Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "city"

Emergency Shelter Programs Expanded

2011-12-27T16:50:08Z

Sacramento, CA – Sacramento Steps Forward will expand its emergency shelter program to meet additional demand. An additional 57 beds will be made available through expanded Winter Sanctuary and Motel Voucher programs.

Councilmember Steve Cohn and Jay Schenirer met last week with Sacramento Steps Forward, Sacramento Housing Alliance, as well as homeless advocates, the faith community, and business leaders to discuss the critical need for additional winter shelter options. The added beds will double the existing capacity of the Motel Voucher program from 40 to 80 beds and increase the Winter Sanctuary program from 100 to 117 spaces per night.

The additional beds are not fully funded for the entire winter. Several members of the City Council, including Schenirer, Cohn and Ashby, committed to raising the necessary funds to ensure both programs are able to remain operational for the entire winter and are asking businesses, individuals, and others to make contributions. To support the winter shelter, please visit Sacramento Steps Forward at http://sacramentostepsforward.org/ or mail checks to (payable to Sacramento Steps Forward):

Sacramento Steps Forward
1331 Garden Highway, Suite 100
Sacramento, CA 95833

“This immediate step by the City will help relieve a trying situation,” said Councilmember Steve Cohn. “In these difficult times, we need the business community, other jurisdictions throughout the region and the public to assist by stepping up to contribute to this effort.”

“The existing shelter programs are operating at capacity,” said Councilmember Jay Schenirer. “I’m happy we were able to work together with housing advocates and members of the business community to make this happen. These are temporary solutions as we continue to work on the long term solution of permanent housing.”

“Sacramento is a city that knows how to step forward in times of need,” said Mayor Kevin Johnson.
“It’s gratifying to see the collaboration among so many diverse people pulling together during the holidays to increase the capacity of our winter shelters.”

“The Sacramento Housing Alliance [SHA] deeply appreciates the leadership shown by Councilmember Schenirer and Cohn in expanding the emergency shelter programs, especially at a time when the temperatures are approaching freezing,” said Bob Elrenbusch, Executive Director of Sacramento Housing Alliance (SHA). “This is an important effort to keep an additional 57 homeless people safe and warm. SHA knows that we cannot continue to scramble to find stop gap emergency solutions, and we are committed to partner with Sacramento Steps Forward, the City and County to proactively create permanent housing solutions to end and prevent homelessness.”

The Winter Sanctuary program is an interfaith program run by Volunteers of America in partnership with Sacramento Steps Forward. They provide a safe place to sleep, meals and transportation for up to 100 homeless individuals each night at more than 20 houses of worship throughout Sacramento. The motel voucher program currently shelters approximately 40 plus women and children who would otherwise have nowhere safe to sleep.

Preventative measures in gang violence discussed a year after barbershop shooting

2011-12-21T04:53:01Z

Additional efforts will be made by the Sacramento Police Department and Sacramento Sheriff's Department to prevent youth involvement in gangs by promoting interactions between police officers and the youth. The mayor is calling this approach a paradigm shift, and it will be part of Sacramento's first comprehensive plan for gang prevention, Mayor Kevin Johnson announced Tuesday at the Boys & Girls Club on Lemon Hill Avenue.

The emphasis of the program will be heavy on prevention and intervention instead of just enforcement and incarceration, according to the mayor.

Johnson said the program will focus on school literacy enrichment, strengthening the relationship between the Sacramento community and law enforcement, supporting workforce readiness programs and job training, and promoting regional collaboration.

The COPS (Community Oriented Policing Services) program provided funding for additional deputies in taking on this task.

Undersheriff Mark Iwasa said that community interaction and youth level intervention is important in solving the gang problem.

Deputy Chief Dan Schiele said that every contact law enforcers have with the public is an opportunity to be a role model and that youth interaction is one of the priorities.

"I grew up in Oak Park, and anytime we saw a police officer, we ran, because we always thought we were in trouble, even though we're not in trouble," Johnson said. "You don't want a community living in fear."

He said that, through the program, he will challenge law enforcers to be proactive in interacting with the youth, and make sure the first interaction with them is not negative, in order to build trust.

A vigil was held outside the venue after the press conference in commemoration of Monique Nelson's death anniversary, a gang-related death that was known as the barbershop shooting.

"There is nothing we can do to bring back her life," Johnson said. "But we made a commitment that her death won't be in vain."

He said that within the four-month period after the shooting, all four shooters were arrested. He added, "Justice was served."

Nelson’s brother, Richard Anthony Nelson was at the press conference Tuesday and said, “Hopefully we can stop this (gang violence) in our area, because it really destroys families.”

In the next couple of months the mayor said that the Gang Prevention Task Force he formed will put an implementation team in place that will be in charge in making sure that the program’s goals are achieved within the next three years.

Flood control for Natomas is one city focal point for 2012

2011-12-13T03:38:41Z

Flood protection – particularly in the Natomas area – is a top priority for the city going into the new year as the City Council Law and Legislation Committee approved the city’s legislative priorities at last week’s meeting.

“I wonder what New Orleans’ priorities were a year before Hurricane Katrina hit?” asked City Councilwoman Angelique Ashby Tuesday. “Was it working on that levee? Probably not.”

Ashby’s District 1 includes the Natomas Basin – an area surrounded by 42 miles of levees and vulnerable to floodwaters.

There has not been a significant flood in the Natomas Basin since the levees were constructed in the late 1800s, Rick Johnson, executive director of the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency (SAFCA), said in an email Monday.

However, the Natomas levees nearly failed in the flood of 1986.

“Fortunately, emergency repairs averted a major catastrophe,” Johnson said.

That event led to a review by the Army Corps of Engineers that downgraded the level of flood protection for the area and made Sacramento second only to New Orleans in its vulnerability to a catastrophic flood.

Between 1990 and 1997, SAFCA, the Army Corps of Engineers and the State Reclamation Board made major improvements to the levees, Johnson said, but even stricter federal safety standards were adopted in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) remapped the Sacramento region in December 2008 – showing the Natomas basin to be within the 100-year floodplain – and a moratorium was placed on construction in the basin.

It also mandated area homeowners buy flood insurance, which can cost up to $1,300 a year, according to a press release from the office of Congresswoman Doris Matsui.

In order to get the moratorium removed so building and development of the area can resume, SAFCA began construction of the Natomas Levee Improvement Program.

“By the end of (2011), SAFCA will have completed approximately 50 percent of the (levee) project,” Johnson said. “This includes 18 miles of levee improvements along the Natomas Cross Canal and Sacramento River east levee.”

The total project cost is estimated at just under $1 billion, according to the 2011 District Annual Report from Ashby’s office.

In order to be eligible for federal dollars for the project, a portion of the cost had to be paid for with funds from state, county, city and local sources.

“The residents in Natomas have taxed themselves twice to bring in their local matching funds,” Ashby said.

Natomas property owners agreed to taxes in April 2007 and again in April 2011, Johnson said, bringing in $160 million.

All totaled – state, county, city and local funding sources – $510 million of the $1 billion estimated project cost has been collected so far.

“All we need now is the federal portion,” Ashby said.

In January, Matsui introduced a bill in the House of Representatives that would authorize additional construction work on the levees in Natomas.

The tricky part is, Ashby said, that the federal government will not authorize the funds because, as the legislation is written, it is considered an “earmark” – and earmarks have been prohibited in the House of Representatives.

Earmarks are funds that benefit a single congress member’s district.

“Post-Katrina, the federal government spent $15 billion to repair New Orleans levees,” Ashby said, “and tens of billions of dollars more to make repairs afterward to roads, schools and buildings – New Orleans to this day is not the same."

Natomas is asking for less than 3 percent of that cost to prevent a Katrina-type disaster in Sacramento, Ashby said.

Because of the mandatory flood insurance for Natomas homeowners, Ashby said that 100 percent of the people would have a claim to rebuild their home in the event of such a disaster.

“You’re talking about a lot of homes – expensive homes – a lot of people and a lot of businesses,” Ashby said. “We’d be looking at hundreds of thousands of (insurance) claims.”

In order to prevent all of that, Ashby said, all we need is to finish a levee.

Typically, the Army Corps of Engineers is the lead in constructing flood control projects, Johnson said. The Army Corps of Engineers currently estimates that – once the project is federally authorized – the work on the Natomas levees could be completed by 2019.

The timing of when the corps can fully complete the project will depend on when federal authorization is obtained, Johnson said.

Although the moratorium would be lifted with the authorization, mandatory flood insurance will remain in effect until the project is 100 percent complete.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twiter @MelissaCorker.

Eight cities of the Sacramento region to compete in a celebrity basketball tournament

2011-11-08T05:43:29Z

The National Basketball Association might still be in a lockout, but the Sacramento region is set to have a celebrity basketball tournament Nov 14. where eight teams representing Rancho Cordova, Folsom, Elk Grove, Roseville, West Sacramento, Rocklin, Citrus Heights and Sacramento are participating for a fundraising event.

The Jumpstart 21 Hoops and Alley Oops Regional Celebrity Basketball Tournament is a three-on-three half-court basketball tournament fundraising event held by the Sacramento Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce (SACC).

The proceeds will benefit Jumpstart 21, a workforce development and internship placement program by the SACC for young adults recently out of the foster care system, said SACC Director of Events and Foundation Matthew Sumida.

The teams will be captained by an elected official from each of the cities and coached by a graduate of the program. Sumida said that the 12-week training program provides the young adults with basic employment skills, and once training is completed, the graduates are provided internship placement within the Sacramento region.

"This program will help raise funds for those internships," Sumida said,"and it's a great way for the former foster kids to get involved and to interact with high-level community leaders."

The captains for each of the teams are required to recruit their own players, Sumida said, where two have to be female, and one has to be a media person. During the game, a female player is required to be on the court at all times. Also, a member of the team should be a representative of the team’s official sponsor. It is not necessary for the teammates to be residents of the city their team represents, except for the team captain.

He said that some of the players have former professional basketball experience, including Danielle Viglione, a former Sacramento Monarch, who is playing for the city of Sacramento team.

Marcos Breton of The Sacramento Bee will be the master of ceremonies.

Sumida said that it would have been ideal to have Mayor Kevin Johnson included in the event, but he was not available.

The tournament will also have its own version of the Royal Court Dancers – the Jumpstart 21 Dancers – who will be trained by the Sacramento Kings Royal Court Dancers. The dancers are event sponsors and public officials, said Six Degreez President Sharon Gerber, the official event planner of the tournament.

There will be a five-minute warmup time before each of the games. Two fifteen-minute half-court matches will play simultaneously, and the teams will have one 30 second time-out.

"We are planning to have this as an annual event, and each year the trophy will be passed on to the next winner. " Sumida said. "It's a fun event that we came up with to help raise money and also to find out who the best basketball team in the region is."

Hear an explanation of how the tournament will work below:

The event runs from 3:30 - 6:30 p.m.
Registration starts at 3:00 p.m.
The event will be held at the Sacramento Asian Sports Foundation, 9040 High Tech Court in Elk Grove Tickets can be purchased here.

What the team captains have to say:

Citrus Heights Crush

Coach: Nicole Miller
Captain: Mayor Jeannie Bruins
Members:
Mel Turner
Paul Robins
Joel Archer
Nicole Garing
Diane Ebbitt

"I am looking forward to (a) faceoff with West Sacramento – a challenge I put out to Oscar Villegas," Citrus Heights Mayor Jeannie Bruins said. "We're going to crush them because we are the Citrus Heights Crush."

She said that her team has practiced once, and the players are ready. Unfortunately, Bruins said, she will not be playing and will stay on the sidelines. She said that she will be the No. 1 cheerleader for the team.

"It is just fabulous what they do," Bruins said of the Jumpstart 21 program.

Rancho Cordova Magic Makers

Coach: Angela Montes
Captain: Councilwoman Linda Budge
Members:
Nathan Dietrich
Bob Shallit
Sam Miller
Adam Lingren
Rebecca Sloan

"We have four dedicated basketball fans in our team, and we have been watching the Sacramento Kings for a long time, and hopefully it rubbed off," said Rancho Cordova City Councilwoman Linda Budge.

Budge said that in order for them to win in this competition, they will have to play like a team. She said that she will make sure that her teammates make some assists.

The team has not had the chance to practice together, but she said the players have practiced separately, with some of them practicing basketball with their kids.

"We are doing this because we are basketball fans, but most of all because it is for a good cause," Budge said."We will be playing for them."

Sacramento Donkey Fong

Coach: Roland Foley III
Captain: City Councilman Rob Fong
Members:
City Councilman Jay Schenirer
State Assemblyman Roger Dickinson
Bethany Crouch
Tim Mech
Sam Luong
Danielle Viglione

"We don't care who we meet in the finals, we just know we are going to win," Sacramento City Councilman Rob Fong said.

He said that they enjoy being the favorite team to win, even though the other teams might not like it. He has not talked with Mayor Kevin Johnson to get some basketball tips, but Fong said he will definitely do so.

"Most of us are rooted to the earth and won't be doing any jumping at all," said Fong, who also said that this should not be a problem. The team practiced Sunday.

"It is for a great cause, and we are willing to take great physical risk to support it," Fong said. "I'm just hoping that when all is said and done, none of us will be heading to the emergency room.”

West Sacramento Brick Layers

Coach: Reyan Reyes
Captain: City Councilman Oscar E. Villegas
Members:
Chris Ledesma
Kristin Marshall
Bob Johnston
Jeff Dorso
Kalyca Seabrook
Bernadette Austin-Bower

"We don't care who we face off," West Sacramento City Councilman Oscar Villegas said. "Bring it!"

Villegas said that a friendly game is always good for the soul. His team has practiced, and he said that it is going well.

"I would bet somebody else's paycheck that we would win," he added. "I can dunk if they lower the hoop to 7 feet,"

Folsom 49ers

Coach: April Redricks
Captain: Mayor Andy Morin
Members:
Matt Dawson
Teo Torres
Ben Porter
Lani Stowers
Shannon O'Neill

"I would like to go against Rancho Cordova in the final match, because they are our friendly neighbors, and if we can beat them, we can have some serious bragging rights," said Folsom Mayor Andy Morin.

"I want to be as competitive as possible, but I am also looking forward to meeting with old friends in a friendly, competitive setting," he added.

Morin said that his team is set to meet up this week for practice, and he hopes that his team will be in good condition for the tournament.

Rocklin Rim Rattlers

Coach: Leslie Lee Jr.
Captain: City Councilman Scott Yuill
Members:
Greg Daley
Tina Macuha
Brian Jenson
Dave Butler
Paul Ackerman

"I am looking forward most to helping supporting the Jumpstart 21 program and having fun doing it with the regional flair," said Rocklin City Councilman Scott Yuill.

He said jokingly that his team has practiced extensively through email and is well-prepared for the tournament.

"I am a much better golfer than a basketball player, and I am a horrible golfer," Yuill said."I'd like to go head-on with Rob Fong because he usually beats me in golf.”

"In Rocklin, we are very humble and polite, and I think it will be out of character to point out our sheer athletic superiority," he added.

Elk Grove Force

Coach: Naomi Mendez
Captain: Mayor Steve Detrick
Members:
Jim Cooper
Drisha Leggitt
Dan Elliott
Keri Thomas
Alex Van Dyke
Brian Detrick

"My team, of course," Elk Grove Mayor Steve Detrick said when asked who will win. "We are the team to look out for."

He said that he is a recreational basketball player, but his team has not had the chance to practice yet.

"I put my best into everything I do, and hopefully our team can come up on top," he added.

"I think it's great that we are taking the cities of Sacramento and participating in such (an) event for a common goal," Detrick said. “The Sacramento region has no boundaries when it comes to fulfilling such goals."

Roseville Annexers

Coach: Olajuwon Curtis
Captain: City Councilman Tim Herman
Members:
Gayle Garbolino-Mojica
Kelly Brothers
Steve Fleming
Daniel Hahn
Steffi Jones

"We did not snag any former Monarch or King, but we will try to be competitive and have a lot of fun," City Councilman Tim Herman said.

Herman said that his team has already practiced once and will be practicing once more before the game. His players are happy and proud to represent Roseville and Placer County, he added.

"Most of us are under-the-basket kind of players. Unless they lower the hoop, I do not think we will be doing any dunks," Herman said.

"It's for a great cause, and to raise awareness and money for the Jumpstart 21 is a victory for all of us," Herman said.

County, City and Private Donors Collaborate to Provide Winter Shelter for Homeless: An Estimated $390,000 Identified to Assist

2011-11-02T16:01:41Z

Sacramento County and City are working together with generous donors to coordinate winter shelter services for the homeless.

“It’s imperative that the County, City and private interests work together to maximize available resources in preparation for winter shelter needs,” said County Supervisor Phil Serna. “We hope that individuals, businesses, labor organizations and others will continue to donate, volunteer and otherwise support the efforts of our shelter providers and our local faith community.”

At last night’s Sacramento City Council meeting, the City Council approved $100,000 for the homeless motel voucher program. In addition, the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency, which serves both the County and City, will target funds of approximately $100,000 to families or individuals in shelters which will provide additional capacity in the existing shelter system. This is in addition to the $150,000 the County has identified for emergency winter shelter for families.

Private and public resources continue to be identified and winter shelter services are being coordinated with Sacramento Steps Forward, a non-profit organization that will lead the homeless continuum of care for Sacramento County, Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency and other partners.

County Supervisor Phil Serna is again working with labor organizations and local business interests to raise funds for winter shelter. Thus far approximately $40,000 has been contributed directly to Sacramento Area Emergency Housing Center for motel/hotel vouchers, Volunteers of America for the Winter Sanctuary program, St. John’s Shelter for Women & Children, and Cottage Housing. This is in addition to a fundraising effort that occurred last February to extend Winter Sanctuary and provide additional beds at the Salvation Army.

Winter Shelter Services consist of the following:
• Shelter beds for families provided by Volunteers of America and Sacramento Area Emergency Housing Center
• Motel/hotel vouchers for homeless families, people with disabilities and the elderly
• Winter Sanctuary, an interfaith program run by Volunteers of America provides nightly shelter, meals and transportation for up to 100 homeless people at 20 places of worship throughout Sacramento. This program is supported solely by private donations.

Donations for winter shelter can be made to Sacramento Steps Forward at http://sacramentostepsforward.org/ or mail your check to:
Sacramento Steps Forward
1331 Garden Highway, Suite 100
Sacramento, CA 95833

New Council District Boundaries: Effective October 6 - Community can now view online boundary changes by address

2011-09-15T18:49:50Z

On September 6, 2011 City Council approved new Council district boundaries for the City of Sacramento. The new Council district boundaries will be effective October 6, 2011.

The City has developed a tool available to the community that allows individuals to enter any address within the City limits and get the current district and the new district for that address. The tool is available on the City’s main website at http://www.cityofsacramento.org/.

A map of the new districts and the staff report with the adopted ordinance are also available on the City’s redistricting website at www.cityofsacramento.org/redistricting.

Are you Prepared for an Emergency? September is National Preparedness Month

2011-09-08T16:23:26Z

The City and County of Sacramento remind Sacramento residents to take time this month to prepare for emergency situations including extreme winter and summer weather and flooding.

Residents and businesses should have emergency plans and kits ready. Everyone should build a kit including all items necessary to sustain them through a disaster.

All Sacramento area residents and businesses are encouraged to purchase a flood insurance policy, even if it is not required. Homes and businesses are often the largest investments that you have and homeowner’s policies will not cover flooding damages caused by heavy winter rains or levee failures. Flood insurance policies can be as little as $350 per year, are available from your insurance agent and take 30 days from the date of purchase to become effective.

Quick Tips to Prepare:
• Plan ahead before an emergency
• Review your flood insurance needs
• Make an emergency kit
• Adopt a communication plan
• Plan together with neighbors
• Prepare for seniors and people with disabilities
• Learn First Aid
• Learn how to be prepared for all types of emergencies
• Know how to keep your pets safe
• Download an “Are You Prepared” Guide
• Sign up with the nation Next of Kin Registry
• Get additional help on the Federal Be Prepared page
• Sign up for Reverse 911 at http://www.sacpd.org/stayinformed/reverse911/

The City and County of Sacramento offer a variety of tools and information to help prepare and plan for emergencies at www.sacramentoready.org and other tools including:
• Subscribing to email alerts with the County or with the City at https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/CASACRA/subscriber/new
• http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/City-of-Sacramento-CA/273440976015340
• http://twitter.com/#!/SacCountyCA
• http://twitter.com/#!/SacCityPIO

Additional information can be found at www.ready.gov. Preparing for emergencies is everyone’s responsibility.

New Reichmuth Skate Park Grand Opening Celebration: August 31, 2011 at 11:00 a.m.

2011-08-30T20:41:15Z

Sacramento City Councilmember Rob Fong, community, local skateboarders and the City’s Parks and Recreation Department to celebrate grand opening of Reichmuth Skate Park.

Wednesday, August 31, 2011
11 A.M.
Reichmuth Park (6135 Gloria Drive)

Reichmuth park improvements include a skate park, concrete walkways, a seating area, bike racks, a security camera and signage. The total construction cost was approximately $227,600. Funding for this project came from Park Impact Fees which come from development projects in this planning area. This funding cannot be used for park maintenance, operations or other City Departments. Construction began in November 2010 and was completed in August 2011.

Sacramento City Councilmember Ashby joins District One for National Night Out Celebrations

2011-08-02T20:19:28Z

On Tuesday, August 2, 2011, City of Sacramento Councilmember Ashby will join residents of District One in celebrating the 28th annual “National Night Out” against crime.

Over 20 neighborhoods throughout the district have events planned such as block parties, ceremonies, BBQs, ice cream socials and other neighborhood social activities. These events allow neighbors to get to know one another, so that together they can fight to keep crime out of their communities. Public Safety is a community and team effort. Councilmember Ashby encourages neighbors to get to know each other and work together toward safer communities. Let’s send a message to criminals that crime and illegal activity in our neighborhoods will not be tolerated.

Tonight, Councilmember Ashby along with Sacramento Police Officers and other City representatives will be out visiting these neighborhood celebrations as a show of support for their efforts. Please see the schedule below of celebrations that the Councilmember will be attending (staff from the District One office will be visiting other celebrations within the district throughout the evening):

Time and Location:

6:00-6:15 Witter Ranch Park

6:25-6:40 Heritage Park

6:45-6:55 1900 Kane Ave

7:00-7:10 Vestry Ct.

7:20-7:35 801 San Juan Rd.

7:45-7:55 Tanzanite Park

8:15-8:30 3235 Spinning Rod

8:45-9:00 1400 E Street #A

We encourage all residents of the City of Sacramento to remain diligent in protecting our communities. Please remember to call in all suspicious activity all the time, and stay informed on what is happening in your community. To stay up to date on the current events out of the District One office, please call (916) 808-7001 or visit: www.angeliqueashby.com

Angelique Ashby is a mother, business owner, neighborhood leader and first-term Councilmember. She represents Natomas and Downtown Sacramento.

Redevelopment 101: A bucket half full

2011-07-16T00:54:37Z

There is a lot of talk about changes to redevelopment agencies in the state and the impact those changes will have on development projects in Sacramento.

To get a better idea of how redevelopment agencies work from a fiscal point of view, Sacramento Press has put together a “redevelopment primer” to make it easier to understand where the money comes from, where it goes and how the city benefits from redevelopment funding – and how it doesn’t.

“It all starts with property taxes, guaranteed school funding from Proposition 98, and state redevelopment law,” said Peter Detwiler, a consultant with the state Senate Governance & Finance Committee.

FIRST, WHAT IS A REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY?
Cities and counties set up redevelopment agencies to eliminate blight by paying for public and private improvements and economic development.

According to a report from the state Legislative Analysts Office, the use of redevelopment has improved many areas through the revitalization of downtown and historic districts and improvements in public infrastructure.

This creates economic growth, provides affordable housing and adds value to properties and neighborhoods, increasing property taxes and bringing revenue to cities, counties, special districts and schools.

HOW IS IT FUNDED?
Property taxes don’t just fund schools – they also provide revenue for cities, counties and special districts, such as water districts, utility districts or waste disposal.

When property values rise in a redevelopment area, so do the property taxes collected. The distribution of that money is calculated using formulas established by state law, and it is not divided equally.

As soon as a redevelopment agency is formed, the distribution changes. Instead of the increased property tax amount flowing out in its usual proportions to cities, counties, schools, and special districts, their shares are fixed, and redevelopment takes the rest – the growth – off the top.

That “growth” is the incremental tax increase, and it is the prime source of funding for redevelopment agencies.

HOW DOES IT SPEND MONEY?
When a redevelopment agency forms a development project, it leverages the projected amount of tax increment it will receive with bonds to finance the project.

Eric Rasmusson, a Sacramento lobbyist who specializes in housing issues, said to “think of a redevelopment bond as kind of a mortgage.”

A mortgage is secured by a house. On a home loan, the bank gives money up front on the risk that the value of the house will go up – and that the homeowner will make the required payments.

“A redevelopment bond is secured by the expected tax increment (revenue from property value increases) that a project will earn over the next 40 years,” Rasmusson said, “and the bond money finances the project.”

The bondholder loans on the risk that a development project will, in fact, raise property values and revenue – and that the agency will make the required payments.

When a redevelopment area experiences growth and the redevelopment agency collects revenue from that growth, the agency then uses those funds to pay the debt on bonds and to finance more projects.

WHAT IS THE CONNECTION TO SCHOOL FUNDING?
Schools are funded by property taxes. When Californians passed Proposition 98 in 1988, they established a constitutional obligation for the state to fund schools to a certain level.

Proposition 98 spending for schools is determined by a formula outlined in the state constitution, and it equals approximately 45 percent of the state general fund revenues each year.

Let’s think of school funding as a big steel bucket.

Imagine two faucets over the bucket. One faucet is “property tax,” the other is “state general fund,” and water (money) flows from those faucets into the bucket.

Since schools are primarily funded by property taxes, the property tax spigot is turned on first.

“School districts get, on average, about 52 cents of every property tax dollar, based on state formulas,” Detwiler said.

Property taxes are based on home and land value, and California has been suffering from a severely impaired housing market, so the property tax spigot doesn’t always fill the bucket to the top, he said.

When that happens, the state general fund spigot takes over to fill the bucket to the constitutionally guaranteed level. The less property taxes there are to fill the bucket, the more the state general fund has to make up.

Last year, the state general fund spigot poured out $3.2 billion for school funding in California.

At the same time, the state budget included cuts to everything from health and human services to transportation and parks.

WHAT FUNDING PROBLEMS DO REDEVELOPMENT AGENCIES CREATE?
If redevelopment agencies are collecting the incremental growth from increased property values in a redevelopment area, that money is not going to cities, counties, special districts – or schools.

Think of it as a hole in the bottom of our school funding bucket: Schools get some of the property taxes for a redevelopment area, but not as much as they would receive if their allocation level wasn’t frozen by the redevelopment agency.

Redevelopment agencies may help create growth, but they do not share the revenue from that growth.

IS THAT ALL?
Not quite.

A recent study showed that increases in property tax revenues are not solely due to redevelopment agencies.

“When redevelopment agencies do good things, property values rise,” Detwiler said. “But some of that was going to rise anyway.”

The study, conducted by the Public Policy Institute of California, concluded that about half of the growth from property value increases was going to happen anyway, and half is attributable to redevelopment agencies.

“It’s fair to say, then,” Detwiler said, “that the unearned half of revenue being captured by redevelopment agencies (from property value growth) should really belong to schools.”

Since the state is obligated to make sure the school funding bucket is full, it is in effect subsidizing redevelopment agencies for the unearned portion of revenue.

The question the governor asked Californians with the new budget was, “Can the state general fund afford this size of subsidy to redevelopment?”

The governor’s answer was “no.”

HOW DO WE PATCH THE HOLE?
The new state budget included legislation that eliminates redevelopment agencies in an effort to save the state nearly $1.7 billion dollars in “backfill” school funding obligations.

Under the new laws, redevelopment agencies can elect to remain in business by paying “continuation payments” that fund K-12 schools – reducing the amount of “water” flowing from the state general fund spigot.

Those continuation payments, however, must come from the city or county that has authority over the redevelopment agency. That means, if a city cannot afford the payments, it cannot afford its redevelopment agency.

Between a property tax spigot that runs low in a bad economy, and a state general fund spigot that is running dry, redevelopment agencies may be too big of a hole in the bucket.

Melissa Corker is a Staff Reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her @MelissaCorker.

CITY OF SACRAMENTO ENCOURAGES PUBLIC TO BE SAFE AND HAVE FUN THIS JULY 4TH HOLIDAY WEEKEND

2011-06-30T20:44:04Z

The City of Sacramento reminds residents and visitors to be safe this July 4th Holiday weekend. Below are a few friendly reminders:

• The City and County of Sacramento require that anybody under the age of 13 must wear a life jacket while in the regions’ waterways.

• Children should be supervised at all times when fireworks are in use; even Safe and Sane fireworks can cause injury. Do not let your children run with sparklers and ensure that they maintain a safe distance from others while handling them to avoid accidental burns. Always have a functioning hose ready to fully extinguish used fireworks.

• And, please do not drink and drive.

Given the historically high volume of calls over the 4th of July Holiday, the Sacramento Fire Department will be adding three additional fire companies into service and two boat companies from July 2 through the 5. In addition, the Sacramento Police Marine Unit will be on the waterways patrolling to make sure everyone has a good but safe time on the river.

In addition, the Sacramento Fire Department’s CERT Team will be at Tiscornia Beach at Discovery Park this 4th of July Holiday weekend loaning out life jackets to anyone who is at the beach from 2 to 5 p.m. This effort is part of the regional free lifejacket use program at participating regional Fire stations.

Extra funds for R Street improvement project

2011-05-19T04:53:44Z

The R Street improvements currently under construction from 10th to 13th streets are getting a few more amenities, as construction left extra funds in an approximately $1 million ~~$1.5 million~~ federal grant allocated to the project.

The City Council unanimously voted Tuesday to approve 13 more pedestrian benches, 13 banners affixed to streetlights and a decorative arch that spans R Street at 10th Street and a pedestrian arch over the sidewalk on 12th Street and R Street, to be constructed by Teichert Construction, the main contractor for the project.

“This will be the icing on the cake to R street and will make the area more pedestrian-friendly,” Sacramento Department of Transportation spokeswoman Linda Tucker said.

The R Street improvement project will add uniformity to the area that currently lacks consistent curbs, and it will also add parking spaces and street lights as well as restore the area’s mixed-use industrial, business and residential buildings.

Adding the new benches, banners and archways was an extension of federal funds already dedicated to the project.

“We got the go-ahead from Caltrans to make use of federal funds already budgeted for the project,” Tucker said.

According to Department of Transportation Project Manager Zuhair Amawi, a lot of thought went into the improvements.

“The selection of the concepts and design of the items in the change order was the result of many months of R Street stakeholder meetings organized by CADA (Capitol Development Area Authority) and approved by the City Preservation Commission,” Amawi said.

The project had a 36-week construction timeline and is still on-target for a summer finish.

Ground was broken last September.

“We can expect an opening event to celebrate R Street’s new look sometime this summer,” Tucker said.

Editorial Note: A correction has been made to this story after it was published. The incorrect information has been struck out and the correct information has been added.

Fallen trees live on

2011-04-30T01:26:52Z

Nothing lives forever, but according to Clark Kayler, trees can.

He extends the life of trees by turning them into furniture. The trees go from decorating the streets to decorating various rooms.

Kayler, 41, is the owner and founder of New Helvetia Hardwoods.

They rescue trees that have been knocked down by storms, trees that are being chopped down for development purposes or dying trees that are all headed for the landfills.

“(I am) giving our city’s trees a second chance,” Kayler said.

In early 2005, Kayler noticed a tree being removed from his neighbor’s yard. It bothered him. He asked the neighbor for the redwood tree, and he created his first piece of furniture: a table.

As a property manager, he is experienced in restoring and remodeling older homes. Rescuing trees is a hobby he hopes to turn into a business someday, he said.

“I was always driving around fixing things,” Kayler said. “I would see the tree service companies taking down trees. I would grab my trailer (and) pull (up) next to them. It is more of an opportunistic thing, (and then) I see if I can get the tree.”

When a tree will fall is unpredictable, and sometimes people call him, or he finds them, Kayler noted.

The more people know about what New Helvetia Hardwoods does, the more it grows and the more trees are saved, Kayler said.

“Trees get to bless us. They have a long life, their beauty doesn’t die and their contribution to us doesn’t go away … We encounter them every day – they don’t have to disappear,” Kayler said.

His son, Mattias Kayler, 15, helps him and shares the same passion for trees.

Trees are taken for granted. Whether it is acknowledged or not, trees have a presence – they shade, they provide the beautification, smell – they play a role in you wanting to sit there and enjoy the area or relax, Mattias Kayler said.

In turning trees into furniture, it is like giving them a proper burial, Clark Kayler added.

“My favorite tool to use is the axe. I like the rhythm involved in using it – the motion, the swing of back and forth. When you come in contact with the wood, you feel the impact – you feel connected,” Mattias Kayler added.

“When you cut a tree down the middle, you get to see the entire life of the tree. It’s like a biography of the tree,” Clark Kayler said.

He has used around 50 trees so far, and most of them are from Midtown and West Sacramento.

Some of the trees he works with are walnut, elm, figured redwood, big leaf daple and Deodora cedar.

He uses an Alaskan chain saw mill. It is a huge chainsaw to cut trees that can be 6 feet wide and 40 feet long.

Another tool is a skid loader. Like a forklift, it is a common basic contractor’s tool used for moving heavy things. A trailer and a truck are used for transporting the logs.

He has a little yard in West Sacramento, and at times he uses his own garage for the finishing.

The first step is acquiring, then milling, storing and finishing. The process requires a lot of patience, Clark Kalyer said.

He has supplied woods for a number of places in San Francisco for remodeling. Locally, the Azul Mexican Food and Tequila bar restaurant on 20th Street also carries his work.

He said he is concerned that the planting of trees is no longer supported or protected, especially canopy trees.

According to him, it will save money, and the environment, to turn these trees into furniture.

“There is an enormous carbon footprint generated in the throwing away of the trees,” Clark Kayler noted. “It also takes heavy equipment, manpower and expensive equipment.”

Architect and designer Michael Hargis, 38, has worked with Clark Kayler before.

“Clark is very responsive. He is honest, (and) he delivered everything he said he would. I am looking at doing more business together,” Hargis said.

Clark Kayler has found something he is passionate about, and he is on the verge of turning it into a business, Hargis said.

“The fact that he is recycling the trees and things are not going to waste is cool,” Hargis noted.

For more information contact Clark Kayler: clark@newhelvetiahardwoods.com or 548 4007.

Man on the Street: What's a sign that it's officially Summer in Sacramento?

2011-04-28T22:16:29Z

What’s a sign that it’s officially summer in Sacramento?

Summer is around the corner, and signs of the season are showing up everywhere in the city, the days are warmer and outside recreational activities begin to increase.

The Sacramento Press stopped locals in the central city during the Second Saturday Art Walk, and asked, “What’s a sign that it’s officially summer in Sacramento?”

Musician/singer Elijah Bell, 19, lives downtown and said he knows it’s summer when girls are walking around wearing less clothing. He added, “The days seem longer, and more songs come out on the radio.”

Live music and local street performers are also more prevalent during summer on Second Saturdays. Street performer Archime Vice, 21, said there is an increase in police patrolling during the summer.

“More cops are out late on summer nights to stop buskers (street performers) from playing after 9 p.m.”

Chanel Love, 21, a student at Sacramento City College lives in Elk Grove, said she notices that people seem to take time off work most often during summer.

“People are taking more vacations, and you see more young people out on the weekends.”

Midtown resident, Zachary Denco, 21 said that for him a sign that summer is here is when “Second Saturday is happening,”

He added that the ArtWalk can only be properly experienced during the warm season.

Like Bell, Andrew Emary, 26, a furniture installer who lives in Elk Grove, along with his wife Juliana agreed that girls are wearing less clothing, but said they don’t wear enough clothing.

“In the summer, girls are wearing shorts that are too short, and I’ve even seen them wear their bikinis at the mall.”

What are some other signs that summer has officially begun in Sacramento? Give us your responses in the comment section below.

Photos: Wine in the Park

2011-04-25T06:12:36Z

If you didn't get your ticket early, you missed out.

Raley Field was the setting for Infuze Marketing's Wine in the Park wine tasting, featuring a selection of wines from surrounding area wineries, appetizers and a seat to watch the ballgame.

The sold-out event took place in the VIP tented section off the third base line before the Sacramento River Cats and the Tucson Padres started the first of a four-game series at home.

Participating wineries included Sierra Knolls Vineyard & Winery, Abundance Vineyards, Lucchesi Vineyards & Winery, Watts Winery and Mount Aukum Winery.

The event was sponsored by Top Speed Data Communications, Porter | Scott Attorneys and the UC Davis Health System, and a portion of the proceeds will go to St. John's Shelter Program for Women & Children.

The next Wine in the Park event is scheduled for June 11. Visit Infuze Marketing for more details.

Lights & Cameras & Signs... Oh My!

2011-02-13T04:46:24Z

The City Management Academy's 3rd weekly Wednesday evening class brought the diverse group of 30 community association, organization and agency leaders together for the first of several off-site meetings this week.

Who knew how vast the city's Corporation Yard (on 24th Street south of Fruitridge) actually is: 20+ buildings containing shops, offices, storage, and more are spread across acres abutting the neighboring Executive Airport.

Some factoids we learned from city department heads this evening included:

Our city owns 2000+ parcels of land, containing more than 400 properties to maintain.
The city's amazing 311 Call Center receives 30,000 - 40,000 calls every month.
They answer an average of 10,000 calls JUST on trash pick-up issues every month! And yes, that means every day more than 300 city residents call about their garbage service -- every day!
We're one of only a handful of municipalities who manufacture our own street signs.
As budgets and need permit, we're replacing outdated & costly traffic signals AND street lights w/ incredibly efficient LED-based lamps.
Sacramento's Dept of Parks & Recreation maintains more than 220 city-owned parks (without Amy Poehler!)

Informative & interesting presentations were made to the group about:

Utilities (our water, sewer, and garbage services)
Fleet Management (the purchase & maintenance of our police cruisers, fire engines, commercial service equiment, etc.)
The transportation department (paving, concrete, sidewalks, curbs, street lights, street signs, traffic signals, cameras, and computerized underground pressure-sensing devices at major traffic intersections which activate signals as vehicle traffic flow warrants!)
The 311 Call Center struggling to maintain service levels with rapidly shrinking budgets and staff.
Our park & pool facilities (many more likely to be closed this coming summer season, again due to the still tanking tax revenue base and resulting cuts another fiscal cycle in the offing).

Various departments on site hosted lively "insider" tours of the mechanics' & street sign making shops, hi-tech traffic signal controller equipment (those refrigerator-sized shiny silver boxes we see at traffic intersections) and more from truly enthusiastic folks who were clearly proud to share their work environments with us.

Lots of questions came from CMA members wanting to connect the information being presented with issues of concern in their individual neighborhoods and organizations. There's a clear sense from many in the group of using these unique opportunities to communicate with and improve understanding between our city's staff and the residents, workers and stakeholders they represent.

Next week: we're back on the 5th floor of New City Hall for two presentations by the City's director of Economic Development and the Housing & Redevelopment Agency executive director.

Mayor's Initiatives Pep Rally Squad

2011-02-07T19:35:10Z

A Perspective:

2011 City Management Academy's Class #2:

Mayor Johnson Presents with his Initiatives’ Pep Rally Squad

The second session of the 2011 City Management Academy (CMA) 12-week classroom for neighborhood association and other community & business leaders began with a 4-minute, professionally-produced video presentation complete w/ pulsing background music and splashy visual edits which highlighted some of Mayor Johnson’s accomplishments while in office.

As the video ended, Wednesday evening’s first speaker, the mayor (waiting in the wings -- poised in the doorway shadows of a 5th floor New City Hall conference room, standing very still & quiet, head bowed, anticipating the room’s re- lighting and, perhaps, applause) was introduced to the class of 30 by an alumna of a previous CMA, and applause.

This observer experienced the next 3 hours as a press conference -- albeit a somewhat well-spun one. But instead of the typical professional spokesperson offering calm, carefully-scripted soundbites for the consumption of an equally professional audience of media, the eight speakers who presented on the Mayor’s “Vision & Initiatives” seemed at times to be on the verge of a pep rally cheerleading squad in their zeal and almost relentlessly positive enthusiasm. At moments during the evening, a more apt comparison might have been that of a pharmaceutical sales rep to a physician's medical office staff, meal included. The sell was on -- and even a hard sell, at times.

Johnson opened his remarks to the class by describing the just-watched video as much briefer than the 24 minutes of his annual State of the City speech given earlier in the week.

He reiterated the three most significant highlights of his “Think Big” vision concept:

Green Energy (the Emerald Valley) branding for the region’s economic growth
re-development of the J, K, L Streets downtown core district (including some version of an entertainment & sports complex known as the SacramentoFirst initiative)
a focus on improving educational resources and outcomes (perhaps initiating 3rd grade proficiency exams) and a "School Report Card" program for city schools

Several informed, specific questions from the room related to recent news including

the “Crash Tax” just passed by the Council
looming Housing & Redevelopment Agency (SHRA) funding cuts proposed by Governor Brown
county budget reductions affecting area social service agencies

got upbeat, non-specific, unsurprising responses from Johnson. For those wanting even more details of Johnson's currrent version of public speechifying, check out this great Sac Press article covering an appearance from the Mayor at the Oak Park Neighborhood Association the very next evening. Folks who saw both appearance noticed a strong similarity in content.

Following Johnson, we at the CMA were treated to a barrage of well-enough rehearsed spin-meisters hawking a variety pack of the Mayor's initiatives, some with the now-ubiquitous PowerPoint presentations so common to this style of efficient information and idea exchange:

- Anne Moore from Sacramento Steps Forward on the city’s homeless population challenges and solutions.
- Lauren Altdoerffer, Greenwise Sacramento, on the Mayor's branding push to create the "Emerald Valley" green initiatives.
- Andie Corso with STAND UP for Education, an education initiative to promote better city schools.
- Deborah Edwards of For Arts’ Sake on the "Any Given Child" & other programs to develop & promote Sacramento's arts and entertainment communities, venues and organizations.
- Keith Hart & MaryLynn Perry from Volunteer Sacramento on the push to make Sacramento's civic volunteerism "no longer nice but necessary" through various programs and agendas.

Others in the class may have gotten something in the way of new information, interesting ideas and, perhaps, encouragement from the presentations. The time constraints caused by a perhaps overly ambitious evening's agenda seemed to leave little opportunity for question-and-answer, or much more than rapidly moving through the speaker list.

What little time was available for questions drew mostly very specific, recent events-based attempts to get deeper explanations from presumptive key players, or at least those on the inside. But with few and brief noteworthy responses, and candor rarely in evidence, a gloss of urgent, near-keening optimism was the apparent substitute for a conversational exchange of ideas with the class.

Some might fairly call this writer a cynic, and only skeptical on my better days, but public relations -style mechanisms for outreach specific to a room of decidedly engaged civic leadership seems verging on contemptible to me. The evening’s lingering aura of non-inclusion of outsiders by the Mayor's "pep rally team" of initiative insiders, the result of so many superficial & slick presentations, left this participant feeling dissed and disengaged instead of welcomed and encouraged. And definitely not sold in any way. Grrrr...

Next week's class #3: a field trip to the city's 24th Street Corporation Yard & 311 Call Center Tour... so do stay tuned with this "storyline" as the 12 week odyssey continues. Next Sac Press update will be posted here online Friday night, fer shure!

Sidebar

2011-01-31T20:07:52Z

With his security detail watching the surroundings, Mayor Kevin Johnson answers a question about an earlier incident that involved a reported threat to his safety. To accommodate the media, the Mayor took a momentary break in a day-long series of meetings with the mayors of eight other California cities and several State officials, including Governor Jerry Brown. The "Big 10 Mayors" were in Sacramento in an attempt to keep redevelopment funds from being completely absorbed back into the State budget.

Sac Re-Starts City Mgmt Academy

2011-01-29T08:46:39Z

After a few years of budget-induced hiatus, the city’s Neighborhood Services Department (NSD) revived a noteworthy community program Wednesday night.

The City Management Academy (CMA) http://www.cityofsacramento.org/city-management-academy// is an annual 12-week series of classroom presentations designed to educate community organizers to better understand how our city government operates. Wednesday evening's initial 3-hour session brought 30 eager, newly-appointed members of the "2011 CMA class" to their City Hall conference room home base, and the agenda and process for the next several months of presentations and city facility visits.

With substantial support from a core group of dedicated program alumni (more than 300 have “graduated” since the first class in 1995), and the ever-creative efforts of Vincene Jones and the NSD staff http://www.cityofsacramento.org/ns/ each week's agenda will offer the group access to top-level managers who'll explain & explore the current issues and challenges in various city departments, with the goal of facilitating better lines of communication between those citizens invested in community-issues solutions and the dedicated professionals working within the city administration tasked to do so in these economically challenging times. http://www.cityofsacramento.org/city-management-academy/what-is-it.cfm

Class members represent a mixture of Sacramento's engaged community leaderdship: neighborhood & homeowners association board members, non-profit agency staff, campaign ballot initiative organization leaders, and many others. An enthusiastic vibe from the room certainly indicated a strong level of commitment to active participation in this unique opportunity with access to Sacramento government officials for discussion of the issues and challenges facing the city's future.

**********

CLASS #1: After introductions and opening remarks, the group jumped right into its work with "Governnance Structure & Charter Officers". Candid, engaging presentations by three of Sacramento's city charter department leaders, Interim City Manager Gus Vina, City Clerk Shirley Concolino and Matt Ruyak from the City Attorney’s Office, will hopefully set the tone for subsequent class presentations.

First up was the wry wit of our current Interim City Manager http://www.cityofsacramento.org/cityman/index.html. In the city's recently somewhat of a roller-coaster "CEO" role, the timeliness of Gus Vina's presence was immediately understood by many in the class, since Tuesday's City Council meeting had just included the Council vote to fund a national candidate search process for a replacement for his job. Amidst the Council's atmosphere of presumed (a 5 - 4 vote) "no-confidence", Vina nevertheless said he'd been clear over time how much he does want the permanent position, and is contemplating whether to submit his resume for the job, versus choosing to "pursue other options".

Vina's good humor was evident as he transitioned into an excellent, mostly spin-free overview discussion of the basic structure and format of the city's governing bodies. Having encouraged the room to be candid, direct, and to interrupt wth questions, he comfortably fielded several challenges to some specific info he'd offered. More than a few times he described how much remains challenging in the coming budget cycles around balancing declining revenue while maintaining service levels vital to city residents, workers and businesses.

Never tedious or boring, several on-the-fly decisions kept Vina talking well past the scheduled time, with the class eager in agreement to delay a dinner break & continue the conversation w/ him. Some might see Gus Vina as a huge asset Sacramento could be well wise to avoid losing... among them me.

Shirley Concolino has spent nearly a decade streamlining and updating many operations of the City Clerk's office http://www.cityofsacramento.org/clerk/, often finding creative (and occasionally revenue-generating!) methods to handle staffing cuts while maintaining vital components of the city government's day-to-day workings. She rightfully boasted of various ongoing "green" changes which have substantially reduced the volumes of paper the city must generate in its legally-required documents and forms collection. Our city is on-track for eventual "digital signature" technology which will further reduce waste, and greatly improve turn-around timelines in all sorts of departments and processes. And many of the class were pleased to learn of the very efficient Passport service appointments the Clerk's Office offers, including photos, which are said to much less onerous than what's avalable at the US Post Office a block away!

The City Attorney's Office http://www.cityofsacramento.org/cityattorney// was represented by Matt Ruyak, currently Supervising Deputy City Attorney of the Transactional / Advisory Section, who did an excellent job of describing (to the nearly all non-lawyers in the class) the different aspects of counsel and advice the legal team (approx. 50) provides to a broad array of city government. Several class members were interested in learning more about the CAO's Justice For Neighbors Program, a state-funded pilot project which helps citizens rid neighborhoods of problem properties (tenants and landlords, evictions and foreclosures) through newly streamlined regulations and procedures.

**********

This contributor will offer Sac Press readers a wrap-up from each of the upcoming 11 week’s classes, with information and perspective for citizens (like me!) who are interested in how civic involvement in local government is vital to sustaining quality of life here in Sacramento.

Please follow this storyline for Friday evening articles on each week's class. Announced class topics http://www.cityofsacramento.org/city-management-academy/curriculum-highlights.cfm include public safety, housing & redevelopment, parks & recreation, census redistricting, code & permit compliance, and more. And we're scheduled to visit both the city's 311 Call Center http://www.cityofsacramento.org/generalservices/311/ & Public Safety Center as well.

COMING UP NEXT FRIDAY: Mayor Kevin Johnson and his team discuss various of his Sacramento's Vision & Initiatives including: Greenwise http://greenwisesacramento.org/, Steps Forward, STAND UP for Education, For Arts' Sake http://www.forartsake.org/.

Mayors, governor to negotiate redevelopment

2011-01-27T06:27:37Z

Nine mayors representing California’s largest cities met with Gov. Jerry Brown in a closed session Wednesday to urge him not to eliminate redevelopment agency funding.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting on the West Steps of the Capitol, mayors from Sacramento, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Anaheim, Oakland, San Jose, Santa Ana, Fresno and San Diego explained their reasons for wanting to keep redevelopment agency dollars in the city budgets.

“Every one of us understand the magnitude of the budget challenges we face in the state,” said Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

He added that all mayors understand the need to shoulder their share of the budget cuts necessitated by the recession, but argued that eliminating redevelopment agencies is unfair, saying they create jobs and work as an investment to stimulate economic development.

Brown briefly addressed reporters outside his office right after the meeting.

“We’re working. We’re not in agreement yet,” he said. “We’re going to meet further. We’re going to keep talking.”

Brown has advocated for eliminating city redevelopment agencies, which are responsible for developing infill projects, such as recent work on K Street in Sacramento, in addition to other responsibilities.

Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson said the mayors told Brown in the meeting that “it’s a terrible idea to abolish redevelopment in cities up and down the state.”

He said Brown was open to the idea of working with city governments, adding that the governor understands the value of redevelopment.

“He said we will have to bring solutions, and that’s incumbent on us,” Johnson said.

He then mentioned successful redevelopment projects just blocks from the Capitol, including the Sheraton Hotel, in which he said an $8 million investment of redevelopment funds was able to leverage $100 million.

“(Brown) is a tenant here in a project that is only here because of redevelopment dollars,” Johnson said. “We reminded him of it, he was in good spirit ... he said, ‘You guys can be part of a working group going forward.’ ”

Johnson emphasized that California’s mayors and city governments will stand firm on the issue.

“The problem with eliminating redevelopment ... is that all of us have historical high unemployment rates,” Villaraigosa said. “This is the wrong time to move away from job creation.”

The nine mayors who spoke Wednesday on the West Steps of the Capitol agreed that spending redevelopment dollars – which come from property taxes – brings further economic growth and translates to more revenue.

San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders said redevelopment in downtown San Diego has resulted in each dollar spent bringing back $8.50 to the city.

The argument for eliminating redevelopment and enterprise zone funding is that it will allow more state funds to be spent in areas such as public safety and education.

With that, several public safety advocacy organizations have come out in support of Brown.

California Professional Firefighters, an advocacy group for approximately 30,000 firefighters, argued that cities overstate the impact of redevelopment agencies in job creation.

According to a press release from the CPF, the number of documented jobs created across the state in the past decade was approximately 241,000.

The release also cites a Jan. 18 report by the California Legislative Analyst that contends there is “no reliable evidence that redevelopment agencies improve overall economic development in California.”

The mayors did not answer questions about the report during the press conference.

The next step in the process, according to the mayors, will be to sit down with Brown and negotiate a workable solution.

“It was a good meeting, a good start, an important opportunity for us to be at the table to engage in these discussions,” Villaraigosa said.

Brandon Darnell is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Cracks in the system

2010-09-16T23:08:41Z

Marshall Park neighborhood resident Alfred Alvarez was notified by the city of Sacramento’s Department of Transportation that he would be required to make repairs to sidewalks bordering two of his lots on F and 28th streets.

Since 2005, Alvarez and city inspectors have disagreed about what can be labelled as a defective or hazardous sidewalk.

Alvarez’ sidewalks have been assessed as needing repairs costing nearly $10,000, which under Sacramento’s city code would require him, the owner, to pay for the cost of all repairs as well as administrative and inspection costs required by the city. In response to these estimates, Alvarez stated that repairs would be made “over my dead body.”

This issue goes back to December 2005, when Alvarez was given his first notice to repair his sidewalks. He repaired them himself by grinding down uneven spots and resurfaced them for the sake of visual continuity. However, after reinspection, the city deemed his repairs unsuitable and required that complete removal of defective squares in his sidewalks would be necessary.

Department of Transportation spokeswoman Linda Tucker said sidewalk repairs are made on a complaint basis and are done to protect the public as well as the homeowner.

“It’s a liability issue to the homeowner,” Tucker said.

In attempt to resolve issues with Alvarez, Tucker said the city has met with him “multiple times over the last five years.”

Alvarez’ said his refusal to repair his sidewalks is not based on a lack of concern for the general public. Rather, he is bothered by the way in which the city requires many residents to pay for the costs of these repairs on credit.

“When I have the money to repair the sidewalks, I’ll complete them in the correct manner,” Alvarez said.

In some cases, homeowners have liens put on their properties in order to ensure repayment of services provided by the city.

“Citizens should not be demanded to pay for things on credit,” Alvarez said. “That’s what got us in this financial crisis in the first place.”

In an e-mailed response, Tucker stated that the city has “about 1,800 sidewalk repair jobs every year.” And of those jobs, only “five to eight bills per year go to a lien against the property.”

Tucker also said owners’ properties go to a lien when, after meeting with them personally, they remain resistant to make payments that will work things out.

Alvarez said he thought the 2005 issue had been dropped until new notices were placed on his door, even after he had repaired the sidewalks up to standards he thought would be code-worthy.

“Everything is cosmetic,” Alvarez said as he assessed the conditions of newly replaced sidewalks in his neighborhood, some of which already show signs of cracking and deterioration.

Tucker said that out of the thousands of repairs made every year, the best way to make sure the job is done correctly, and to code, is to hire a city contractor to do the work.

“We typically give homeowners 60, sometimes 90 days, before we start work,” Tucker said.

In Alvarez’ case, he was given his first notice five years ago and has yet to meet the requirements of the city. His delay in making city-approved repairs comes in part because of his difference in opinion of what the city’s priorities should be.

“It’s more important that the city fixes sidewalks where children and senior citizens walk, like around Marshall School and senior care homes,” Alvarez said.

Under city code, if Alvarez fails to make the repairs required by the notice or fails to respond and execute the agreement, the city will make the required repairs, and the cost would be a lien on the lot or lots of the owner fronting the defective sidewalk.

Tucker expressed the city’s desire to see the issue peacefully resolved.

Alvarez, on the other hand, remains determined to make a statement and said he hopes his protest will cause bureaucratic changes to be made in the city.

“I’m only fighting cosmetic and safety issues,” Alvarez said. “There should be a distinct division.”

Firefighters climb in 9/11 memorial

2010-09-13T18:01:38Z

Three hundred and forty three Sacramento area firefighters climbed 110 flights of stairs early Saturday morning in honor of the 343 firefighters who died in the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York on Sept. 11, 2001.

The second annual Sacramento 9/11 Memorial Climb was held at the 28-story Renaissance Tower on 8th and K. Fire departments representing cities including Sacramento, Davis, El Cerrito, Placerville and Vacaville participated.

Climbers made four ascents: three from the basement to the 26th floor, and a final ascent from the basement to the roof, bringing the total number of floors climbed to 110, the same number of floors in each of the towers of the World Trade Center.

Lloyd Ogden, operations deputy chief for the Sacramento Fire Department, gave opening remarks to the gathered climbers before the climb started.

An emotional Samuel Giamo, Jr., who joined the Fire Department of New York in 1979 and retired in 2002, took the podium next and shared some thoughts on his personal experiences with 9/11.

Firefighters then proceeded to start the climb, led by a firefighter carrying an American flag.

At minimum, all firefighters making the climb wore their department-issued turnout coats, the type of jacket typically worn by firefighters, and their helmets while climbing the stairs. Some elected to wear full gear, including turnout pants and boots, while others wore shorts and athletic shoes.

Each of the 343 climbers had a small, black banner with the name of one of the firefighters who died in the World Trade Center attacks pinned on the back of their coats, over their own name. This allowed each climber to symbolically carry each fallen firefighter 110 flights to the roof of the building.

As each climber reached the roof, each name banner was unpinned and hung inside two metal reproduction models of the World Trade Center towers. The names were saluted, and each firefighter then rang a red bell, which was embossed with each name of the FDNY firefighters.

Immediately following the climb, a tribute in the park event was held on Capitol Mall between Sixth and Seventh. The event gave families an opportunity to come together in a social environment and honor the families affected by the 9/11 tragedy by sharing the day with their loved ones. Those attending enjoyed food, drink, live music and children’s activities. All proceeds raised from the $5 entrance fee, food and beer sales, and donations went to the Sacramento Area Firefighters Widows and Orphans Fund.

Two-year-old Tyler, son of Vacaville firefighter Jeremy Sirois, joins his father during the climb preparation.

Firefighters prepare to climb 110 stories from the basement of Renaissance Tower.

Heading to the first flight of stairs.

A firefighter touches a piece of glass from the World Trade Center before starting his climb.

Climbing 110 stories in turnout gear.

Leading with the American flag, the first of 343 climbers makes it to the roof.

Hanging the name of a FDNY brother in the memorial.

Waiting to approach the memorial.

A firefighter pays his respects to his fire service brothers who died on 9/11.

Firefighters wait their turn to approach the memorial.

Each climber rang a bell which displayed the names of the 343 firefighters who died at the World Trade Center.

Bagpipes being played as climbers make it to the roof.

Honor Guard on Capitol Mall during Tribute in the Park.

The 9/11 Memorial on the roof of Renaissance Tower.

Photos: Steven Chea

Council: All 39 medical pot dispensaries can stay in town

2010-07-28T05:15:45Z

The 39 medical marijuana shops in Sacramento are on their way to becoming legal.

The Sacramento City Council voted 8-0 to draft regulations for current pot dispensaries to legally operate with city permits.

Councilman Ray Tretheway was absent from the meeting. Notably, Councilman Robbie Waters, who formerly served as a Sacramento County sheriff and city police officer, voted in favor of a path toward legal and regulated medical marijuana shops. Waters noted that he had originally approached the issue from a “cop view.”

Michelle Heppner, a special projects manager for the city, explained after the meeting that the City Council intends to allow 39 medical marijuana dispensaries in Sacramento to apply for city permits.

However, the notion of cap on the number of dispensaries is still hazy.

Heppner said the council agreed that the number of dispensaries is not capped at 39. However, the council is not saying that there should be an unlimited number of dispensaries in Sacramento, she said.

Heppner told the City Council she plans to present draft language for a medical marijuana ordinance in late September.

Photo by Brandon Darnell.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Sacramento Residents Invited to Apply for Utilities Rate Advisory Commission

2010-04-02T19:21:52Z

City of Sacramento residents are invited to apply for a position on the Utilities Rate Advisory Commission. Established by the Sacramento City Council in 2008, this commission is a sounding board for proposed rate changes and serves as an expert advisory panel to the Mayor and City Council. Members also serve as a community liaison, providing information about utility service rates and collecting feedback.

“We understand that customer input in the rate setting process is vital to balancing service levels set by the City Council with competitive rates,” said Department of Utilities Director Marty Hanneman. “The Rate Advisory Commission provides an avenue for residents to actively participate in finding that balance.”

The seven-member commission represents ratepayers in each customer classification, including residential, multifamily, commercial and industrial. Membership includes five professional experts in key areas such as finance, law, engineering, construction and environmental services to provide insight into the complexities of structuring and setting rates. The Commission is currently recruiting for one at-large member and 3 members with expertise.

An application for the Rate Advisory Commission is available on the Department of Utilities Web site at www.cityofsacramento.org/utilities/about-us/RAC or at the Department of Utilities office at 1395 35th Avenue in Sacramento. The deadline to apply is June 11, 2010.

Applications will be reviewed and members will be appointed by the Mayor and approved by the City Council. Commissioners will be appointed to two-year terms.

The Commission is expected to meet between four and 12 times per year. Duties will include:
• Reviewing and commenting on proposed changes to utility service rates for water, sewer, garbage, recycling, yard waste and street sweeping services.
• Developing and providing recommendations on rates to the Mayor and City Council.
• Holding public hearings on proposed rate increases or changes.
• Acting as a community liaison to help the public understand and participate in the rate setting process.

The City Council will continue to set utility service levels and ultimately decide whether to approve rates.

For more information about the Rate Advisory Commission and application process, please contact Jessica Hess, City of Sacramento Media and Communications Specialist, at jhess@cityofsacramento.org.

City Reminds Residents of Metered Water Bill Switch

2009-12-04T00:37:15Z

The City of Sacramento Department of Utilities reminds its residential water customers that customers who have a water meter and who have received a comparative bill for at least one year will be converting to a metered rate in January 2010. Residents who have a meter, but who have not had a year of comparative billing will remain on a flat rate until they have received a year of comparative billing. Customers who do not currently have a water meter will receive a year of comparative billing once a water meter is installed before being switched to a metered rate.

The City is installing water meters on more than 110,000 homes by 2025 and converting customers with a water meter to metered billing in compliance with State law.

When being billed on a metered rate, customers will be billed a monthly service fee based on the size of their water meter as well as a volumetric charge for the water that they use. A customer who uses the median amount of water each month will have nearly the same annual water bill as their current annual flat rate bill. In general, customers who use more water than the median each month will pay more, and those who use less water will pay less than the current flat rate bill.

Customers are reminded that the City offers free water conservation consultations. Customers can call (916) 264-5011 or 311 to schedule a free Water Wise House Call. During the House Call, a water conservation specialist will help property owners with free conservation tips and tools and will assist the owner with an irrigation evaluation.

Water Meter Installation in Sacramento

2009-09-07T04:38:38Z

This Tuesday the Sacramento City Council will approve authorization for a $20 Million grant/loan funding the first phase of the Water Meter Retrofit Project. The Project will retrofit approximately 11,000 to 13,000 residential and commercial properties within the City of Sacramento with the first phase of the project retrofitting approximately 1,735 services with meters.

Back in 2005, Assembly Bill 2572 (AB 2572) requires the installation and use of water meters by 2025 across the state, including in the City of Sacramento. This law supersedes the City charter. Signed into law by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on September 29, 2004, the water meter retrofit program affects about 120,000 City of Sacramento residential customers.

All metered properties will receive one calendar year of comparative billing before being switched to a metered rate. The first phase will start in the south Sacramento west of Center Parkway and south of Cosumnes River Blvd.

How clean are your streets?

2009-08-24T22:26:45Z

We've all seen the street cleaning signs Downtown. No Parking on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, take your pick, from 8 a.m. to noon, usually. We've struggled trying to remember which side is which when we've come home late at night, and then tried to find a spot on the correct side. Is it all really necessary?

I've had occasion to be home on a number of street cleaning days for my street. The funny thing is, I haven't seen street cleaners--ever! I don't see the evidence that they've even been there. What I do see are tickets. Evidence that the meter maid has come by to ticket you for parking someplace. Someplace where they need to clean, but won't.

For transparency's sake, during a recent event, I received a ticket on my car. I normally would have no problem moving my car, however this morning it wouldn't start. I had even set my alarm for 7:30 a.m., just to be sure I would move it in time, even though I don't have to be at work until 9 a.m.

Upon realizing that it wouldn't start, I called a tow company and proceeded to leave a note, "Car won't start, can't move. Will be towed shortly." I came out to the sounds of the tow truck at 8:30 and what did I see? A nice, fresh, yellow ticket staring at me.

Having just been written at 8:11, I furtively glanced around for the officer who was well on his or her way, I'm sure. So, to add insult to the injury of a broken down car and a tow fee, I now had a nice $49 ticket to keep them company in my bank account.

But what was the ticket for? Parking in an area marked for no parking during certain hours. For street cleaning. Upon coming home at lunch I looked at the streets; no cleaning had been done. So I became curious just how often does this "cleaning" that I had impeded, and been ticketed for, take place.

The street signs tell me once a week on each side, Wednesdays and Thursdays. My mind, knowing the state of the economy, the state of city budgets, and the condition of my street, thought otherwise.

An e-mail back from the City of Sacramento seems to suggest that it happens on the fourth week of every month. However, a follow-up e-mail clarifies that no, it is once every two months.

So, then why am I and hundreds, if not thousands of others, getting tickets on days where the street doesn't need to be vacated? It seems rather disingenuous to ticket so many people under the guise of "street cleaning."

Why not just say "No parking: 'cause we feel like it," or something more City of Sacramento-like? I'm sure this fills the coffers of the city and ensures services are paid for. But wouldn't reassigning the meter maids that work those areas have the same effect? Cutting off a large portion of the Downtown area has got to save on labor costs somewhere.

For those that are interested, the weeks the City chooses to clean Downtown streets are the fourth weeks of January, March, May, July, September, and November. As always, check with the City to be sure that that is the case for your particular area, if you're unsure, at 311@cityofsacramento.org.

Final Harmony on the River in West Sacramento

2009-07-30T16:32:56Z

On Tuesday, Aug. 4, from 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m., Harmony on the River, a free summer concert series from the City of West Sacramento, will present the final concert of the season. Enjoy an evening with Hurricane Sam & the Hotshots, featuring boogie, blues, and jazz.

Harmony on the River is a family-friendly event, so please bring the kids, a picnic, and soak up the sounds. Pets on leash are allowed, but the City asks that you refrain from any glass bottles.

Parking is free also, so just see a parking attendant on site for a pass.

For more information, contact Scott Stanley of the City of West Sacramento Parks & Recreation, scottst@cityofwestsacramento.org.

West Capitol Avenue Streetscape Traffic Advisory

2009-07-29T14:59:07Z

The City of West Sacramento announces a modification underway in the traffic flow parallel to City Hall, 1110 West Capitol Avenue as part of the West Capitol Avenue Streetscape construction project.

All eastbound vehicle and bicycle traffic is shifted to a single south lane on West Capitol Avenue. Westbound vehicles and bicycles will continue using the north side of West Capitol.

All pedestrian access continues on the north side of the street, as West Capitol's south sidewalk remains closed, and the closure of Merkley Avenue from West Capitol Avenue to approximately 600 feet south stays in effect.

The two Yolobus eastbound transfer stations at Merkley Avenue and Jefferson Boulevard have been re-positioned from the median area to the south side of West Capitol Avenue. The westbound transfer stations and bus stops do not change at this time.

This traffic configuration will accommodate the construction within the West Capitol Avenue median areas, a period expected to last approximately four weeks.

All businesses in the vicinity of the construction area remain open and accessible. Please drive cautiously and pay attention to traffic/construction signs in the area.

Observe the construction zone speed limit of 25 MPH for the safety of pedestrians.

West Sacramento Announces Mini-Grant Program for Non-Profit Organizations

2009-07-29T14:38:38Z

The City of West Sacramento has announced their Mimi-Grant Program for community service organizations with a great program idea needing additional funding.

The City's "Community Mini-Grant Program" provides funds annually to help qualifying West Sacramento non-profit organizations with special funding needs.

This year, thirty thousand dollars is available to non-profit organization applicants that can demonstrate a viable need that benefits West Sacramento and its residents.

Applications for the mini-grant program must be submitted by Sept. 25, 2009, to the Parks & Recreation Department, 1110 West Capitol Ave., West Sacramento, CA 95691.

Once all of the applications are in, they will be reviewed by a Parks & Community Services Commission subcommittee, and the chosen recipients will be announced in the spring of 2010. The selected organizations must enter into a signed contract, after which they will receive eighty percent of the funding. The remaining twenty percent will be awarded when all original receipts are submitted and it is determined that the funds were spent as planned.

To apply, visit the City of West Sacramento's website at www.westsacfun.org and look for “Community Mini-Grants” under Department Highlights, or pick up an application at the Parks & Recreation office on the first floor of City Hall.

For more information or questions, please contact West Sacramento Parks & Recreation at (916) 617-4620.

City/County Budget Crisis: The weekly roundup

2009-06-08T01:55:25Z

City Distributes 168 Pink Slips

Many city employees learned last week that their last day of work may be June 19. The city distributed 168 pink slips Monday, June 2.

The 168 figure is not set in stone. City officials said fewer people may be laid off if unions make concessions. The city is dealing with a budget deficit in excess of $43 million.

Firefighters Nix Labor Agreement with City

City managers and the local firefighters’ union both said Friday they are willing to head back to the bargaining table after firefighters voted down a labor deal last week.

The city’s decision to distribute layoff notices to firefighters is a key dispute between city management and Sacramento Area Firefighters Local 522. The preliminary agreement that firefighters tossed out would have kept Sacramento Fire Department jobs and cut firefighters’ upcoming cost-of-living salary increase.

The union said the city’s layoff notices were an intimidation tactic. But city managers said they were being straightforward in their negotiations with the union.

The jobs of 68 employees in the Sacramento Fire Department are at stake. Of the 68 employees, 50 are firefighters, nine are engineers and nine are captains.

County Budget Released

Sacramento County released its proposed 2009/2010 budget Friday night. Look for our coverage on the county budget this week.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Firefighters make deal with city; union to cast votes on agreement

2009-06-02T02:43:42Z

Sacramento's firefighters’ union and city management have made a preliminary deal to maintain jobs that city officials hope will be approved by union members later this week. A union spokeswoman, meanwhile, is saying that no one is “thrilled” about the proposed agreement.

The deal, which was arranged Friday and made public Monday, would maintain 50 positions in the city’s fire department and take $5 million off the city's deficit, said Gus Vina, an assistant city manager who is negotiating with the city’s unions. A key part of the agreement is that the firefighters would give up their 5 percent cost-of-living pay increases that had been scheduled for July, Vina said.

Instead of the 5 percent in July, the firefighters would receive a 1 percent raise in July 2010, and a 2 percent raise in 2011. “So they get basically 3 percent back on the 5 percent they forego,” he said.

“We’ve been working towards an agreement for many months now,” Vina said. “So I’m very happy that we’ve reached tentative agreement with the fire union.”

Sacramento Area Firefighters Local 522 spokeswoman Robin Swanson said that the union’s firefighters don’t want to see layoffs, adding that it’s their job to save lives. The firefighters have been willing to make major concessions, she said, including cutting their own pay. She said she didn’t think anyone was “thrilled about” the tentative deal.

The union’s members will vote on the proposed agreement Wednesday, Thursday and Friday this week, according to Swanson.

The city’s $50 million deficit has shrunk to $43.6 as a result of a recent deal that was approved by the Sacramento Police Officers Association, Vina said. If Local 522 accepts the proposed agreement, the city's deficit would be $38.6, he noted.

Vina said he hopes to know whether the agreement passes by Friday afternoon.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

City staffer at Hart June 2

2009-05-25T01:23:34Z

Got questions about what's going on in your 'hood? Got a problem that needs fixing? A city neighborhood resources coordinator just might be able to help.

Central city residents will get a chance to discuss concerns and get information close to home next month when the city's Neighborhood Services Department sets up new "community hours" in Midtown.

Neighborhood coordinator Janine Martindale will be available at Midtown's Hart Senior Center, 915 27th St. (I and 27th streets), from 2 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 2. The department has scheduled drop-in hours throughout the city. East Sacramento residents can visit Clunie Community Center, 601 Alhambra Blvd., from 2 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 14.

The city agency set up these sessions so residents can voice complaints, get personal help with city-related problems or more information about their neighborhoods.

"Sometimes it's easier for folks to get introduced to city services if they see a real, live person and they have an opportunity to talk to someone (in person), as opposed to talking to someone over the phone or email," said Neighborhood Services Department Area Manager Derrick Lim. "Technology is great. But sometimes there is no substitute for personal, face-to-face interaction."

Martindale will take any question or concern, no matter how specific or general. She's also there to help people make connections to other city departments that can best assist with a particular issue.

Neighborhood Services staff spend a lot of time out in the field during the day, evenings and weekends, Lim said. Still, the department has been searching for a new way to be accessible to city dwellers.

So the department wants to try neighborhood-based drop-in sessions in areas with high foot traffic to see if that works better for some people who need help from the city but don't know how to get it, Lim said.

"We don't want people to forget that we're here for the residents. That's why we're making a special effort," he said.

To find out more about the Neighborhood Services Department's scheduled community hours, call 808-6789. To get help with an issue, go to www.cityofsacramento.org/ns/need-help or call 808-6789.

For after-hours city assistance (for example, to report things like a fallen public tree, street flooding or broken water main), call 264-5011.

Residents fight city's planned cuts to parks

2009-05-22T02:31:53Z

A group of Sacramento residents is fighting the city’s proposed cuts to its parks system and providing suggestions for maintaining park services.

The city’s proposal to cut parks services is one of many possible reductions council members are considering as they deal with a $50 million budget gap.

About 15 members of the group, which is calling itself Rescue Sacramento Parks, attended Tuesday’s City Council meeting to voice their concerns about cuts to parks. Members of the group are involved in neighborhood associations.

Craig Powell, the group’s chairman, told the City Council that the proposed budget cuts to parks have “deeply alarmed Sacramento’s neighbors, neighborhoods and citizens.”

The city is proposing to cut about $8.3 million from its Department of Parks and Recreation. The city explains that the actual numbers of layoffs would be more than 145 positions. “Note that, given that multiple part time, seasonal staff members in recreation services equal one (full time equivalent) position, the total number of people employed by Parks and Recreation will be reduced by far more than 145,” according to the city’s budget document.

In a May 19 letter to Mayor Johnson, Powell wrote that the cuts to parks would create public safety and health problems.

“Not only would the cuts seriously degrade Sacramento’s parks, they pose a very real and serious threat to the health, safety and vitality of many of our city’s neighborhoods,” Powell wrote. “We ask that you protect us from such threats and reject these cuts, doing your part to protect the basic fabric of our neighborhoods from unraveling.”

Mayor Kevin Johnson said city staff will analyze the group’s recommendations.

Johnson and Councilman Kevin McCarty pointed out that the group came before the council with proposals. “I want to echo what Councilman McCarty had talked about – that you brought us proposals and ideas, and I think that’s great and that’s refreshing,” Johnson said.

Some of the group’s proposals include: raising park user fees, contracting with the private sector for park maintenance, and analyzing the Parks and Recreation Department’s recreation programs to see if they can be cut further.

The group argues that recreation programs could be cut more in order to preserve park maintenance services.

R Street Input Sought Wednesday

2009-05-13T05:04:08Z

Until recently, R Street languished with an isolated, post-industrial vibe.

Warehouses, loading docks and abandoned railroad tracks formed the areaʼs spine. Many locals would wander into the area to catch performances at Studio Theatre, music at Fox & Goose or a Second Saturday show at the Art Foundry.

Five years ago, R Street began to throb with new life. R Street Marketplace, anchored by Safeway and Peet’s Coffee, was built at 19th and R streets. The Empire nightclub opened, and recently, the block saw the opening of Magpie Catering, The Shady Lady and 12 new lofts upstairs. On the street’s other end, CalPERS amped its image by erecting its impressive headquarters.

Wednesday night, business and property owners, as well as residents, will get a shot at having an impact on further R Street development during a public workshop.

The city and Capitol Area Development Authority (CADA) will present the latest updates and seek public input on a key segment of the R Street Corridor Project: the R Street Market Plaza, designed for 16th to 18th streets. The meeting is set for 6 to 8 p.m. at the CADA Event Center, 1322 O St.

“It is a fantastic project that we really hope will jump-start that area,” said Linda Tucker, spokesperson for the city’s Department of Transportation.

“We’d like to show them what we have in mind and get some input, keeping in mind that the budget is limited and we are looking to get the most bang for the buck,” she said.

The agencies are gaining ground on the plan to turn a 27-block-long stretch of the historic street into a thriving mixed-use neighborhood. The plaza between 16th and 18th is a critical feature of the planned infill development, adopted into Sacramento’s central city design plan in 2006. The city approved the corridor’s master plan a decade earlier.

The plan is being designed to bring more housing, jobs and services to the neighborhood, while making the area more walkable. The city also wants to encourage private investment and redevelopment of vacant, historic buildings.

Developers hope to increase R Street’s livability with a plaza that can do double duty. Most days, the two-block stretch would function as roadway, street-side parking and a sidewalk wide enough for businesses like cafés to spill out onto. But the area also could be closed off to host festivals, farmers' markets and art shows, said Tucker.

“Part of the idea was to provide some public space that is currently lacking in the R Street Corridor,” said CADAʼs R Street Development Manager Todd Leon. “This space will be designed to host these events, rather than forcing events into a retrofitted space.”

Market Plaza’s look and feel have been inspired by R Streetʼs unique, industrial streetscape. The plaza design includes trees to shade the plaza, outdoor furnishings and streetlights. Streetscapes and amenities like benches and light posts will be kept simple and lean toward industrial, Leon said.

The old railroad tracks would stay to maintain R Street’s historic importance and character, and because removing something of such historic value wouldn’t likely be approved under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), Tucker said.

In the mid-1850s, R Street contained tracks for the Sacramento Valley Railway -- the stateʼs first railroad. The street later morphed into a warehouse district, home to such businesses as the California Winery, Palm Iron Works and McCaw Wood and Coal Yard, where Fox & Goose now stands.

The city and CADA still need to obtain funding for the $4 million Market Plaza construction. They’re currently working on the CEQA and design phases using $790,000 from the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) and CADA, Tucker said.

Due to the funding issue, the first improvements will involve the roadway, lighting and trees. Later, the city will add shade structures, benches, trash receptacles and signs.

The design and CEQA review process on Market Plaza is expected to be completed next February, with construction to start in 2011 if funding comes through, said Tucker.

The agencies have already gotten $4.5 million for the 10th to 13th street portion of the project. That money came from SACOG, the state and CADA. Construction is expected to start next spring and finish by the end of 2010.

Downtown Sac / West Sac streetcar plan slowly chugs along

2009-05-06T05:52:00Z

The Sacramento City Council will keep working on its plan to set up a streetcar that will, when completed, travel between downtown West Sacramento and downtown Sacramento.

However, most details about how the three-year-old plan would work are not settled.

Council members voted unanimously Tuesday to keep working on the plan, which is known as the Downtown/Riverfront Streetcar Project.

“By doing this, we’re recommitting not just to a streetcar, but to do a starter line between Central City and West Sacramento,” said Councilman Steve Cohn. “I think it’s been something that’s a regional priority, and one that the city certainly wants to be a part of.”

The exact route and alignment for the streetcar needs to be analyzed, he added.

West Sacramento Mayor Christopher Cabaldon said his city wanted to keep working with Sacramento on the project, which he called “a signature project for our two cities and the region.”

A city staff report notes that “several policy issues arose regarding the route alignment and project financing” during the past 18 months.

The cities have been examining a draft financial plan that states the project will have $69 million in capital costs.

In addition, business and development representatives have weighed in on the issue of the streetcar’s route. The staff report states that business groups “are concerned that the proposed route does not provide a connection to key development sites in Sacramento.”

Al Bulf of Sacramento urged the City Council to press ahead on the project. “I hope we’ll move past the inertia of doing more studies,” he said.

Specifically, the City Council pledged Tuesday to keep developing the streetcar plan by approving a new agreement with West Sacramento, the Yolo County Transportation District (YCTD) and Regional Transit (RT).

The agreement sets up a policy committee that will decide how the project will work.

Members of the committee will include council members from both Sacramento and West Sacramento, members of the “local community or business and development interests,” and representatives from YCTD and RT, according to the city staff report.

The committee will plan the project’s goals, scope, milestones, schedule and financing, the report also states.

City's development department consolidated, renamed

2009-05-02T20:45:28Z

The city’s Development Services Department has a new name. It’s now known as the Community Development Department (CDD).

City records manager and acting spokeswoman Wendy Klock-Johnson explained that the new department brings together long-range planning staff and development services staff. The administrative change is an efficiency, she said.

The city’s 2009/2010 proposed budget includes a plan to move Planning Department employees. Under the plan, the Planning Department would move 26 full-time positions and $2.4 million to the new CDD “as part of the consolidation of planning services,” the budget states. Of the 26 positions, one is not funded and the remaining 25 are funded.

The new CDD includes the following services: planning, administration, customer service, building, infill and new growth.

Sacramento's City Council will address the proposed budget at its May 19 meeting.

Read more of Sacramento Press' budget coverage here.

Vice Mayor questions plan to combine design, planning commissions

2009-05-01T06:52:16Z

Sacramento’s vice mayor questioned the Development Oversight Commission (DOC) Thursday over its plan to combine the city’s design and planning commissions.

The plan has drawn criticism from residents who say that joining the design and planning commissions would put a damper on public involvement. The DOC is an advisory group to the city’s Development Services Department.

At Thursday’s City Council meeting, Vice Mayor Lauren Hammond asked DOC members pointed questions about their plan.

She criticized the way the DOC had presented its proposal. “I don’t know if you’ve changed your recommendation completely, but do you feel better knowing that you’ve talked to some of the neighbors? Instead of it coming directly to council without ever having a hearing?” Hammond asked.

Responding to the question, DOC member Darryl Chinn noted that he was one of the commissioners who suggested that the commission meet with neighborhood groups. He said DOC met with many neighborhood associations in the central city and in outlying areas. Each part of the city has a different perspective on how the DOC is doing its job, Chinn said.

“So, with that recent knowledge that we’ve gained, we wanted to take a step back (and) share that knowledge” with the Development Services Department and the City Council, he said.

Hammond said she appreciated the DOC’s decision to take a step back in its process for the proposal.

Meanwhile, Councilwoman Sandy Sheedy praised the DOC, saying it has done a “terrific job of looking at every issue on its own basis.”

DOC members appeared before City Council to discuss the commission’s annual report.

The Development Services Department won an honor last year from the Sacramento Business Journal, the annual report notes.

“Since the DOC’s inception in 2002, DSD has gone through significant organization and cultural change,” the report states. “These positive developments led to 2008’s well deserved recognition by the Sacramento Business Journal as the premier department amongst all local agencies.”

Earlier this week, the DOC addressed its controversial proposal, and its new plan to work with other commissions to brainstorm ideas for efficient city planning. Read the DOC’s April 27 letter to Mayor Kevin Johnson here.

City to develop climate change program

2009-04-30T01:51:18Z

The city of Sacramento is starting work on a climate change program that will aim to lower its greenhouse gas emissions.

If the climate program receives adequate funding, it will be launched in July and created over a two-year span, said Tom Pace, long-range planning manager for the city. The program will be known as the city’s climate action plan.

“There might be new policies that come out of this work that we’re doing” for the climate action plan, Pace said.

He noted that new climate change policies may need to be incorporated into Sacramento’s 2030 general plan, which is a long-term road map for city planning.

Pace explained that the climate program is being created as a follow-up action to the City Council’s March approval of the 2030 general plan.

The city hopes to use federal stimulus funds to pay for the development of the program, he said. The city is eyeing federal stimulus dollars that are pegged for energy efficiency programs.

The cost estimate for the program is still being developed, Pace said. However, he pointed out that other cities have spent $150,000-$300,000 to pay for their climate change programs.

Residents can help create the climate action plan, which is scheduled for completion in summer 2011. The city will be working with a stakeholder group, and the plan will be discussed at public meetings of the Sacramento Planning Commission, City Council, and other boards and commissions, Pace said.

Information about the process will be posted online, he said.

The city’s burgeoning climate action plan is prompted in part by California Attorney General Jerry Brown’s direction to local governments in 2007 that their plans must account for climate change.

Sacramento also has a sustainability plan, which calls for the city to develop a climate action plan, Pace said.

City Budget: City in talks with firefighters

2009-04-29T05:20:30Z

A city official said Tuesday he was optimistic about current efforts to save Sacramento $5 million and 50 jobs through negotiations with the local firefighters’ union.

Gus Vina, a Sacramento assistant city manager, said the city is currently in talks with the Sacramento Area Firefighters Local 522.

The city government is trying to convince the firefighters’ union to give up pay increases scheduled for July.

Vina said the city and the firefighters’ union are engaged in “very productive” discussions.

If the firefighters’ union does not give up its pay increases, Vina said the city will need to lay off 50 department employees. The positions could come from any of the following types of firefighting jobs: firefighters, captains or the operators who drive the fire trucks.

But if the union makes concessions, Vina said, the city will save $5 million and won’t need to make the cuts.

Meanwhile, Chris Harvey, spokesman for the firefighters’ union, said the union disagrees with the city’s assessment that it will need to lay off 50 firefighters. Harvey called the figure of 50 layoffs “arbitrary.” He said that if 10 people from the department retire, the city wouldn’t have to lay off 50 people.

In addition to the discussion of whether the firefighters will give up scheduled pay increases, Harvey said the union is also discussing other issues with the city.

It does not necessarily mean that if Vina is happy, then the “union is prepared to give back the raises,” Harvey said.

But Harvey also said the union is happy that the attitude from both parties in the negotiations has been positive.

The city and Local 522 have not always had the best relationship, Harvey noted. If nothing else, the tone of the current negotiations is much better than past negotiations, he said.

Sacramento’s deficit is about $50 million. The city will release its proposed 2009/2010 budget Friday. It must approve a final budget by June 30.

Vina estimated that the city still needs to cut about 300 positions in city government in order to address its budget problems.

He said he hopes to complete negotiations with all city unions by the end of May.

If management convinces all eight of the city’s labor unions to make concessions, the city may only need to cut 150 positions, Vina said.
He pointed out that the city currently has a volunteer separation program in which employees accept buyouts.

The employee buyouts are part of the city’s strategy to further reduce the number of layoffs it may make, according to Vina.

So, Vina said, the number may be even lower than 150.

The city is asking the non-emergency services unions to give up pay increases, as well as for employees to take one furlough day per month, according to Vina.

City Manager Ray Kerridge wrote in an April 3 letter to employees that layoff notifications will take place in early June.

Joan Bryant, director of public employees for the Stationary Engineers, which includes a local union chapter for Sacramento workers, said the union has been talking with city management about the magnitude of the city’s budget deficit and management’s expectations for workers.

She said the union needs to gather more information to make sure it will act in the best interests of its members and the city.

Asked if the union’s members might be willing to give up pay increases and start a once-per-month furlough, Bryant said the union will look at all of those options.

She said the union was waiting to receive information from the city. Once the union gets the information it needs, it will have a better idea of what it will decide, she added.

At this point, one union has made concessions to the city. The police department’s union, the Sacramento Police Officers Association, chose to give up its July salary increases, Vina said. As a result, the city will not cut police officers, he noted.

Sacramento residents to receive extra Social Security checks

2009-04-26T19:52:22Z

Sacramento residents who receive Social Security funds will soon get an extra $250 check in the mail.

In Sacramento, 111,840 residents who participate in the Social Security benefits program will receive the additional $250 check in the next few weeks. About 52 million Americans across the country will receive the $250 checks.

The one-time money is part of the federal stimulus package, known formally as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Sacramento residents will receive about $27.96 million total in the form of these checks, according to the office of Representative Doris Matsui (D-Sacramento).

“Every dollar helps during this time when people hurt by the economic downturn are cutting back on essentials such as groceries and medical prescriptions,” Matsui said through a spokeswoman Friday.

The additional $250 will be mailed separately from recipients’ regular social security benefits.

Checks should arrive by June 4, said Alexis Marks, spokeswoman for Matsui.

Marks noted that people do not need to apply for the check—it will be sent automatically to people who receive Social Security monies.

Matsui advocated for the one-time checks to be included in the federal stimulus package, Marks said.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Surveillance: RT stations possible terrorism targets, police say

2009-04-24T06:59:29Z

The $615,000 the Sacramento Police Department will spend to purchase security cameras and related surveillance equipment comes from a pot of federal Homeland Security funds.

Mayor Kevin Johnson said earlier this week the surveillance equipment may be used at K Street and at Regional Transit stations.

But what is the connection between the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Sacramento sites such as K Street and the local light rail stations?

Sgt. Norm Leong of the Sacramento Police Department said terrorism is a Homeland Security concern, but other threats fall under the definition of “Homeland Security,” as well.

“Transit hubs are naturally potential targets for terrorism,” Leong said.

Leong emphasized that the “homeland security” definition includes threats such as natural disasters, threats to public transit, and threats to high-traffic areas where mass incidents can occur.

He noted that the term “terrorism” isn’t limited to violence from other countries, adding that the 1995 Oklahoma City Bombing case was an example of domestic terrorism.

Major events and crowds can potentially draw terrorists, including in Sacramento, Leong said.

Federal funds will pay for the city’s new surveillance equipment, but the funds were awarded to Sacramento by the state. The California Emergency Management Agency receives federal Homeland Security funds, which it doles out to local governments.

The surveillance equipment system Sacramento will buy with the funds includes 32 cameras and four mobile surveillance trailers, according to a copy of the Sacramento Police Department’s request to the state.

Precise locations for the equipment have not yet been selected, but Johnson said Monday that K Street and Regional Transit stations were the kinds of high -traffic and high -crime sites suitable for the new cameras.

The police department will work with the City Council and the public to choose sites, Sacramento Police Chief Rick Braziel said earlier this week.

Jay Alan, communications director for the California Emergency Management Agency, said the Homeland Security funds are used for multiple hazards that include terrorism prevention. He cited earthquake prevention and mitigation, and port security as some of the programs that are part of the Homeland Security program.

Asked about Sacramento’s light rail stations, Alan pointed out past terrorist events involving transit, such as the 2004 attacks on trains in Madrid, and the 2005 attacks on the London Metro.

Alan also echoed Leong’s comments, saying that if the city used surveillance equipment along the city’s Regional Transit stations, the equipment could possibly prevent terrorism.

The state gave the money to the city of Sacramento because the city’s project fit the Homeland Security guidelines, which apply to counterterrorism as well as to other security events, Alan said.

The surveillance equipment the city will purchase will also be used as a deterrent for crime and as an investigative tool, Alan said.

The city will hold a procurement process for the cameras and the other surveillance equipment, said Konrad VonSchoech, a spokesman for the Sacramento Police Department.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for the Sacramento Press.

Homelessness: The public can help create new program

2009-04-20T01:24:41Z

Gerald Celestine knows Sacramento residents have a stake in how the city and county will spend federal stimulus dollars that are intended to counter homelessness.

Celestine, an active member of Sacramento’s Area 1 Neighborhood Advisory Group (NAG), planned a discussion for the April 20 NAG meeting so residents can brainstorm how they want their local governments to use about $4.8 million in federal monies for homelessness.

The pot of money will be distributed almost evenly between the county and city: The city is expected to receive $2.375 million, and the county expects $2.397 million.

Sacramento neighbors would like to express “some of our hopes and desires for this money,” Celestine said.

Residents can present their views on specific ways the money should be spent in two separate meetings on April 20.

Sacramento residents will discuss federal monies coming to the city and county at the Neighborhood Advisory Group (Area 1) meeting Monday at 6:30 p.m. The meeting will take place at the Hart Senior Center, which is located at 915 27th Street.

Shamus Roller, executive director of the Sacramento Housing Alliance, will explain to residents how the city and county are expected to receive the funds for homelessness through a new federal program.

The new federal effort, known as the Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program (HPRP), is part of the national stimulus package.

Roller points out, however, that the federal funds for this program are not going to solve the big financial problems for social and health services in the county and city. “The stimulus money is not a panacea,” he says, and “it’s not going to fix everything.”

A separate public meeting on the federal funding will be held earlier on Monday. The public is asked to weigh in on how the city and county should create its application for the federal monies to address homelessness at the local level. The public meeting will be held Monday from 3 to 5 p.m. at 2700 Fulton Avenue.

The Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency, county Department of Human Assistance and the Interagency Council on Homelessness are hosting the forum.

Cindy Cavanaugh, an assistant director for policy at the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency (SHRA), explains that SHRA will apply to the federal government for the funds.

The federal dollars will be used for homeless people to rent housing and for prevention of homelessness. Cavanaugh explains that in the “rapid-rehousing” model, homeless people are encouraged to find housing rather than live in shelters. Under this program, a homeless person could receive up to 18 months worth of funds to help cover the cost of rent, she said.

Roller said there is flexibility in the program. The HPRP monies can be used in various ways, including for utility bill costs, Roller said.

SHRA and the county’s Department of Human Assistance are planning the application for funds.

The city and county are almost guaranteed to receive the federal funds as long as they complete the application process, Cavanaugh said. Assuming the application for funding is accepted by HUD, the city and county can access the funding October 1.

The city and county’s application for the federal funds will be addressed in public hearings at both the City Council and the Sacramento Board of Supervisors.

Sacramento’s City Council will discuss the application at its May 12 meeting. The Board of Supervisors will address the issue at its May 13 meeting.

The deadline to send the application to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is May 18.

After May 18, the application will be completed but the program will continue, Cavanaugh said. SHRA will hold stakeholder meetings and form the details of the funding program with the help of the Interagency Council on Homelessness.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

City: Controversial plan for commissions not final

2009-04-18T02:58:50Z

City staff and a Sacramento commission that addresses development issues have slowed the advancement of a contentious plan to combine the planning and design commissions.

Following public controversy over the proposal, a city staffer’s Friday update on the proposal indicates that it is now more open-ended and less detailed than the version outlined earlier this week by a member of the Development Oversight Commission (DOC), which suggests possible actions on development issues to the City Council.

Emilie Schell, a program analyst for the city’s Development Services Department, said Friday that the proposal is “still very much in the planning stages at this time.”

A public outreach effort is a current priority for the DOC, Schell said.

“At this time, the Development Oversight Commission is conducting thorough outreach to all interested parties to solicit further comments and feedback,” Schell said. “This will help towards developing a comprehensive proposal for a streamlined and efficient process for the Planning and Design Commissions.”

Schell indicated that the proposal may undergo changes from the version explained earlier this week by DOC member Brian Holloway.

Holloway said Tuesday that the DOC is proposing a nine-member combined planning and design commission. Four or five members on the commission would be design professionals, while public representatives would fill the remaining seats, Holloway said.

But Schell emphasized Friday that the joint planning and design commission proposal does not contain firm details.

Planned public hearings addressing the proposal have been postponed “until a more finalized draft is developed,” Schell said.

Sacramento Planning Commissioner Panama Bartholomy, who would be affected by the proposal to link the two commissions, had a favorable reaction to Schell’s Friday statements.

“I am happy to hear that we will have more time to examine opportunities to make the City’s development oversight more responsive to community and applicant needs,” he said.

Bartholomy noted that members of the public have attended city meetings and raised many issues about development oversight. He said that applicants “have ideas on how to improve the oversight as well.”

In an April 15 comment on The Sacramento Press, Bartholomy criticized the cost savings analysis for the proposal, writing that it “does not stand up to even slight scrutiny.”

Meanwhile, William Burg, a local historian and vocal critic of the proposal, said the existing structure of the commissions is “already streamlined and efficient.”

He criticized the DOC’s argument that the proposal would be cost effective. “If the primary reason for this change is to save money, why is so much staff time and effort being spent on this plan, and why is a permanent change to the city’s planning process being proposed as a response to a temporary budget crisis?”

Discussions postponed on plan to unite two commissions

2009-04-16T04:06:53Z

Two city commissions have postponed discussions on a controversial plan to combine the city’s planning and design commissions. The Development Oversight Commission (DOC) canceled the discussion it had scheduled for today’s meeting on its proposal to join the two commissions.

The city’s Design Commission had also scheduled a Wednesday discussion on the DOC's proposal. The Design Commission postponed the discussion to a later date.

The Sacramento Press will update readers on this issue as it learns more information about the city’s current plans.

City to decide fate of public financing fund

2009-04-15T07:43:57Z

The fate of the city’s pot of money for public financing of local elections is at stake.

City council members Tuesday delayed a decision Tuesday on whether to abandon its public financing fund. Sacramento currently reserves $300,000 each year for public financing of city council and mayoral races.

The City Council decided to take up the issue of its public financing fund in the context of the city budget. Patti Bisharat, the city’s governmental affairs director, said the city expects to release its proposed budget May 1.

Public financing is intended to help candidates who may not be able to afford the high costs of running for office.

But the city’s fund for public financing has rarely been used. “If you can recall, it’s only been used once in the nine years it’s been in place,” Bisharat told council members Tuesday.

The city’s law and legislation committee had recommended that the City Council toss out the public financing fund.

Councilman Ray Tretheway said maintaining the fund is in the public’s interest, adding that the council could lower the amount in the fund.

Meanwhile, Councilwoman Sandy Sheedy raised concerns about city employees at risk of losing their jobs due to the recession. She said the money in the public financing fund could go toward the jobs of city employees. “My top priority right now is the employees of this city,” she said.

Roseanna Torretto, president of the Sacramento County League of Women Voters, said the council should keep its public financing fund, and that it would be too big a step backwards to remove it. Public financing gives people the ability to compete fairly, she said.

Development Commission updates controversial proposal for city planning

2009-04-15T04:55:03Z

A commission that advises the Sacramento City Council on development issues has updated a controversial proposal to unite the city’s planning and design commissions into one body.

Brian Holloway, a member of the Development Oversight Commission (DOC), said Tuesday that the DOC is proposing a combined planning and design commission with nine members.

Of that nine-member group, four or five members would be design professionals, Holloway said. Representatives of the public would serve in the remaining positions on the commission.

He pointed out that the proposal would join the two commissions, saying the design commission would not be dismantled.

Asked why the commission wants to unite the two commissions, Holloway said: “First of all, there would be significant cost savings in doing that.”

Combining the two commissions would also streamline the current process for the public, according to Holloway. Right now, members of the public ask the design commission to look at land use, which is the planning commission’s role, he said. And residents also ask the planning commission to look at design issues.

Both commissions thought that creating a unified planning and design commission would be a good idea, Holloway said.

The DOC is meeting Wednesday, April 15, at 300 Richards Boulevard in the second floor training room. Members of the public are welcome to attend the meeting, which starts at 5:30 p.m.

Holloway said the DOC created its current proposal after listening to public input.

The DOC will probably decide at its April 15 meeting to suggest its current proposal to the city, according to Holloway.

At the April 15 meeting, the DOC will also weigh in on a city development process known as the “early notification process.” In that process, the public is informed in advance of development projects that have been proposed to the city, Holloway explained.

But community members are telling the DOC that the early notification process isn’t working, he said. The DOC is likely going to suggest that the city improve the process, he noted.

The DOC earlier proposed a united design and planning commission with seven members, Holloway said. In that previous plan, two or three people on the commission would have been design professionals, according to Holloway.

The earlier plan had come under fire from the Midtown Neighborhood Association (MNA), which was formerly called the Winn Park/Capitol Avenue Neighborhood Association.

Local historian and MNA member William Burg had claimed in a March 25 post on The Sacramento Press that the DOC had suggested that five members from the development industry sit on a seven-member board. Burg has been raising concerns about the public's ability to participate in a joined planning and design commission.

The DOC is not comprised of city staffers. It consists of members from the development industry and the general public. The City Council receives suggestions from the DOC.

The public can make suggestions to the DOC by e-mailing DOC@cityofsacramento.org or calling 916-808-5908.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Lane closures

2009-04-07T03:18:45Z

A lane closure will be in effect on Q street between 6th and 7th streets beginning April 7 and lasting until April 26, according to a press release from the Sacramento Department of Transportation.

The closures will remain in effect 24 hours a day until work is completed on street and sidewalk improvements. The press release stated that the improvements were related to an unnamed state construction project.

According to the press release, the traffic patterns of morning commutes in the area may be affected by the closures.

Inquiries were made to the City in the hopes of identifying the project, but as of press time no calls were returned.

City to use stimulus funds for street repaving

2009-03-26T04:15:07Z

Five Sacramento streets will be resurfaced with money provided by the federal economic stimulus package, according to a press release from the Department of Transportation.

The streets to receive the overlays will be:

Truxel Road, from Del Paso Road to Gateway Park Boulevard
Arena Boulevard, from East Commerce Way to Gateway Park Boulevard
Arden Way, from Del Paso Boulevard to Evergreen Street
Florin Road, from 24th Street to Franklin Boulevard
Calvine Road, from Franklin Boulevard to Bruceville Road

Bids for the project, which is expected to cost $8.1 million, will be posted in late May. Work is anticipated to start in late June.

Additionally, the following streets will also be resurfaced should the city be awarded additional stimulus funds:

San Juan Road, from Azevedo Drive to Zenobia Way
T Street, from 16th Street to 30th Street
14th Avenue, from 65th Street to Power Inn Road
El Camino Avenue, from East Levee Road to Business Loop 80

In addition, the Department of Transportation has announced four streets targeted for the annual overlay program. This work will be paid for by the half-cent sales tax enacted by Measure A.

Arden Way, eastbound only, from Ethan Way to the railroad track bridge deck, just past Blumenfeld Drive
T Street, from 30th Street to 34th Street
Riverside Boulevard, from Park Riviera Way to Deer River Way
Intersection of Stockton Boulevard & Broadway, 600 feet in each direction

Further information can be found at the Department of Transportation's website.

Inquiries made by the Sacramento Press to the city about how long the roads had been waiting for resurfacing and the safety benefits provided by resurfacing roads were unanswered as of press time. Updates will be posted should any further information be received.

Nag, nag, nag

2009-03-17T06:26:33Z

Monday evening, a group of business owners, politicians and concerned citizens gathered at the Hart Senior Center for the March meeting of the Sacramento Neighborhood Advisory Group.

The Neighborhood Advisory Group is a monthly meeting for residents of Sacramento's Area 1 to discuss issues pertinent to residents and business owners in the area. It is a partnership between neighborhood leaders and the city's Neighborhood Services Department.

Monday’s meeting began with a brief speech from Mayor Kevin Johnson, followed by a question-and-answer period. Light on specifics, Johnson's speech focused on the idea of Sacramento as a city of neighborhoods, Johnson's commitment to making Sacramento a "world-class destination city," and his assertion that his administration would be responsive, transparent and accessible to citizens. Johnson committed himself to maintaining each neighborhood's distinct and unique character, saying that Sacramento's diversity was "a strength."

In the Q&A session following his speech, Johnson was asked about the centralization of homeless services in the Alkalai Flats neighborhoods, and the problems that it causes. He admitted that "there's a general consensus that there is an overconcentration of our homeless population in one area," and called for a regional approach to tackle the problem. Johnson also discussed the need to develop Sacramento's riverfront areas, mentioning the Railyards and Cal Expo as well, calling them "two of the biggest in-fill projects that could be developed anywhere in the country," and a tremendous opportunity for sustainable growth. He concluded the Q&A by calling for increased volunteerism among Sacramento citizens, encouraging them to use handsonsacto.org to coordinate their work.

Following Mayor Johnson, Lt. Mike Bray of the Sacramento Police Department presented the Area 1 Police Department activity report. He reported that the incidence of robberies had fallen by 10%. Bray announced "some great arrests" of several minors who had stolen cell phones, backpacks and laptops in the Downtown area, as well as the identification of a suspect in five burglaries also in the Downtown area. Bray urged residents to lock their doors and windows to "harden the target" against potential criminality.

After the police report, the meeting was opened to announcements from attendees. Residents were urged to attend a City Council meeting on the subject of a proposed streetcar system to connect West Sacramento and Downtown taking place next week. City Councilman Steve Cohn weighed in on the subject, saying the current plans would serve West Sacramento far more than Sacramento, and that they should be changed to be more useful for residents of the Midtown and Downtown neighborhoods.

The staff of the Finance Department spent much of the meeting presenting an update of the budget. They projected a 50 million dollar deficit, but Councilman Cohn said that half of the deficit could be managed by obtaining labor concessions, citing the decision by the Police Officer's Association to defer a five percent raise, which Cohn said allowed the Police Department to abstain from firing any officers. He went on to say that similar measures should be applied to other departments.

Director of Finance Leyne Milstein stated that "we are in the middle of a multi-year economic downturn," and that the city's capacity to generate revenue was limited by circumstances, with sales and property taxes both in decline. She proposed a "reduction-only budget," saying that Sacramento needed to "plan for the worst," hoping for concessions from unions to alleviate budget problems. She did note that city management was taking a one-day-a-month furlough.

Concerns were raised over the city's lack of adequate reserve funds to cope with crises, to which Milstein replied, "hindsight is 20/20," and "two years ago, no one saw [the housing crisis] coming." Sacramento had set up a reserve fund of 50 million, of which 10.5 million remains. Councilman Cohn commented that Sacramento was "prepared for a stormy day, even for a stormy year... but what we were not prepared for was a stormy decade." Despite the comments of Director Milstein and Councilman Cohn, one woman present said that "we were like a bunch of drunken sailors, spending every dime we had, and we overspent."

One suggestion Cohn had to ease budget troubles was the institution of a tax on parking in garages and pay-to park lots to generate revenue from visitors to the city, including those who work downtown but live elsewhere. Councilman Cohn said a tax of 10 percent would generate 15 to 20 million dollars, and suggested that it be presented to voters as a way to offset other taxes on city residents. Response to this suggestion was generally positive from those in attendance.

The March Neighborhood Advisory Group adjourned following the suggestion of the parking tax. Meetings are held on the third Monday of every month, with the next taking place on April 20 from 6:15 to 8:30 p.m. Meetings take place at the Hart Senior Center, 915 27th Street.

Bringing in the Reinforcements

2009-02-15T15:33:40Z

“I’ll have my people call your people.” Have you ever known someone who could get anything done because he had all the right contacts? The wheelers and dealers of the business world know all about this. They build networks of people to get results and solve problems. They are good at what they do for their companies, but the art of networking is not something exclusive to commerce – it is useful for neighborhoods too. Finding allies for our tracts who will help foster community and reinforce the change we are working toward is critical for success.

Thankfully there are a plethora of potential partners for neighborhood growth and it’s just a matter of tapping into relationship with some of these people. Below is a list of suggested groups to begin networking with. Remember that the best relationships are authentic and mutual.

The City: First off, make sure that the city knows what you are attempting so that they can support you with resources and ideas (or maybe even funds). Go ahead and introduce yourself by phone and email to certain departments – start with Neighborhood Services and Housing. It’s okay to ask the city for help, rely upon their expertise, and let them know what your subdivision needs. Keep the city up to date with your efforts and especially success stories – maybe a first BBQ, the beginning of a neighborhood blog, or a community painting project. Hearing of your accomplishments may encourage and fuel city workers to work harder for neighborhoods – and maybe even your area. Remember that many people try to get results by complaining, and there is a place for that, but a positive attitude, listening, persistence and saying thank you sometimes gets the job done more quickly.

City Council: Invite Council Members to BBQs, neighborhood walks, or whatever you are planning, and ask them for advice and ideas on community building.

Neighborhood Watch: This organization began as a national campaign in 1972 and is a strategy to bring residents and police together to “take a bite out of crime.” See www.usaonwatch.org

Police Department: Find out who your neighborhood patrol officers are and invite them to events and to talk with residents about crime prevention. Let them know right away by phone or email when there are problems in your area.

Neighborhood Associations: Contact local neighborhood associations who have experienced success. Ask for advice and learn from their victories and challenges.

Local Nonprofits: Which local nonprofits in your area are relevant for residents? Ask around about organizations, grants, churches, and groups that could assist your efforts.

Business: Ask local businesses to sponsor an event. They will gain publicity and you won’t have to pay out of pocket.

Local Media: Let the local newspaper know about your efforts and events. Maybe they could write a story or at least publicize your gatherings in the community calendar section.

Maybe your rolodex is much thinner than some of the savvy entrepreneurs in town, but building a network of people over time who are experienced in community building will profoundly affect your neighborhood. You will be able to connect residents to resources and help bring some of the change needed in your tract. This makes you even more valuable to your community.

Which of the above suggested resources resonate with you? Why?

Part VIII The Art of Hospitality

City to Eliminate Design Commission

2009-02-12T17:55:35Z

This article was forwarded to me by Panama Bartholomy, a neighborhood activist. If you have a chance, come to City Hall tonight (915 I Street, New City Hall council chambers, 5:30 PM) and tell the Planning Commission that you don't want the city to shut its citizens out of the planning and design process.

-----

On Thursday the Sacramento Planning Commission will have a public hearing on a proposal (http://www.cityofsacramento.org/dsd/meetings/commissions/planning/2008/documents/DOC_letter.PDF) by the Development Oversight Commission (DOC), a City-appointed group comprised almost entirely of real estate developers, architects, and business consultants, to eliminate the City's Design Review Commission and change the development approval process in the City so that City staff will make most planning and design decisions administratively, leaving no opportunity for public input.

The reasons you and members of your association should come to the hearing at City Hall on Thursday February 12th at 5:30pm to testify against this proposal:

1. This attempt to reduce citizen and citizen-commission input and oversight of development in our community has undergone no public vetting from community groups that will be affected by such a fundamental shift in our City's development.

The proposal was developed and sent directly to the Mayor with no input from the Planning or Design Review Commissions. More importantly, the proposed ordinance was not brought to any neighborhood association or other community-based organization that normally comments on development in their communities.

This is not the kind of transparency and open government practices that should be an essential part of such a fundamental change in our community's development approval process.

2. The proposal will greatly reduce opportunities for Community input

The proposal will eliminate the City's Design Review Commission and fold its responsibilities into the Planning Commission and shift “…the majority of decisions to the staff level..”. The movement of “…the majority of decisions to staff level…” will likely reduce community involvement from the development review process. Communities have a right to be able to comment on projects that will be built in their neighborhood.

Even after moving most decisions to the staff level, by eliminating the Design Review Commission the public loses one of the two opportunities they have left to comment on development projects proposed in their neighborhood. The recommendation would squeeze all public input on a project into one meeting where every issue with design or planning will have to be settled. This will almost certainly create the types of extremely long meetings that discourage public involvement and will force complex decisions that have long-term impacts on communities into unreasonably short decision-making time frames.

Reducing opportunities for citizens to be involved in projects in their neighborhoods decreases transparency, will cause more projects to be appealed to the City Council and will increase the likelihood of lawsuits to block projects. This will decrease the effectiveness of the development review process.

Please come to the Planning Commission hearing and comment on this item and let the City know that you think the public should have a role in development decisions in our City. Please distribute this email to other residents who would come to testify in support of preserving the role of the citizen in our city's development.

The recommendation can be found here: (http://www.cityofsacramento.org/dsd/meetings/commissions/planning/2008/documents/DOC_letter.PDF) and the meeting is at the New City Hall, 915 I Street, 1st Floor- Council Chambers, February 12, 2009 at 5:30 P.M.

Waste not want not

2008-12-30T02:13:27Z

Have you ever wondered what the proper way to recycle something was but then instead of looking it up, you just put it in your garbage can, closed the lid and forgot about it?

How would one recycle carpet? Pesticides? Wheelchairs? Cooking oil?

On the Sacramento Regional Solid Waste Authority's Waste Management & Recycling Web site, there's a whole section titled "How Do I Recycle?" with over 30 different types of common waste products that can be recycled.

For example, metal crutches and canes, walkers and non-motorized wheelchairs can be donated to the North Area Recovery Station in North Highlands. Inmates in correctional facilities restore these items to like-new condition and they are then given to people with disabilities, who may not have the funds or access to such devices.

Motorized wheelchairs can be reused and should be donated to organizations such as Resources for Independent Living (RIL) which is located at 1211 H Street, Suite B.

Carpet can be recycled locally at the Sacramento Habitat for Humanity, which is located at 8351 Umbria Ave, Bldg 5, Bay 1.

Compact fluorescent light bulbs can be recycled at various Sacramento Home Depot stores or at the Sacramento County North Area Recovery Station or Sacramento Transfer & Recycling Station.

There are three local hazardous waste drop off locations for recycling batteries. You can also go to Earth911.com, click on the "Hazardous" tab, choose "Single Use Batteries," and type your zip code on the right side bar. It will list the various locations in your area where you can recycle batteries.

The site also provides info on where and how to recycle cell phones, computers, CDs, DVDs, video and audio tapes, VCRs, televisions, and printer or copier cartridges.

You can learn how to earn a $250 reward for reporting illegal dumping if it leads to an arrest or citation.

The Web site offers a wealth of information on recycling, waste and proper disposal of harmful chemicals, toxins, etc.

There's even a Kid's Connection with activities and tips for kids to help reduce their ecological footprint.

For more savvy tips on waste management and recycling, visit www.sacgreenteam.com.

Bike and product placement

2008-11-24T22:22:02Z

Just a photo update on our new bike and shot or two of tools around town. More to come.

The hole in the fence

2008-10-26T02:40:58Z

I took photos of it today and I am emailing the city. Anyone know more about how long this has been like this?