Sacramento City Councilman Steve Cohn is predicting deep budget cuts to local parks this year in light of the city’s $35 million-$40 million budget gap for the 2010/2011 fiscal year. Cohn’s worries about new cuts come after the city cut the Parks and Recreation Department by $8.3 million last year. “I fear that the cutbacks in parks will actually be more severe this year,” Cohn told a handful of neighborhood leaders gathered at Hart Senior Center Monday night. Cohn, who presented information about his district at the Neighborhood Advisory Group meeting, said the city may look for ways to work with neighborhoods and the business community to maintain the parks. “As we all know, most of

Angelique Ashby is a Natomas neighborhood activist who views public safety as the city's top priority. Ashby, who is running for Sacramento City Council, has the support of two major local public safety unions: the Sacramento Police Officers Association and Sacramento Area Fire Fighters Local 522. The Sacramento Press is interviewing City Council candidates in advance of the June election. Ashby is running for City Council in District 1, which is now represented by Councilman Ray Tretheway. The district includes the neighborhoods of North and South Natomas and Alkali Flat. The 20-year Sacramento resident is a partner in a consulting firm that contracts with businesses and government age

Efren Guttierrez wants to bring his focus on social justice to City Hall. The 54-year-old real estate broker and community activist is running for a seat on the Sacramento City Council. The Sacramento Press is interviewing City Council candidates in advance of the June election. Guttierrez is running in District 1, now represented by Ray Tretheway. The district includes North and South Natomas and Alkali Flat. Guttierrez has worked in real estate for 28 years and is co-owner of New West Realtors in Natomas. He noted that his career pays the bills, but activism is his passion. “My love has always been social justice advocacy,” he said. Guttierrez was born in Stockton and has lived in S

SACRAMENTO – Declaring “my only special interests are people,” civil rights activist Efren Guttierrez today (Feb. 9) officially announced his candidacy for Sacramento City Council, District 1 – and he didn’t’ waste anytime slamming big special interest money that dominates local campaign races. “I will only have one special interest: The People. I will not accept contributions from large developers and similar special interests because ‘It’s About Time’ the grip of those special interests on the city is broken,” pledged Guttierrez, 54, a local real estate broker and community activist as he stood outside Sacramento City Hall with dozens of supporters. Guttierrez is the executive direct

I attended the District 1 candidates meet and greet tonight at the Natomas Community Center, which was sponsored by the Natomas Community Association.  Three candidates are currently vying for the Council seat which is currently held by Ray Tretheway. The candidates are Angelique Ashby, Lisa Kaplan and incumbent Ray Tretheway. Each of the candidates gave a five minute presentation and then split up and answered individual questions from community members. I asked each of the three candidate’s the following three questions. 1. Do you support the City’s plan to annex thousands of acres of farm land to the North of North Natomas? (This is known as the Natomas Joint Vision, some simply call