In a sign that the opposing camp to the “strong mayor” initiative has significant union support, three local union leaders turned out for a Tuesday press conference to support a new lawsuit against the initiative.  The group SAVE Sacramento, which is chaired by local union leader Matt Kelly, is publicizing a lawsuit that aims to take the strong mayor initiative off the June 2010 ballot.   The plaintiff in the lawsuit is Bill Camp, the executive secretary of the Sacramento Central Labor Counci... KathleenHaley Marion Millin comment-18638 2009-12-03T19:31:32Z 2009-12-03T19:31:32Z No whacking. No reading. No point. Marion Millin 2009-12-03T19:31:32Z Stella M. comment-18632 2009-12-03T17:30:08Z 2009-12-03T17:30:08Z I'll leave the whacking to you, Marion. But you have to admit, it was refreshing to see Jim respond to a question without even once using the words "fascist" or "moron." Stella M. 2009-12-03T17:30:08Z Marion Millin comment-18617 2009-12-03T06:49:27Z 2009-12-03T06:49:27Z For many Sacramentans, the vote fo "supoort KJ" was never an endorsement, but a vote against the incumbent. Even if Fargo had been as awful a mayor as KJ aspires to be, the inexperience and temperment that Johnson displayed during the televised debates, ought to have been enough clue for voters to retain the candidate who was qualifited to do the job. Not a wannabe whose first task is to rewrite his own job description, from a member of representative government to a Unitary Executive. Marion Millin 2009-12-03T06:49:27Z Marion Millin comment-18615 2009-12-03T06:41:05Z 2009-12-03T06:41:05Z "That was a really civilized answer, Jim. Thank you." Yes, Stella and when he's bad just whack him on the nose with a newspaper. After so much pissing in the corners and chewing up the furnishtings, congratulations to you for bothering to read his barking, Marion Millin 2009-12-03T06:41:05Z Rhonda Erwin comment-18610 2009-12-03T06:01:14Z 2009-12-03T06:01:14Z bbbbmer- thanks I hadn't thought of the fact Cohn is up for a new term and important endorsements do hang in the balance.... Cohn is not stupid and I agree he's smart enough to detect a sinking ship, heck I surely wouldn't go out on a limb for someone who I KNOW in my heart would not return the favor or go out on a limb for me. KJ would not go out on a limb for ANY of the councilmembers and would throw them under a bus as quick as he could push them out the way for someone in his personal (hired or volunteer waiting to be hired) camp. Surely Cohn knows this and I can't see him jeapordizing his career, he appears comfortable in wanting to be a counselman, to go out on a limb for Johnson. Sacramento politics appears to be every man for himself and not a united front..... and we have a mayor creating further division and further separating the city charter (and he wants more power???) gheez Rhonda Erwin 2009-12-03T06:01:14Z bbbbmer comment-18608 2009-12-03T04:41:08Z 2009-12-03T04:41:08Z KJ's former supporters are dropping like flies. I predict, and I'm goin' out on a limb here, that the next one to drop is noneother than Steve Cohn... He may have acted like a moron during the campaign, but he's not altogether stupid, and he's smart enough to detect a sinking ship, and to disassociate himself with all the dropping shoes about Johnson's past alleged (yeah, right) philanderings with underage girls... We'll see how he does with regard to his role on the audit committee, for we have the help of our City Attorney to help provide truth about the internal performance scrutiny about to be made. And he's up for a new term, and very important endorsements hang in the balance -- and many of those endorsements are not fond of KJ these days... bbbbmer 2009-12-03T04:41:08Z bbbbmer comment-18607 2009-12-03T01:26:17Z 2009-12-03T01:26:17Z Bill Camp is only one vote of the Labor Council, and even during the campaign the vote to support KJ was razor thin. I don't know whether any reconsideration of that initial support has been made, but I doubt such a move would pass today, given all the water that has passed under that bridge... bbbbmer 2009-12-03T01:26:17Z Stella M. comment-18602 2009-12-03T00:30:04Z 2009-12-03T00:30:04Z That was a really civilized answer, Jim. Thank you. Vibrant leadership--now that would be nice, wouldn't it? Although I agree with you in principle, if you can find me the political chimera who is not controlled by developers, is a good business person, is a great leader, is a strong enviro, is a fiscal conservative, and has the administrative skills to hold a strong mayor position, then I will be the first in line to congratulate you, immediately after voting for him/her. Stella M. 2009-12-03T00:30:04Z Marion Millin comment-18578 2009-12-02T23:21:20Z 2009-12-02T23:21:20Z "This is a whole reorganization of the city government” including redistricting for 9 City Council districts instead of the current 8. The complications of sorting that out and electing the 9th Council Member are NOT addressed in the Strong Mayor Initiative. This will cause MORE lawsuits and costs to the City. Meanwhile (and no one knows how long that could be), under the SMI, the Mayor will have that missing 9th member's VOTE, PLUS a vote as Mayor, PLUS Veto Power, ON TOP OF the unprecedented powers he aspires to control, including those of City Manager. It's shocking that this crucial aspect is NOT addressed in the SMI. It will lead to a costly legal quagmire if the Strong Mayor Initiative passes; not to mention the uncertainty of Sacramentans as to which district they are in and who represents them. Where's the "accountability"? We DON'T WANT AN EMPEROR, KEVIN. "The labor council still supports Johnson, Camp said, but disagrees with the initiative." Apparently, either do the Sacramento Central Labor Council and other KJ backers who are "jumping ship." Marion Millin 2009-12-02T23:21:20Z Rhonda Erwin comment-18577 2009-12-02T23:17:11Z 2009-12-02T23:17:11Z Just because it is not written in an amendment somewhere that the city manager is to be held accountable to voters doesn't mean the city manager isn't held accountable. Just because the CITY manager doesn't hold press conferences, releases, media attempts to sway the public doesn't mean he is not accountable......For goodness sake, the city manager I have come to know and respect is accountable to the voters, the public, the community. And WILL GO OUT OF HIS WAY to be held accountable UNLIKE the MAYOR and I think it's written somewhere that he is to be accountable to the public BUT he is not. Heck you can't drain blood from a turnip-- a mayor who some voted for to be a flower- a pretty arrangment to bring in businesses....with his allegations to make Sac a world class city....... Now we have weeds sprouting all about and the city manager is consistently thrown under a bus. So many will blame everyone BUT OUR MAYOR and OUR MAYOR who ALLEGES to hold self and those around him accountable will ALLOW everyone else to be thrown under the bus. The strong mayor proposal IS TOO DARN STRONG and only a weak mayor needs it! I am glad to learn of SAVE and the gentleman who brought on the lawsuit. Heck I hope it's a class action law suit-- I'd love to sign on!!! Rhonda Erwin 2009-12-02T23:17:11Z Marion Millin comment-18576 2009-12-02T23:06:33Z 2009-12-02T23:06:33Z Of course you are. Marion Millin 2009-12-02T23:06:33Z Rhonda Erwin comment-18575 2009-12-02T23:04:29Z 2009-12-02T23:04:29Z Susie wrote: "Another of the "inner circle" that has jumped ship..."-- sends a red flag! Rhonda Erwin 2009-12-02T23:04:29Z The Parrhesiac comment-18570 2009-12-02T22:07:05Z 2009-12-02T22:07:05Z I support it because I know the long term unintended consequences of this measure... and so do the unions. We could elect a Mayor who is not controlled by the developers. One that is a strong environmentalist (which none on the current council are) A fiscal conservative, who would be willing to protect the tax payers. One that is willing to stand up to special interest groups. The possibilities are endless. It would open the door for many qualified business people who never may have thought about running, because it is merely a ceremonial and weak position. I also support the measure because Sacramento politics needs a kick in the rear and dramatic change. I do not care for Johnson, but he will be gone soon enough, the only people running against him, if he runs again, in the next election will be Rob Fong, maybe Fargo AGAIN and Debra Ortiz.... tired old has beens - we need new vibrant leadership the kind which we hoped for in Johnson but never got. Unions and liberals don't want to shake up the power structure because they have a grasp on it... we need some kind of balance in our local government. The Parrhesiac 2009-12-02T22:07:05Z Susie Shields comment-18565 2009-12-02T21:11:28Z 2009-12-02T21:11:28Z Interesting that you didn't mention that Bernard Bowler was a staunch St. HOPE supporter and board member. Another of the "inner circle" that has jumped ship... Susie Shields 2009-12-02T21:11:28Z Stella M. comment-18564 2009-12-02T19:19:41Z 2009-12-02T19:19:41Z Jim -- I'm not opposed to a strong mayor system at all. In fact, I actually agree with some of the points you're making. What I am saying though, is that *this* SMI is a mess, was written behind closed doors without a single moment of public comment, and I just can't support it. I don't really care what the unions think or the people who just simply think a strong mayor is a bad idea. What I do care about is that--if we are going to change the city charter--it gets done right in a way that actually improves the way the city is run. I'm a little surprised that you of all people are supportive of this measure. From your past comments here, I would have bet money that you'd be all over it. Stella M. 2009-12-02T19:19:41Z The Parrhesiac comment-18562 2009-12-02T18:59:33Z 2009-12-02T18:59:33Z Lol you speak of democracy? The unions don't want citizens to even have the opportunity to vote on this measure. You call that democracy? Hmm and were you aware that the City is ran by an unelected City Manager who is not accountable to the voters? Where is there democracy in that? The fact of the matter is that the SMI improves democracy and accountability. The Citizens could vote to elect a Mayor who can actually lead this City - not just try to placate eight council members, each of whom have their own political agendas and aspirations. There is NO downside to having a strong mayor - unless you suck as a City employee, then you might actually get fired. The Parrhesiac 2009-12-02T18:59:33Z bbbbmer comment-18561 2009-12-02T18:45:06Z 2009-12-02T18:45:06Z That would make me FOR IT! Anne Rudin has more integrity in her little toe than all of KJ's tribe of suckups, sycophants, and siblings COMBINED! bbbbmer 2009-12-02T18:45:06Z Oracle comment-18559 2009-12-02T18:04:33Z 2009-12-02T18:04:33Z That does it. If the unions and former mayor Anne Rudin are against strong mayor, I'm FOR it. Oracle 2009-12-02T18:04:33Z Stella M. comment-18551 2009-12-02T16:27:07Z 2009-12-02T16:27:07Z The quote "poorly conceived and badly written measure is not only bad public policy but it is an illegal power grab" pretty much sums it up. I *do* think Sacramento needs to have a serious public conversation about the current charter and what works/what doesn't, but this take-it-or-leave-it approach is absolutely repugnant. This initiative does everything wrong. What about public input on its scope and development? None. What about the citizens in the "new" District 9 who will not have full representation on the council for an unspecified period of time? Yes, the whole democracy thing is messy, time consuming, and inefficient, but I'd rather have that than an initiative written behind closed doors by a lobbyist--of any political stripe. Stella M. 2009-12-02T16:27:07Z The Parrhesiac comment-18547 2009-12-02T10:27:16Z 2009-12-02T10:27:16Z Publicity stunt? The Parrhesiac 2009-12-02T10:27:16Z