In a day of twists and turns for the strong mayor initiative, the biggest event was summed up in five words: “Petition summarily denied by order." The 3rd District Court of Appeal earlier today published a ruling that prevents the measure from being placed on the June ballot. This means the Court of Appeal chose not to temporarily halt the Sacramento Superior Court decision that struck down the initiative. “I’m very disappointed by the decision, and that’s putting it mildly," Mayor Kevin J... KathleenHaley Susie Shields comment-21884 2010-02-08T16:37:23Z 2010-02-08T16:37:23Z Hi bbbbmer! Sounds great. I'll email you... Susie Shields 2010-02-08T16:37:23Z bbbbmer comment-21779 2010-02-06T14:13:24Z 2010-02-06T14:13:24Z HI Susie! We should organize another 'Cornerstone' breakfast!!! bbbbmer 2010-02-06T14:13:24Z bbbbmer comment-21778 2010-02-06T14:11:21Z 2010-02-06T14:11:21Z I've been a member of the ACLU since 1972, and serve on its Northern Californa advisory committee from time to time... I don't think they'll be showing up to support the SMI any time soon... And as far as the SPLC, they do good work, but advancing the cause of rich real estaters and corporatists pushing a measure that advances a dictatorial mayor isn't in their toolbox... bbbbmer 2010-02-06T14:11:21Z bbbbmer comment-21777 2010-02-06T14:07:52Z 2010-02-06T14:07:52Z Oh, poor you.... I guess facts among KJ's suckups are considered 'trash talk' these days... Well, honey, to paraphrase FDR, I welcome your contempt.... bbbbmer 2010-02-06T14:07:52Z Rhonda Erwin comment-21774 2010-02-06T06:13:50Z 2010-02-06T06:13:50Z Sad so very sad- Brown and Luntz- should be ashamed of themselves for promoting an initiative that they didn't even bother to read. And our NOT-so- transparent mayor should have seen to it Brown and Luntz read the initiative before having them sign off on it- WHERE THE HECK is the transparency, responsibility and accountability???? Hiltachk and Johnson should be ashamed of themselves as well. I'm very disappointed in Johnson and that's putting it mildly and he should be held responsible and accountable for again trying to pull the wool over the voters of Sacramento eyes with Willie Brown (who doesn't vote in Sac) and Luntz (who doesn't live in CA) this is shameful. It appears for Johnson accountability continuously waits in line- shameful. Kudo's Bill Camp and Kudo's Mike Boyd and Kudo's to both Superior and Appellate Courts Rhonda Erwin 2010-02-06T06:13:50Z JoesacramentoDotCom comment-21772 2010-02-06T01:59:57Z 2010-02-06T01:59:57Z Justice served. JoesacramentoDotCom 2010-02-06T01:59:57Z William Burg comment-21769 2010-02-05T22:49:03Z 2010-02-05T22:49:03Z It wasn't a debate, it was a fundraiser. The closest thing to "debate" were some people in the audience who questioned how much the people flown in to support the Strong Mayor Initiative actually knew about it, the answer to which was "not much." William Burg 2010-02-05T22:49:03Z fifthgensacramentan comment-21768 2010-02-05T22:53:17Z 2010-02-05T22:53:17Z It’s amazing how the “I Mayor” fights for “We the people of the City of Sacramento” by pursuing an unconstitutional revision to our charter. It would be so refreshing for him, SAG and his Boss Mayor supporters to ” obey the law”. Keep looking for pigs flying outside or hearing a weather report from down-under talking about freezing temperatures. BTW-To fill seats at the Crest-tickets could be obtained for $25 each. Still more than I would be willing to spend on two speakers who didn't even take the time to read a proposal that they were supposedly hear to debate. Kinda like those signature gathers who had little, if any, understanding of what it was they were soliciting for. So how much of SAG's $107,000.00 debt as of 12.31.2009 did they retire? Deficit spending, doesn't that fly in the face of what SAG supposedly stands for? Of course that's peanuts compared to KJ4Mayor's Committee Cash balance of $10,000.00 vs outstanding debt of $589,000.00. fifthgensacramentan 2010-02-05T22:53:17Z TAB comment-21766 2010-02-05T20:36:03Z 2010-02-05T20:36:03Z I THINK YOU SHOULD RESIGN MAYOR JOHNSON TAB 2010-02-05T20:36:03Z NaturalWonder1 comment-21765 2010-02-05T19:44:18Z 2010-02-05T19:44:18Z Frank Luntz did affirm what the Daily Beast reported yesterday, that the science doesn't really matter but that the benefits of climate legislation passed in terms of environmental, health and economic would be productive. NaturalWonder1 2010-02-05T19:44:18Z NaturalWonder1 comment-21763 2010-02-05T19:41:39Z 2010-02-05T19:41:39Z Can anyone find this debate on you tube or anywhere else? I would like to see the entire debate. NaturalWonder1 2010-02-05T19:41:39Z Steven Bourasa comment-21762 2010-02-05T18:17:12Z 2010-02-05T18:17:12Z Hip hip hooray!!! Steven Bourasa 2010-02-05T18:17:12Z BrooksTruitt comment-21760 2010-02-05T17:37:24Z 2010-02-05T17:37:24Z The Johnson corps of volunteers brought Luntz & Brown to town to pimp the strong mayor initiative. Now that Judge McMaster has shown it to be a lemon, KJ's spinmeisters are making lemonade. Johnson & Co. are now fighting for our rights! Huzzah! Expect the American Civil Liberties Union and maybe the Southern Poverty Law Center to be arriving shortly. BrooksTruitt 2010-02-05T17:37:24Z Priscilla Barnes comment-21739 2010-02-05T16:52:08Z 2010-02-05T16:52:08Z In response to bbbbmer: Hateful trash talk is just that when one hides behind anonymity. Priscilla Barnes 2010-02-05T16:52:08Z bbbbmer comment-21736 2010-02-05T15:28:47Z 2010-02-05T15:28:47Z Frank Luntz is about as insider GOP as one gets, and is known for twisting language to paint Democrats as evil and Republicans as saints, in a kind of Orwell meets Macchiavelli consulting role... Hence Sacramentans for Accountable Government is anything but, and the SMI was touted as the next coming of ... well... as a panacea... He's this season's GOP dirty trickster, and is very much known to the Bell, McAndrews firm (Tom Hiltchakakak's -- author of the SMI) which is in turn known for campaign defense of such dirty tricks... If SAG was an actual 'grass roots' organization that had an actual grass roots purpose and didn't share office space and a directorate with Tom Hiltchakakak's firm, they'd have a pretty good case of errors and omissions against the SMI measure's drafter, after making the very stupid mistakes leading to the lawsuit against its balloting and enactment... But, it's a pretty good bet such a claim won't be made ... unfortunately.... What this all demonstrates very clearly is just how corrupt KJ's backers really are, the insidiousness of this powergrab, and that it's likely to continue, SMI or not, until this mayor is recalled or otherwise removed from office -- hopefully in shame he deserves -- and this darkest chapter in the history of Sacramento's governance is wiped clean from our collective community memory... Thank God for Judge McMasters and for this appellate decision -- there hasn't been enough justice in the justice system lately, and this decision renews my hope that just maybe, once in a while, some semblance of justice ekes through our profoundly flawed legal system... bbbbmer 2010-02-05T15:28:47Z William Burg comment-21734 2010-02-05T08:29:56Z 2010-02-05T08:29:56Z Isn't Frank Luntz a Fox News commentator? Interesting. Apparently his specialty is “testing language and finding words that will help his clients sell their product or turn public opinion on an issue or a candidate.” I assume the proceeds from this event will help KJ and the SMI supporters pay off some of the $100,000 or so they owe to the people they hired to sell their product and turn public opinion. William Burg 2010-02-05T08:29:56Z Susie Shields comment-21733 2010-02-05T07:09:36Z 2010-02-05T07:09:36Z Hiltachk states: “The court’s finding that our appeal does not qualify to be expedited means that we would have to endure the regular appeal process, which can take years in our overloaded court system," Oh no! You have to play by rules like everyone else? Process is important and should not be dissed. Hiltachk also states: "Sacramento cannot afford to wait years for the courts to act." What you really mean is KJ and his backers cannot afford to wait years for the courts to act, yes? Sacramento has had this type of governing system for the past 80 years. I think we can handle a little more time to ensure that the process is done lawfully, fairly, and -GASP! - transparently (for real, not just lip-service). Susie Shields 2010-02-05T07:09:36Z