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 s

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

When residents in District 2 met with City Council candidates Wednesday night, they had more on their minds than an arena – they wanted to know which of the candidates could “walk the walk” for clean streets, healthy kids and safe neighborhoods. “We need a City Council person who is going to stand up and fight for (District) 2,” said Robla School District School Board Member Velma Strong. “We need new development. We need grocery stores. We need restaurants. When we build something in our area, it should put our people to work. What are you going to do?” Strong asked the candidates. Strong was one of nearly 50 people who attended the forum hosted by the Robla Community Association – one

Misty Yaj said she is tired of District 2 being ignored by City Hall, so she joined the race to fill the City Council seat that incumbent Sandy Sheedy will be vacating after 12 years in office. “There are a lot of vandalized homes and vacant properties (in the district), and businesses here are few,” Yaj said. “I want to change that.” Yaj said the city has spent too much time on the proposed entertainment and sports complex project and not enough time finding ways to invest in the areas outside the downtown core. “When I talk to people (in the district), no one asks me about the arena. Not here – that’s for the downtown, not for (DIstrict 2),” Yaj said. Yaj, 42, owns a small business i

The Sacramento City Clerk’s Office released the final ballot list of candidates for the June City Council elections Thursday, showing crowded fields for the District 2 and 4 races – and some expected candidates not appearing on the final ballot. Mayor Kevin Johnson will face three contenders in the race for his seat: bounty hunter Leonard Padilla, insurance broker Richard Jones, and Parks and Recreation Commission member Jonathan Rewers. Padilla has run for mayor four times before, most recently in the 2008 race against then-Mayor Heather Fargo and Johnson. Two candidates who filed for candidacy in the mayoral race – Edgar Hilbert-Garcia and Andrew Lewis – did not qualify for the ballot

Community activist and local pastor Jason Sample announced his candidacy Feb. 24 for the City Council District 2 seat, and he received the endorsement of incumbent Sandy Sheedy at his announcement event. "I take my endorsement very seriously, and what better person to give it to than Jason Sample who cares and has done so much for our community?” Sheedy said in a press release. Sheedy announced in January that she will not seek re-election to the council seat she has held for 12 years Sample, 35, is a senior pastor of True Life Ministries Worship Center in Del Paso Heights, and his wife, Yanette, is a social worker. “We have a lot of interesting conversations at home about the conditio

Former Midtown Business Association Executive Director Rob Kerth is running for City Council District 2 – a position he held from 1992-2000 – and, for him, enthusiasm is the key to getting things done. Kerth, 53, is a third-generation Sacramentan – his family has lived in Sacramento for more than 90 years – and his record of community involvement includes eight years as a representative on the Sacramento Area Council of Governments and being the current president of the North Sacramento Chamber of Commerce. Kerth and his family have owned Iceland, an ice skating rink in North Sacramento, for more than 50 years. When arsonists destroyed the rink in 2010, more than 700 volunteers came toge

The June election is more than three months away, but one City Council candidate is already being accused of breaking election rules. According to the city elections code, campaign signs cannot be put up until 90 days before the election – which for the upcoming June election would be March 9. City Council District 2 candidate Allen Wayne Warren’s signs were on display in the windows of a building on the 2300 block of Del Paso Boulevard Friday afternoon. Sources say the campaign signs have been in the windows of the building since at least Jan. 20 – shortly after he officially announced his candidacy. The building is home to his campaign headquarters office. According to city spokesma

On the eve of discussion about her goal of putting arena financing to a public vote, City Councilwoman Sandy Sheedy announced that she will not be running for re-election to her District 2 council seat in June. “After careful consideration, I have decided not to seek another term on the Sacramento City Council,” Sheedy said in a prepared statement Monday. Sheedy cited 28 years of public service between herself and her husband, Ted, a former county supervisor, adding, “We feel it’s time to call it a day so we can spend more time with our family.” Sheedy would have faced at least four other candidates for her council seat in the upcoming election, including former Obama campaign organizer

Community leader and former human resources manager Sondra Betancourt joined the race for City Council District 2 this week, ready to face a growing field of competitors including business leader and former City Councilman Rob Kerth and incumbent Sandy Sheedy. Betancourt, a second-generation Sacramentan, said she remembers when the north area of the city was vibrant with many active businesses, churches, schools and neighborhood associations. It is something Betancourt said she would like to see revived not just in her district but throughout the city. “I see the big picture for the city,” Betancourt, 59, said Monday. “We need to grow and be inviting to businesses, but it has to be smart