The judge considering a lawsuit in Sacramento County Superior Court over the “strong mayor” initiative has released an initial ruling saying that the initiative should not be placed on the June 2010 ballot. This is not the judge’s final decision on the case. The strong mayor initiative would give Mayor Kevin Johnson many new powers. Judge Loren McMaster noted that he analyzed the argument that the public has a right to participate in initiatives. “The Court recognizes the right of the people to vote on initiative measures,” the judge wrote. “The Court does not lightly dismiss such, and has taken this very important right in consideration in ruling on the matter.” But the judge wrote th