A group of nearly 40 residents and city staffers held an in-depth discussion on the city’s redistricting process Monday night at the Ethel Hart Senior Center. Residents explored a range of topics, including the role of race in the process. The city redesigns its City Council districts every 10 years by using U.S. Census data. The 2010 Census data that the city will use is expected to be released in April. The new districts must be drawn up and finished six months after the Census data is available, according to the city’s charter. The city’s deadline for the 2011 redistricting process will be Sept. 27. At Monday night’s redistricting forum, hosted by the Area 1 Neighborhood Advisory Gro

The Sacramento City Council’s 7-2 vote last week against a strong mayor form of city government is not stopping Mayor Kevin Johnson from pursuing another council vote on the issue. Johnson’s comments to reporters at a Tuesday press conference indicate that he may ask council members to vote again on the issue after they return from their two-week summer recess in mid-July. The City Council voted last week to prevent City Attorney Eileen Teichert from drafting official language for Johnson’s latest strong mayor proposal. Johnson and Councilman Robbie Waters voted in favor of writing up the proposal, while the other seven council members rejected it. As it stands, the proposal will not be

Sacramento residents can read the new lawsuit challenging the strong mayor initiative here. Bill Camp, executive secretary of the Sacramento Central Labor Council, is the plaintiff who is suing the city government, the City Council and Thomas Hiltachk, the attorney who wrote the strong mayor initiative. Mayor Kevin Johnson, who leads the initiative campaign, would have many new responsibilities if voters approve the initiative. In a strong mayor position, Johnson would attain the responsibilities of the city manager and create the city’s budget. The city currently uses a council/manager system. City Manager Ray Kerridge’s many powers include the ability to draft recommendations for the

Approximately 40 Sacramentans attended the Charter Review Committee meeting held at Sam Pannell Meadowview Community Center on Wednesday.  The committee drafted a report that recommends changes to the City Charter Committee. Committee members William Edgar, JoAnn Fuller, and Chester Newland presented an overview of the committee's purpose and tentative decisions reached, and took turns answering questions from the audience.  Handouts were distributed, delineating Charter Review Committee procedures, focus areas for review, and a time line for their work plan.   "The City Charter Committee was appointed by City Council in response to the 'strong mayor initiative,' Edgar said. "We were not