman and mayoral candidate Jonathan Rewers said Tuesday. “We are left to look at raising revenue.”

City Councilman Jay Schenirer said he would not immediately be sold on the idea of a tax increase, but he hasn’t ruled it out, either.

“I think there is a lot of discussion still to be had about what types of revenues can be raised and what they would go for,” Schenirer said Tuesday.

“Certainly parks and recreation has a high need, but across the board we have so many needs,” he added.

David Wolfe, legislative director for the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, said Tuesday that the idea of increasing sales tax comes at the wrong time.

“Obviously sales taxes are very regressive in that they harm every single individual in a community, and with unemployment in the county I believe still over 11 percent, this just isn’t the right time to pass this kind of exaction,” he said.

He added that California has the highest base sales tax in the country, so any local addition to that is a burden on the community.

“We need to continue to promote fiscal responsibility within our city governments and make sure they are spending within their means,” he said.

Rewers’ opponent, Mayor Kevin Johnson, is opposed to the idea.

"I'm not one to be inclined to think a tax is the best thing to do," he told the Sacramento Bee.

Rewers made his recommendation after the results of poll that sought to gauge public support for nine potential revenue measures to restore city services, including park maintenance, were released Tuesday.

The poll was commissioned by the city and conducted by a Santa Monica-based public opinion research firm, Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz and Associates, to gauge public support for nine potential revenue measures to restore city services, including park maintenance.

According to the result of the poll, only 60 percent of respondents were in favor of a property tax – not enough to pass a measure requiring a two-thirds vote, Rewers said.

The concept of a general sales tax increase garnered the highest support in the poll, with 71 percent of respondents in favor. With that in mind, Rewers said he wants the City Council to consider a quarter-percent general sales tax increase.

A general tax increase only requires 50 percent of the vote to pass, making it more likely to succeed in November than a property tax, which Rewers suggested as a revenue-generating option before the poll was released.

The current budget hole in the city general fund is $15.7 million, so a sales tax increase would not be enough to completely close the gap, meaning the city would still have to find ways to reduce spending, Rewers said.

Along with the sales tax increase, Rewers said he is recommending to the City Council a companion ballot measure to ask voters how they would like that $13.5 million spent.

“If we are going to the voters to ask for their money, we should also ask them how they want us to spend it,” Rewers said.

Schenirer said he would like to hear what people in the community feel about the idea. before coming to any conclusion about putting something on the November ballot.

Here is the poll in its entirety.

The Sacramento Press is working to update this article with more perspectives about the potential general sales tax increase to help fund parks and park maintenance. Let us know what you think in our reader poll and in the conversation below.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Council to consider utility bill assistance for poor

2012-05-21T19:09:38Z

Water and sewer rate increases will go into effect for Sacramento residents July 1, but before they do, the City Council will consider a plan to help low-income families pay steadily rising utility bills.

Department of Utilities staff will outline details of a subsidy program Tuesday that would reduce monthly utility bill increases by almost 90 percent for more than 16,000 low-income families in the city.

The projected water rate increase for a single-family home is $3.44 per month, and the proposed subsidy would credit a qualifying low-income household $3. For wastewater rates, the increase is projected to be $2.36, and the subsidy would be $2.

According to the staff report, revenue generated through the 11 percent general tax on utility rate revenues would be used to create and operate the assistance program.

The plan is in the early stages, however, and before any assistance program can begin, council members will have to consider the startup costs, how long they want the program to remain in place and what to do if the number of participants outpaces the subsidies available for the program.

The City Council will take up the item at 2 p.m. Tuesday during the first of two budget-related council meetings at City Hall.

Here is the Utilities Department staff report:

Utility Rate Assistance

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for THe Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

City Council candidates evaluated on friendliness to small business, food truck regulation

2012-05-18T17:37:05Z

With this year's extremely crowded playing field, it becomes increasingly important to examine Council candidates' positions on a variety of issues. Trade groups, meeting organizers, advocates and others can't do an analysis of every candidate's position on every important subject facing Sacramento, but we can zero in on on particular areas dear to our hearts. In this vein, SactoMoFo has put together this chart to illustrate candidates' support - or lack thereof - for food trucks, and what role they see restaurant owners taking in the regulation of their competition. A copy of the chart is embedded below, but the full version is eaiser to read and be found here.

Many people see support for these small entrepreneurs as a signifier of a larger issue: that of support for small, just-starting-out businesspeople over the public subsidy of the wealthy and of established, successful, large businesses. Whether that is justified or not, certainly a city councilmember who gives a disproportionate amount of attention to a restaurant owners' association that is run by and for a small group of wealthy restaurant group owners and their investors at the cost of attention to Sacramento's struggling local small business community is not something that a reasonable person could argue to be democratic or an appropriate use of public office.

At its core, we see this as a simple equation: if you support rich, established businesses taking a hand in the stifling of their competition, you must also support these new, struggling, yet more agile business models in having a hand in the regulation of their competition as well. That is, if a candidate or voter wishes to maintain a semblance of ideological consistency, they cannot support a small group of restaurant owners attempting to regulate food trucks (in a way that specifically violates the State Vehicle Code, which only allows local governments to regulate the trucks for purposes of public health and safety - things that are not served by enforcing short time limits, dusk curfews and similar arbitrary rules) without also supporting food truck owners' being involved in the regulation of restaurants.

A high-resolution version of this chart is also available.

Disclosure: SactoMoFo generated this chart as a public service to those interested in City Council candidates' dedication to small business and food trucks in particular.

POLL: Should Sacramento outsource city park maintenance?

2012-05-18T01:49:25Z

With the city poised to slash the parks department budget, park maintenance continues to fall short, and Sacramento Press readers are asking if the city should just outsource park maintenance altogether, while union leaders think it’s a bad ide, and a city park comissioner says its been tried before without success.

“The obvious question here is what is the cost if all park maintenance staff are laid off, and the services (are) outsourced to a non-union private contractor?” asked “Cogmeyer,” a frequent Sacramento Press commenter.

Craig Powell, president of the local political watchdog group Eye on Sacramento, agreed, saying that outsourcing park maintenance “has to be on the table.”

Powell referred to the city’s move to contract out golf course maintenance services last year – for a projected annual savings to the city of $500,000.

“Outsourcing basic park maintenance will save many times that amount,” Powell said in his comment.

Marcia Mooney, a representative for SEIU Local 39, the labor union that represents the city’s park maintenance workers, said outsourcing would be bad for city employees because they would not likely be rehired and, if they were, it would be to lower-paying jobs.

When the city contracted out golf course maintenance, Mooney said, it resulted in a single contract with one large company. For park maintenance, however, multiple smaller companies would be bidding for multiple contracts with the city.

“With multiple small contracts, there’s really no room for negotiating for contracting companies to hire the laid-off city employees as there was with the one contract for golf maintenance,” she said.

Parks Commission Chair Jonathan Rewers also commented on whether contracting out park maintenance is a viable solution.

“We have tried to outsource park maintenance in the past,” he wrote in his comment. “The problem is when you use contractors, you don't get the response time you need to (respond to) community concerns. With crews on dispatch to 311 and our supervisors, we can deal with issues as they come up in our park system – which they do every day.”

Rewers told council members Tuesday that the commission reviewed the proposed parks budget and commissioners felt there were “no options left” with regard to revenue or reductions.

When Parks and Recreation Director Jim Combs outlined the proposed 2012-13 parks budget for the City Council Tuesday, he noted $1.1 million in cuts and the elimination of 19 staff positions. Of that, $119,000 and two positions affect park maintenance.

Outsourcing, or “contracting out,” public services is not uncommon in local government, but it brings opposition from labor unions representing city employees who will be laid off in the process.

Outsourcing golf course maintenance services last year came at a cost of 58 city employee positions and $229,000 to pay for unused sick leave, vacation and overtime – required lump-sum payouts whenever staffers leave city service.

As city revenues have declined over the past four years, volunteer efforts to maintain city parks have fluctuated in various neighborhoods.

One Sacramento Press commenter used New York City as an example and said that volunteers stepping in to care for public parks is nothing new.

“City parks belong to us, the people of Sacramento, and not to some independent and impersonal entity we call 'the city,’ “ wrote “JWS.” “Therefore, we have a responsibility to take care of our parks.”

Sacramento Press contributor Isaac Gonzalez commented that the Tahoe Park Neighborhood Association’s Park Beautification Program that he manages has been successful since it started in 2010.

“I know that Sacramentans are good citizens,” Gonzalez wrote in his comment. “At each event, dozens of people come out to help make sure Tahoe Park remains a safe and clean place for families to come together.”

In Land Park, where one of the oldest and largest city parks is located, the volunteer effort started strong when budget cuts first had an impact, according to Powell. But the effort has dwindled, and continued volunteer work seems tentative.

“In William Land Park, we have seen the park maintenance crew reduced from 19 full-time park workers in 2005 to just three workers today, all of whom are over 60 and nearing retirement,” Powell said. “Despite monthly park cleanups by 50 to 90 volunteers of the Land Park Volunteer Corps, we can barely hold back the tide of mounting neglect.”

Rewers suggested to council members Tuesday that they consider a recent poll gauging public support for a possible tax measure to raise revenue for park maintenance. The council will discuss the results of that poll May 22.

What do you think? Should outsourcing park maintenance be an option for the city before further budget reductions to the parks department? Or are there other solutions that haven’t been discussed yet?

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Budget cuts whittle park maintenance to one-man crews

2012-05-16T05:58:02Z

The next time you go to a city park, bring your pruning shears and garden gloves: Park maintenance in the city is about to be dealt a $119,000 budget blow – leaving the department with one-man maintenance crews and increasing the burden on volunteers to pick up the slack.

“I’m not happy to say this, but we have inadequate resources and inadequate staffing,” Director Jim Combs told the City Council Tuesday.

Even with a department budget reduced by more than 60 percent and staffing reduced by 50 percent over the past five years, Combs said everyone in the department has done their best to keep city services afloat.

But it’s a losing battle, Combs said.

The city’s park services maintains more than 210 parks totaling more than 2,000 acres and, according to Combs, park maintenance has gone from a staff of 150 five years ago to a current staff of 70 including janitors, community center staff and park maintenance crews.

The proposed city budget calls for the elimination of two more full-time positions – staff members Combs said the department just can’t spare.

Jonathan Rewers, chair of the city Parks Commission, told council members Tuesday that the commission voted 8-2 last week to recommend the council reject the proposed Parks Department budget.

Rewers said the commission instead proposes the council look for reductions in other areas of the budget, and encourages employee unions to reconsider concessions that would make the proposed budget reductions to the parks department unnecessary.

Rewers also said the commission would like to see a November ballot initiative asking voters to approve a tax to raise revenue specifically for park maintenance.

The City Council did not take any action on the parks department budget at Tuesday’s meeting, but members will discuss the Parks Commission recommendations May 22.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for the Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Neighbors, YMCA work on bold plan to reopen Southside Park Pool, but will it work?

2012-05-16T00:34:05Z

Southside Park swimmers should know in the next week whether a bold new plan to reopen the Southside Park Pool succeeds – if it does, it will make for a cool summer for thousands of central city swimmers.

The plan hinges on a new partnership between the city of Sacramento and the Sacramento YMCA where the YMCA will operate the pool and provide staff and maintenance all year.

“If we can accomplish this, the Southside (Park) Pool will be open for business seven days a week,” City Councilman Rob Fong said. “It would be an amazing asset for the community again.”

The new plan includes swim lessons, an aquatics program and open swim times at the pool for families and kids who are out of school on summer break.

Denise Wunibald, a resident of Southside Park since 2001, said she used the Southside Park Pool regularly for lap swimming when it was open, and she misses those opportunities.

“It’s not just for me, though,” Wunibald said. “When I first heard about the pool closing, I started thinking about the neighborhood kids and how much they use the pool.”

Jay Lowden, executive director of the Sacramento YMCA, said the nonprofit organization will operate the pool, staff all programs and maintain the pool systems and water. Major mechanical issues will be cared for by the city.

Although it will be operated as an extension of the local YMCA, Lowden said pool-goers will not have to be members of the YMCA to use the pool.

The costs for the aquatics programs and swim lessons will not change from current YMCA pricing, Lowden said, but there will be an increase in open swim fees from $1 to $2 per person.

If Southside Park Pool reopens, it will be open for more hours, more days of the week and for a longer season than any other pool in the city, according to Southside Park Neighborhood Association member Catherine O’Brien.

“If necessity is the mother of invention, we’ve come to the point where this invention works,” Fong said. “I’ve taken the plan to our city manager, and I’m optimistic that we may be able to go forward.”

The idea was spearheaded by SPNA members when they realized their neighborhood pool wasn’t on the list of pools to be saved by the SaveMart grocery chain’s recent “Save Our Pools” campaign.

O’Brien said Friday that the Southside Park Pool has historically been the fourth most-used pool in the city, but it was left off the list of pools to be kept open because other pools across the city took priority.

The SaveMart campaign raised $1 million to keep six local pools open – the same ones that were open last year, O’Brien noted.

Despite serving more than 15,000 people when it was last open in 2010, Southside Park Pool wasn’t on that list.

O’Brien said she and some of her neighbors banded together as the SaveMart effort was getting under way and started working to get the Southside Park Pool open for this summer.

“We knew that the year before the city talked to the YMCA, and they were interested in partnering, but that discussion didn’t pan out,” O’Brien said.

According to Lowden, the timing of that discussion was too late in the season to be productive, and the idea was scrapped.

O’Brien contacted city Department of Parks and Recreation personnel and contacts at the YMCA in late March to start a new conversation about partnering with the nonprofit organization.

O’Brien, Lowden and Maddy Hoe, head of the aquatics program at the YMCA, worked with Jim Combs, head of the Department of Parks and Recreation, to structure a detailed plan and then presented their idea to Fong and other city officials.

“Our vision for the pool is to have vendors there, and to have umbrellas available for parents watching swim lessons, and possibly solar panels for heating the pool,” O’Brien said. “First, we need to get it reopened.”

Keeping the pool open for the summer will cost approximately $75,000, and the majority of that will be sustained by aquatics program and swim lesson fees.

There is a $25,000 gap in the proposed pool budget, however, and O’Brien and other neighborhood association members said they are working to find ways to close that gap before the plan gets scrapped again.

They are also calling on Fong, the current council representative for the Southside Park area, to work with City Manager John Shirey to find city funding to buoy the project.

Once program details are finalized, the following weeks would be spent hiring and training staff and lifeguards in time to open the pool at the beginning of June, Lowden said.

If the plan is approved, the Southside Park Pool, in Southside Park at Sixth and U streets, would be open at least four hours per day, seven days a week throughout the ~~year~~ summer, O’Brien said.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

NOTE: A correction was made to this article after it was published. The incorrect information has been struck out and replaced with the correct information.

Mayor Kevin Johnson skips forum, candidates don’t mind

2012-05-14T05:31:06Z

The candidates in the race for mayor didn’t pull any punches at a candidate forum Saturday at the County Administration Building, despite Mayor Kevin Johnson’s notable absence.

Leonard Padilla, Jonathan Rewers and write-in candidate Edgar Hilbert-Garcia took the stage Saturday to answer questions from a panel of political media experts, including Foon Rhee and Pia Lopez from The Sacramento Bee, and Cosmo Garvin from the Sacramento News & Review.

Johnson’s campaign manager told media in numerous interviews leading up to the forum that Johnson would not attend because the mayor faces “no viable candidates” in the race.

Padilla dismissed the comment as “ridiculous,” while Rewers suggested that Johnson did not attend because he could not articulate a plan for another four years in office.

Here’s a rundown of some of the main points each candidate made:

Padilla

Padilla wasted no time getting to the heart of the matter from his perspective: The mayor has wasted his four years in office chasing an arena dream.

“The arena deal appears to be dead now, and I’m here to make sure it stays dead,” said Padilla, well-known bounty hunter and five-time mayoral candidate.

“He essentially tried to get financing of the arena by practically bankrupting the city,” Padilla said. “If it was such a good financial risk, you’d have had multi-millionaires lining up three deep at the railyards, and I haven’t seen that.”

Padilla said Sacramento needs “another Wyatt Earp” to clean up the city and undo local corruption, in the way Earp did in Tombstone, Ariz.

“This may not be the OK Corral, but he did his job to clean things up, and we need that sort here,” Padilla said.

The candidates agreed that retaining police officers is important for public safety, but Padilla went a step further in suggesting that the city’s police department and the county’s sheriff’s departments should be combined to eliminate waste.

“Cut out duplication at the top, have one chief, and make them work together,” Padilla said. “It’ll cost less money, and you won’t be paying twice the people to do the same job.”

Rewers

For Rewers, it’s all about being able to make a solid case for where the city should be headed.

“I have a solid plan for the next four years, and I know how to get it done,” Rewers said.

The plan, which Rewers calls “Sacramento Ideas” is essentially his goals list in a single page, and covers such goals as promoting city efficiency to save $3.15 million and increasing public safety throughout the city.

Rewers said he has been waging a door-to-door campaign, trying to reach as many residents in person as he can to discuss his list of priorities for the city.

One of those priorities is boosting development and business in the city by reducing costs for developers and making it easier to do business here.

“Redevelopment as we know it may be gone, but it isn’t entirely dead,” Rewers said. “We have been too reliant on development, and I think we need to take another look at the fees we charge, especially on infill projects.”

Hilbert-Garcia

When it came to the candidates’ priorities for the city, Hilbert-Garcia, who recently qualified for the ballot as a write-in candidate, said simply, “jobs, safety, education and health.”

“The people are the most important thing in the city, and we need to be cared for,” he added.

HIlbert-Garcia said he has specific plans for achieving his goals for the city, but he wants to stay open-minded to listen to the needs of residents, too.

“I need to look into things more,” Hilbert-Garcia said when asked about a possible charter commission. “I think it is the people’s right to vote for what they want. I want to ask them if it is what they want first.”

Development at the railyards has been a high-profile topic recently, and Hilbert-Garcia said he would like to see some of the 240-acre space used to create more “green space” for residents.

“Sacramento has lovely weather, usually,” he said. “Sometimes too hot, sometimes too cold, but still lovely. We should make spaces for people to enjoy that. The railyards would be a good place for that.”

The forum was broadcast live on Metro Cable Channel 14 and will be rebroadcast every Sunday up to the election June 5.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Candidates prepare to face off in an all-races forum Saturday

2012-05-11T22:14:38Z

The candidates from all of the City Council district races, the mayoral race and two Board of Supervisors races will face off Saturday at a forum hosted by the League of Women Voters.

One notable exception: Mayor Kevin Johnson is not scheduled to appear.

According to Johnson’s campaign manager, Steve Maviglio, Johnson has “no need” to attend.

“Given the large number of events the mayor has attended over the past year, and since none of his opponents are waging a real campaign against him, he chose not to participate in this event,” Maviglio said Friday.

The news of Johnson’s planned absence came as no surprise to mayoral candidate Jonathan Rewers.

“He’s not even campaigning,” Rewers said Friday. “I think it just shows how important he thinks this election is. Perhaps he’s just a little overconfident.”

Rewers confirmed he will be participating in the forum Saturday, along with candidates Richard Jones and Leonard Padilla.

All of the candidates in each of the other races confirmed Friday they will attend Saturday’s forum.

This will be the first time the candidates in the City Council District 6 race, incumbent Kevin McCarty and opponent Mitch Netto, share a stage to talk about local issues.

It will also be the first time incumbent Bonnie Pannell and challenger Betty Williams, candidates running for City Council District 8, go head-to-head on the issues.

Here is the full schedule of the forum:

9 - 10:15 a.m. – City Council, District 2
10:30 - 11:45 a.m. – City Council, District 4

11:45 a.m. - noon – Lunch break

12:15 - 1 p.m. – Mayor
1:15 - 1:45 p.m. – City Council, District 6
2 - 2:30 p.m. – City Council, District 8
2:45 - 3:20 p.m. – Board of Supervisors, District 3
3:30 - 4 p.m. – Board of Supervisors, District 4
4:15 - 4:30 p.m. – Propositions presented by the league

The forum will be held in the County Board of Supervisors chambers at the County Administration Building, 700 I St. It will also be taped live by Metro Cable and will air on Metro Cable Channel 14.

The event will be moderated by a panel of local political media experts, including The Sacramento Press, but league representatives said Friday that there will not be any opportunity for candidates to field questions from the audience.

We want to know what you would ask the candidates if you had the chance. Tell us in the conversation below.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Foundation defaults on city loan – where’d the money go?

2012-05-10T22:32:32Z

City Council members are asking where more than $400,000 loaned to a nonprofit organization went after the organization defaulted on the loan.

Now that organization faces an audit and accusations that they used some of the money in ways that violated the loan agreement.

“We’re scraping together pennies to keep public safety and the most vital city services afloat,” City Councilwoman Angelique Ashby said Tuesday. “To lose money on something like this absolutely requires that we look into it more.”

The Sacramento Regional Sports Education Foundation borrowed the money to put on an outdoor track and field event that, according to preliminary budget documents, was expected to generate approximately $600,000 in revenue, enough to repay the loan.

The foundation’s estimates proved to be off by about $900,000, however, as the event, the World Masters Athletic Championships, actually lost $300,000.

Now the organization has declared itself unable to pay the loan, leaving Sacramento with a $400,000 hole that it can ill afford at a time when the city is facing a $15.7 million budget gap.

The foundation is overseen by the Sacramento Sports Commission, a joint city/county commission which is under the umbrella of the city’s Convention, Culture and Leisure Department. The city granted the loan to the foundation on the recommendation of the sports commission in March 2010.

The city contends that, in violation of the loan agreement, the foundation spent about $250,000 of money intended for the event on unrelated operations and other events, according to Barbara Bonebrake, director of the city’s Convention, Culture and Leisure Department.

The terms of the loan also required the loan proceeds to be segregated from operating accounts, but, Bonebrake said, that didn’t happen, making it even more difficult to determine precisely where the money was spent.

“It appears their operating revenues have been short for a couple of years, and at the end of the day the revenue was used to balance the operating budget,” Bonebrake said.

Sacramento Sports Commission Executive Director John McCasey disagrees.

“They cannot say that with certainty,” McCasey said. “We are confident the money was spent on the (WMA) event.”

McCasey did not dispute that the funds were not segregated, and attributed the problem to his organization’s lack of resources.

“We don’t have a big staff or a lot of behind-the-scenes administrative staff to support us,” he said. “It was just a clerical error.”

Ashby said that answer isn’t quite good enough for her, though.

“When I hear those comments, I want to know more,” she said. “I don’t think that is a reasonable response. It’s a good start, but it necessitates a deeper look.”

Last year was the first time the WMA Championships were held in California in more than 35 years, and the 12-day event attracted more than 10,000 visitors to Sacramento.

The event was free to attendees, so revenues were not dependent on ticket sales, but were based on registration and athlete spending, according to McCasey.

“That’s what fell short,” McCasey said. “Once they got here, they didn’t spend what we expected.”

But the event loss alone doesn’t explain the loan default, Bonebrake said, so the city has initiated a compliance audit of the foundation.

“As for the balance of the funds that were not available to pay back the city and the county, we still need to get down to the bottom of that,” she said.

The line-item budget documents that cover the period of spending for the WMA event were not immediately available, according to McCasey.

When asked whether it was a mistake to ask for the loan, McCasey declined to answer.

“That’s a stupid question,” he said. “I’m not going to go there.”

Bonebrake said the city anticipates the loan will be paid back, but they need more information to determine the best way to achieve repayment.

“They can pay it back through fundraising and other revenue sources they might have,” Bonebrake said. “Or, another way is for the city to reduce its annual funding to the organization to, in effect, pay itself back.”

Ashby said that, after seeing the results of the audit, if the city continues to provide any level of financial support to the commission, corrective action will have to be taken to prevent the situation from recurring.

“We have to make sure they learn from the mistake,” she said. “If, at the end of the audit, it appears to have been caused by negligence, we need to think about not contributing to this organization any further.”

The city’s compliance audit of the Sports Commission and the foundation is slated to begin as early as next week, Bonebrake said, and it should be complete by the end of August.

WMA Sports Commission Docs

Sacramento Press staffer Anil Sinha contributed to this story.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacrametno Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Arena, new restaurant discussed on ‘Insight’

2012-05-09T06:09:59Z

On Tuesday’s Capital Public Radio’s ‘Insight’ program, I discussed the lingering questions over the downtown arena effort and Chef Billy Zoellin’s new restaurant with host Beth Ruyak.

Despite the deal between the city of Sacramento and the Maloof family falling apart last month, there are still odds and ends to be tied up, and Assistant City Manager John Dangberg gave an update to the City Council on what the city learned from the process and possible future steps.

Opening May 20 is Bacon and Butter, a restaurant to be run by Chef Billy Zoellin, whose food was featured when the Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives” came to The Golden Bear, where he used to work.

The new restaurant will serve breakfast and lunch, and it will feature Zoellin’s take on home-style meals in a setting designed to feel like grandma’s kitchen.

Brandon Darnell is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow him on Twitter @Brandon_Darnell and Facebook.

Mayor: Arena ‘plan B’ on hold until after city budget is resolved

2012-05-09T01:42:03Z

Sports fans and arena enthusiasts will have to wait a little longer for word on any “plan B’ for an entertainment and sports complex in the railyards – at least until the new city budget is resolved.

“I was shooting for sometime in May, but it’s going to take a little longer,” Mayor Kevin Johnson told the media Tuesday.

The city spent nearly $690,000 in the past year on consultants and research in preparation for building a new arena in the downtown railyards.

When negotiations with the Maloof family, the Kings’ owners, collapsed, Johnson quickly set off in search of a viable ‘plan B’ – with or without the Maloofs.

Johnson continues to meet with Tim Lieweke, president of Anschutz Entertainment Group, the company that was set to operate the new arena, to “keep the door open,” he said.

“(Lieweke) believes in Sacramento, and he’s open to doing something good here,” Johnson said. “It’s going to take a few more weeks to get to the bottom of it to see what the economics of it really look like, and what the financing will look like and what the legal ramifications may or may not be.”

One of the legal ramifications facing the city is the possibility that if a new arena is built without the Maloofs, they might be released from liability on the loan they have with the city – currently about $70 million, Assistant City Manager John Dangberg told The Sacramento Press Monday.

“It poses a significant risk to the city in moving forward independently, but that needs further discussion and analysis,” he said.

Johnson said AEG could not make a commitment to building a new arena without an anchor tenant, which is one of the options Johnson and the city are exploring.

“What (AEG) did in Kansas City was an anomaly in a lot of respects,” Johnson said. “In terms of building a standalone arena, it’s something that is tough for them to do, but we’re still having discussions, and they are open to ongoing dialogue.”

Despite not having a backup plan at the ready for an arena, Johnson said the money spent on the project so far has not been wasted.

“With the intermodal and the parking and with the environmental work that needs to be done, that was a good investment for us,” Johnson said. “We didn’t get a return on every single dollar, but that’s the cost of doing business, and everyone understands that.”

Meanwhile, the city’s budget, including a $15 million shortfall, is the priority now, Johnson said.

“We want to resolve that and get it behind us get, then I think we can continue to work where we left off on plan B,” Johnson said.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Mayor Kevin Johnson: 'We have to find a way' to save rec programs for disabled teens in Sacramento

2012-05-08T22:19:04Z

When Brittany Willeford and more than 30 others appeared at City Hall last week to protest budget cuts to programs for disabled teens, they got the attention of Mayor Kevin Johnson and council members who hope the programs can be saved.

“We have to find a way and be creative,” Johnson said at a press conference Tuesday. “If there’s a way we can resurrect it, that’d be awesome for everybody.”

At stake are recreation and social programs that serve approximately 3,000 disabled teens and young adults each year through Access Leisure. The current program budget is $146,000, and that’s being cut from the 2012-13 budget, Program Director Annie Desalerno said Wednesday.

“I didn’t know a whole lot about that program until all of these people came out (to the council meeting),” Johnson said. “These are good, well-meaning people who don’t want a whole lot from the city.”

Willeford, an active participant in Access Leisure, told council members last week that the activities she enjoys through the programs give her a “place in the world” where she feels she is accepted despite her disabilities.

“I get to do normal things that other young adults get to do who don’t have a disability,” Willeford told the council. “I fit in thanks to Access Leisure.”

Johnson said Tuesday he thought the planned elimination of the program was due to a "revenue glitch” on the city’s part, and he's hopeful that City Manager John Shirey can find a way to prevent the program being cut.

City Councilman Jay Schenirer said he, too, would like the program to survive – but it may be a challenge to make it happen.

“These are tough times for everybody,” Schenirer said. “I’m hoping we can work with our employee groups so we can have money to do some of those things and not make the cuts we are talking about right now.”

Schenirer said he felt money saved through employee labor concessions is key to resolving funding shortfalls like the one Access Leisure is facing.

“Every dollar counts at this point,” Schenirer said.

Shirey was not immediately available for comment. Police union representatives were also not immediately available for comment.

The City Council will discuss a portion of the city budget at 6 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall as part of its regular meeting. This is the first in a series of public discussions about the proposed 2012-13 city budget.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Second Saturday: More than just an art walk, candidates say

2012-05-08T03:52:11Z

What started as an artist-centered event to draw attention to the work of local artists has evolved into something much different, but District 4 candidates still want to make sure the Second Saturday Art Walk reaches its full potential as a destination event.

“It’s become segmented,” candidate Phyllis Newton said Monday. “There are essentially two Second Saturdays – a family-oriented one in the early evening, and then, toward the later hours, it draws a different crowd.”

On the second Saturday of every month, local art galleries, restaurants and other small businesses open their doors to thousands of visitors who come for art exhibits, music, food and wine for the Second Saturday Art Walk.

The second-wave crowd brings certain challenges to the Midtown/downtown area, Newton said, including litter, graffiti, loud revelers disturbing residents and increased crime.

The candidates competing to represent City Council District 4 say those problems can be managed by adjusting the hours, collaborating with business organizations and increasing police presence downtown.

“We need to have regulations in place that do not quell the enthusiasm of the event, but that ensure everyone’s safety,” Newton said.

Newton’s primary suggestion is to adjust the hours of the event seasonally to allow for an earlier start and finish when the days are shorter, and longer hours when there is more daylight.

“We need to step back and evaluate where did we come from with this event, where are we now and where do we want to go with it,” Newton said.

Candidate Steve Hansen said he believes some of the larger issues are already being addressed.

“The Midtown Business Association is in the process of putting trash cans on J Street to mitigate litter problems, and neighborhood residents have been vocal about how to make sure pedestrians are safe,” Hansen said Monday.

The MBA ordered more than 20 trash cans earlier this month, and several have been installed, according to Elizabeth Studebaker, executive director of the MBA. The remainder of the trash cans should be installed over the next few months, she said.

Hansen said he would like to see Second Saturday return to the original intent of supporting artists and art galleries, plus retain the street performances and other creative activities that make it unique.

“We need to make sure that Second Saturday is really promoting the arts,” Hansen said. “The big picture is, it’s a great opportunity for people to get downtown. I would love to see Sacramento become an arts destination.”

Candidate Terry Schanz said he lived at the epicenter of the Second Saturday Art Walk for more than five years, and he has seen the positive effects on the city from the event.

“In general, Second Saturday is a wonderful celebration of the vibrant and diverse culture in our region,” Schanz said Monday. “It has grown and changed in wonderful ways.

“But we need to make sure that Sacramento doesn’t become a victim of its own success,” he added.

Schanz described the former Thursday Night Market that was once a popular music and food event on K Street, but was stopped by city officials in 1999 when the event outpaced the city’s ability to manage it.

“For some reason we weren’t able to handle that kind of growth,” Schanz said. “I think we can handle this (Second Saturday) growth, though.”

Schanz said he believes the city should partner with a local organizations to continue the success of Second Saturday while ensuring that the positives of the event outweigh the negatives.

Does the Second Saturday Art Walk still provide the benefits to local artists and galleries that it once did?

Candidate Neil Davidson said he believes it does, and he wants to see it continue.

But he doesn’t want more regulations, he said.

“I don’t see them making any difference, other than making it harder for the businesses down there,” Davidson said Monday. “That doesn’t help anyone.”

Candidates Joe Yee, David Turturici and Michael Rehm were not immediately available for comment.

All of the District 4 candidates will be participating in a candidate forum Saturday at the County Administration building, 700 I St., hosted by League of Women Voters of Greater Sacramento.

What ideas do you have for making the Second Saturday Art Walk better? Let us know in the conversation below.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Sacramento candidate forum: What would you ask the candidates?

2012-05-07T21:22:39Z

If you could ask the candidates for City Council anything – what would you want to know?

The race for City Council District 4 immediately caught fire when incumbent Rob Fong announced he wasn’t running for re-election, and now seven candidates are vying for the seat.

Some of the questions the candidates will likely face include, who gets dibs on neighborhood parking – businesses or residents? Where should much-needed bridges go – at Broadway, or Richards Boulevard? And what about The Claw? Can our tree-lined streets survive only three months of city pickup service?

In the mayoral race, three challengers stepped up to face incumbent Kevin Johnson, and all four will likely hear questions about getting more police officers on the streets and what to do about the gaping hole in the city budget.

What other hot topics should the candidates discuss?

The League of Women Voters of Sacramento County is co-sponsoring a candidate forum with Metro Cable TV, and The Sacramento Press will be one of the moderators.

Let us know what questions you’d like us to ask the candidates in the races for District 4 and mayor, then watch the forum live on Metro Cable channel 14, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Saturday.

These are the candidates for the office of mayor:

Kevin Johnson – incumbent, elected mayor in 2008
Jonathan Rewers – municipal finance manager and current chair of the Parks and Recreation Commission
Leonard Padilla – local bounty hunter
Richard Jones – insurance broker

Here is the list of candidates for District 4:

Phyllis Newton – Land Park attorney and Design Commission vice-chair
Steve Hansen – senior regional manager at a biotech company and a community activist
Joe Yee – architect and current chair of the Planning Commission
Terry Schanz – policy director for State Assemblyman Isadore Hall
Neil Davidson – computer programmer
Michael Rehm – criminal defense attorney
David Turturici – estate planning attorney

Let us know your question suggestions in the conversation below, email to melissa.corker@sacramentopress.com, or tweet your question to @MelissaCorker.

City plans to cut recreation program for people with disabilities

2012-05-07T03:53:54Z

With her dark brown hair bobbing at her shoulders as she walked, 22-year-old Brittnay Willeford stepped up to the podium at Tuesday’s City Council meeting, pushed her heavy-rimmed glasses up a bit, and began to read to the council a letter her grandmother needed to help her write.

Despite a reading level that barely tops fourth grade, Willeford came to City Council to talk about some of the things she enjoys most: bowling, skiing and racing down the zipline at Camp Grizzly Beach – activities she will miss out on if the city follows through with plans to cut funding to Access Leisure, a program offered through the Parks and Recreation department that provides sports, camping, social and fitness activities for children, teens and adults with disabilities.

“The camps that are put on by Access Leisure are the most important to me,” Willeford read from her letter during the meeting Tuesday. “All of my friends are there. It is important for me to have a place in the world where I feel like I fit in.”

In this year's budget, Access Lesiure recieved $146,000 from the city to fund social and fitness programs for teens and young adults with intellectual disabilities, programs which serve more than 3,000 people every year, according to Program Director Philip Sinclair. Those funds are scheduled to be eliminated from the city budget starting July 1, according to Program Supervisor Annie Desalerno.

Jenny Yarrow, Access Leisure program coordinator, said the budget reductions would “annihilate” the teen and young adult services.

“The entire department will be eliminated,” Yarrow said. “There aren’t any other opportunities for the people we serve like this. It’s really a shame.”

Willeford and her mother, Lori Bottega, were among the 30 people who spoke at Tuesday’s council meeting about the recreation programs for disabled people in Sacramento that are in danger of elimination with the proposed city budget.

“It’s an organization that sponsors 88 events a year on a meager budget,” concerned resident Patrick McCarthy told council members Tuesday. “We ask you to consider maintaining that budgetary item for time immemorial.”

McCarthy said he is a member of an organization that sponsors athletic events for disabled people with Access Leisure through the year – and he is the father of a developmentally disabled adult son who participates in Access Leisure activities.

The majority of public speakers at the meeting were people who rely on Access Leisure programs on a daily and weekly basis. Many shared personal experiences and pleaded with council members to keep the program active.

“I don’t know why you want to close Access Leisure,” Maria Facio, 33, said Tuesday. "It is my family. I love it. I need it to be open.”

Bottega told council members that Access Leisure has been a “life-saver ” for her daughter.

“She’s made lifelong friends through the program,” Bottega said. “There’s nowhere we can go without her knowing someone. She’ll be devastated if the program is ended.”

Yarrow said Access Leisure partners with many local businesses, such as charter bus companies, movie theaters and bowling alleys, to provide a variety of outings and events for participants.

“We’re not the only ones that lose with the cuts,” Yarrow said. “Those other businesses benefit from us too, and they’ll lose too.”

City Manager John Shirey introduced the proposed budget to council Tuesday. The council will take a closer look at the Parks and Recreation portion of the budget May 15.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Poll: Tax dollars spent on dead arena deal: Worth it?

2012-05-04T00:33:59Z

A report on the now-defunct downtown arena deal will likely be light on future prospects for the railyards site, unless City Council members press for more talk on it, Assistant City Manager John Dangberg said Monday.

Dangberg is scheduled to give an update on the arena process, including possible next steps for getting one built in the downtown railyards, at Tuesday’s City Council meeting.

The city spent approximately $690,000 on predevelopment costs, including travel expenses and consultant fees, since Sept. 27.

“This is a very large and complex project, and it is incumbent on all parties going into a project of this magnitude to do the appropriate due diligence,” Dangberg said, adding that a high-quality team of advisers and consultants was necessary to ensure that any deal wouldn’t leave the taxpayers on the hook.

According to city staff, there’s an upside to the money spent – the city was able to better understand how it could draw revenue from parking spaces downtown, and plans were drawn for the intermodal transit facility – which is scheduled to be built – that allow the arena to be in the railyards as well.

Analysis included in the agenda cites instances in both Indianapolis and Chicago where parking was either privatized or leased to fund development or fix budget gaps.

“Given that the city of Sacramento has few other assets that could produce this kind of large up-front payment through monetization,” staff said in the council agenda, “such funds should be used for a key project that will stimulate economic development and yield future returns for the city.”

Currently, the city faces a multimillion-dollar budget gap that threatens about 280 staff positions and city services.

Editor's note: This is an updated version of an article originally posted on May 3, with added information from Dangberg.

Brandon Darnell is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow him on Twitter @Brandon_Darnell.

Business, arts, historic preservation: Key topics for District 4

2012-05-02T04:46:43Z

Six of the seven candidates for council District 4 discussed the role of business and the value of art to the central city at a forum hosted by four business organizations Monday.

The candidates – Steve Hansen, Phyllis Newton, Joe Yee, Michael Rehm, Terry Schanz and Neil Davidson – took the stage at the Cosmopolitan Cabaret Theatre on K Street Monday to answer a slew of questions about issues facing Sacramento’s recently reshaped District 4.

Wendy Hoyt, local businesswoman and former president of the Downtown Sacramento Partnership, moderated the forum.

Hoyt noted that the central city is made up of variety of businesses and asked how the candidates would handle potential conflicts between residents and businesses.

“It should be okay to use the general plan to encourage mixed use as a way to mitigate some of the challenges of having a vibrant downtown,” Schanz said.

Davidson agreed, saying, “There are people who want different things out of the central city. We’re not going to always get it right every time, but we keep working to get what we need.”

Another question to the candidates centered on the arts and what the city can do to increase its creative culture.

Hansen said he believes the city needs to diversify its arts economy by empowering the arts community to thrive.

On the subject of the arts, Newton said she believes they’re important – but it comes down to money.

“When we want things like art that add to the quality of our lives, it is essential that we generate the revenues that allow us to have those things,” Newton said.

She added that she believes the Second Saturday Art Walk no longer provides the benefits to local artists and galleries that it once did.

Another issue on the table at the forum was the role of city government in regulating small businesses.

Rehm suggested a tax incentive from the city to encourage small businesses to open – and making it easier to apply for and receive licenses and permits to do business in Sacramento.

“It’s already difficult enough for a small business to start up without the red tape from the government,” Rehm said.

When historic preservation was discussed, all of the candidates were in agreement that the city’s history and landmarks are part of the core and character of Sacramento – and preserving them should be a priority for the City Council.

“Preservation takes political will,” Yee said. “It takes perseverance on our part.”

At one point in the forum, candidates were asked to describe – in just one word – what kind of City Council member they would be if they were elected.

Answers included “pragmatic” (Newton), “accessible” (Yee), “detailed” (Davidson), “everywhere” (Hansen), “authentic” (Schanz) and – to the surprise of the audience – “amazing” (Rehm).

The candidates will meet again at a forum hosted by the League of Women Voters May 12 at the Sacramento County Administration Building, 700 I St.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacrametno Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

At odds with Pannell, Mayor gets behind Williams in D8

2012-05-01T22:59:25Z

Mayor Kevin Johnson and City Councilwoman Bonnie Pannell haven’t always seen eye to eye – one of the factors in his decision to support opponent Betty Williams in the race for Pannell’s District 8 council seat.

“I want to work with people who are open to a vision and an agenda to move the city forward,” Johnson said at his weekly press conference Tuesday. “If somebody has an agenda that is clearly just to vote in a different way, or if the mayor comes up with an idea and people are just going to automatically say ‘no,’ I don’t feel that’s in the best interests of the city.”

Johnson – who said he supports Williams because of her history of community activism – and Pannell have been on opposite sides of a number of issues in the past four years.

Redistricting and laying off police and fire personnel were two that Johnson called “critical” to him.

But Pannell, who has represented City Council District 8 since 1999, disagrees with Johnson’s perspective of their relationship on the council.

“I’m not sure what his issue is,” Pannell said, noting that she has supported every downtown development and infill project.

“He wants me to vote with him on everything? No. He has his opinion. I have mine,” she added.

When the city went through the redistricting process last year, council discussions were intense as battle lines were drawn among council members.

One sticking point was the boundary between districts 5 and 6 and a question of which district would take “ownership” of the UC Davis Medical Center located on the border of both districts.

The community was divided – and so was the city council. At the final vote, Pannell and Johnson were on opposite sides of the count.

“For the life of me, I still can’t figure out why certain (council) members did not support the redistricting that the community asked for,” Johnson said.

Pannell defended her redistricting vote, saying, “the Med Center is still right where it always was.”

She also defended a vote to lay off 80 police officers during the last budget cycle.

“Police and fire want all the money the city has,” she said. “I’m paying my pension. We were asking them to do the same thing: Pay your pension so no one would have to be laid off.”

Johnson did not address the strong mayor initiative in his press statement – but Pannell said she sees it as key to understanding the mayor’s support of her opponent.

Pannell was vocal in her opposition to Johnson’s proposal to change the city charter and enhance some of the powers of the mayor’s office.

Williams, on the other hand, has expressed her support of the initiative.

“It all comes down to strong mayor,” Pannell said. “He (Johnson) moves Williams into this district and says ‘she’s the one’ because he has her support.”

Pannell and Williams are the only two candidates vying for the District 8 council seat in the June 5 primary election.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

District 4 candidates address business, neighborhood issues at forum Monday

2012-04-30T20:37:41Z

City Council District 4 candidates will discuss business, neighborhood issues and the value of the arts at a forum hosted by four central city organizations on Monday.

Moderator Wendy Hoyt, former president of the Downtown Sacramento Partnership, will moderate the forum on behalf of the DSP and the other co-hosting organizations: the Greater Broadway Partnership, Old Sacramento Business Association and Midtown Business Association.

“There will be no arena questions, I can tell you that,” Kevin Greene, policy manager for DSP, said Monday. “This forum will be different than the others. ”

District 4 candidates participated in two previous forums where the proposed entertainment and sports complex was the hot topic of the evening.

Now that the arena deal between the city and the Sacramento Kings owners is over, Greene said Monday’s forum will have a different focus.

“We’re looking at economic development and where the candidates are going to differentiate themselves (from one another),” Greene said, “especially in light of the loss of redevelopment agencies and proposed budget cuts.”

Representatives of the host organizations compiled the questions, Green said, adding that members of neighborhood associations within the district helped come up with them.

“I’m really interested in what the candidates have to say about the central city specifically,” Luis Sumpter, president of the Alkali Flat Neighborhood Association, said Monday.

The recent redistricting process changed the shape of District 4 considerably, Sumpter said, putting the central city into one district instead of three, as it has been for decades.

“I want to hear about issues like homelessness, vandalism, theft and graffiti in central city neighborhoods,” Sumpter said.

Most of the candidates reside in Land Park or South Land Park – neighborhoods that don’t see much of those issues, Sumpter said.

“It’s not that I don’t think (the Land Park) candidates won’t be sensitive to those things,” Sumpter said. “I just want to hear their views.”

Other topics on the night’s agenda include the value of small business and the value of the arts community, Greene said.

The event will be at the Cosmopolitan Cabaret Theater, 1000 K St. Doors open at 5 p.m., and the discussion begins at 5:30 p.m.

District 4 candidates include Phyllis Newton, Steve Hansen, Joe Yee, Terry Schanz, David Turturici, Michael Rehm and Neil Davidson.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Small details could have big impact in Sacramento budget debate

2012-04-30T04:44:02Z

With the introduction of the city budget to the City Council Tuesday, the specter of layoffs and the city’s negotiations with unions over pension plans will take center stage for the next few months – but some important fiscal nuggets could get overlooked.

For example, of the 286 city employees expected to be laid off with the proposed budget, 11 of those are in the Community Development Department – which is responsible for building permits and inspections, code compliance, and long-range planning for development projects.

Additional layoffs are slated for the Public Works department (which includes transportation and parking services) and the Parks and Recreation department.

What will this mean for city services? Will wait times for building permits increase? Will it take longer to get a parking ticket resolved? Which recreation programs at local parks will need to be reduced – or eliminated altogether? These all questions The Sacramento Press will be pursing during our budget coverage.

Mayor Kevin Johnson said at his press conference Tuesday that he and the City Council want Sacramento to remain a full-service city, despite any necessary budget cuts.

However, with about 280 fewer city staffers to serve Sacramentans, the potential for a decline in service is strong.

In addition to layoffs, the proposed budget includes numerous cuts in funding, including:
* $100,000 from the mayor and City Council budget
* $37 million from the utilities department
* $213,000 from community center budgets
* $358,000 from access leisure programs – sports and recreation activities for disabled people

The Department of Utilities provides and maintains water, wastewater, and storm drainage services and facilities for the city.

Despite an estimated $10.3 million in anticipated revenue increases from rate adjustments, the proposed budget still shows nearly $37 million in cuts to the department overall.

This includes – again – personnel layoffs, which according to the budget document “will create an increase in hold times for customer calls, as well as delays in updating legal owner information and close-out of customer accounts.”

As the new city budget debate continues to unfold, The Sacramento Press will cover all the ins and outs of the debate over the city’s finances. You can help us. The city posted the budget HERE.

What questions would you like to see answered? Let us know in the conversation below.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

District 2 Council Candidates talk budget cuts

2012-04-30T02:57:20Z

The District 2 City Council candidates gathered at the Sacramento Urban League over the weekend where they faced a new topic of discussion.

And it wasn’t the death of the arena deal.

Last Thursday, the City released its proposed 2012-2013 budget. The proposed budget eliminates 286 jobs, many of which are public safety positions.

That didn’t sit well with the candidates.

“No I don’t support those (cuts)” said candidate and former city councilmember Rob Kerth when asked about the cuts to public safety. “Those are fundamental city services.”

“No, I do not support the budget cuts to cut police and fire services,” said Kim Mack. “One life is lost, one home is lost; they (the cuts) are not worth it.”

Sondra Betancourt, who went before City Council last year speaking against cuts to public safety, called this budget’s proposed reductions to police and fire services “absolutely unacceptable”.

“I can tell you there are many, many employees of the police department who are now unemployed - have been for over a year” said Betancourt. “Not acceptable”.

Some candidates acknowledged the need for the City of Sacramento and its labor groups to find common ground when it comes to concessions.

“Our unions are going to have to take some concessions,” said Jason Sample. “They already have.”

Kerth acknowledged police and fire for getting involved and being willing to reach some compromise.

“They know times are tough,” said Kerth.

Allen Warren reiterated the need for employees to pay into their pensions.

“Some of our pensionees don’t pay into their pensions at all” said Warren. “Now I know I have to pay into my pension and most people have to pay into their pensions.”

“I believe that all of the unions need to pay their fair share or the pensionees need to pay their fair share into the unions, and I believe that leadership is about that.”

Some candidates had more creative ways to fill the budget shortfalls.

“There are city buildings that are half-occupied,” said Mack. “Let’s consolidate, let’s close ‘em down; we don’t need to heat a whole building when we’re only using half of it. So let’s bring ‘em all into one building and the buildings that we don’t need any more let’s discuss whether it’s more profitable for leasing or selling and bring some money into the budgets that way.”

Said Betancourt: “ I will go in and look at the span of control of managers and supervisors within the city government and I believe we need to expand the control for them and reduce possibly the numbers of managers and supervisory positions to trim the budget.”

Misty Yaj reserved comment regarding the budget, acknowledging she needed more research.

The city’s three largest labor groups have endorsed candidates in this race: the Sacramento Police Officers Association has endorsed Kim Mack; Sacramento Area Firefighters Local 522 has endorsed Rob Kerth; and Stationary Engineers Local 39 has endorsed Jason Sample.

The forum was moderated by Grantland Johnson, a Del Paso Heights native and individual of many achievements, and KCRA 3’s Danielle Leigh. It was sponsored by the African American Leadership Coalition of Sacramento and the North Sacramento Voter Education Project.

Mayor, Maloofs call it quits on arena talks

2012-04-27T21:24:58Z

After two days of intense private negotiations, Mayor Kevin Johnson announced Friday that there will be no deal between the city and the Maloofs for a new arena.

Citing irreconcilable differences, Johnson said all negotiations with the Sacramento Kings team owners are over and no further discussions are planned.

Kings spokesman Eric Rose confirmed in an email statement Friday that they could not reach an agreement with the city.

“We know this door is closed,” Johnson said at a press conference Friday, “but, as mayor, I’m going to do all I can to keep an NBA team in town.”

Here is how the story unfolded Friday morning in the Twittersphere:

View the story "Twitter feed from mayor's announcement of failed arena deal" on Storify

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacrametno Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.