BrooksTruitt comment-49224 2011-04-15T17:24:49Z 2011-04-15T17:24:49Z What a delightful surprise. Not sure about Kings future but it does seem Sacramento has a shot at remaining a "big league sports" town. The mayor gets credit for bringing financial resources and political clout to keep the NBA in Sacramento. And this has been accomplished without changing the city charter. BrooksTruitt 2011-04-15T17:24:49Z BrooksTruitt comment-49036 2011-04-12T17:31:12Z 2011-04-12T17:31:12Z Making appointment of Bill Edgar and Betty Masuoka unanimous, was the mayor's best vote since his election. Now city can save the "head hunter" fee and apply it to legal fees we'll need to sue the Maloofs. Why waste money looking for management talent we already have? The mayor is now free to focus on bringing a Jewish Deli to the central city. (How can there be a 'world class city" without a Jewish Deli?) BrooksTruitt 2011-04-12T17:31:12Z BrooksTruitt comment-47659 2011-03-18T19:41:44Z 2011-03-18T19:41:44Z Thanks Suzanne. Excellent photo essay. Perhaps now it's time to hold a charette involving 2 or 3 hundred residents and businesses to scope out how Sacramento wants this area to be developed. You know, like we did for the Kay Street Mall. Perhaps Mr. Friedman would cut a check to fund this event. We certainly have the architectural smarts (Ron Vralakas, David Mogavero, Richard (Railyards) Rich, et. al. to lead the discussion. Not to mention public agencies, CADA (already deeply involved), RT, even SACOG. BrooksTruitt 2011-03-18T19:41:44Z BrooksTruitt comment-46923 2011-03-04T18:16:13Z 2011-03-04T18:16:13Z Does anybody think it odd that the $40+million to upgrade the asset of a private corporation is being charged to local taxpayers? Where is the County Taxpayers Association when we really need them? BrooksTruitt 2011-03-04T18:16:13Z BrooksTruitt comment-46298 2011-02-23T20:59:36Z 2011-02-23T20:59:36Z Great article Kathleen. Brief but to the point. Worst part of Kings' departure is the loss of about 1K jobs. Perhaps follow-up article, and there will be some, could include the puzzling financial arrangements (loan or loan guarantee) between city and Maloofs. What will city gain with Kings departure? BrooksTruitt 2011-02-23T20:59:36Z BrooksTruitt comment-46065 2011-02-19T17:14:27Z 2011-02-19T17:14:27Z Welcome news. Of course what downtown really needs is a Jewish Deli which seems to be still in the future. But this might do in the meantime. BrooksTruitt 2011-02-19T17:14:27Z BrooksTruitt comment-42747 2010-12-26T20:12:54Z 2010-12-26T20:12:54Z Just in time, Darnell has raised 2010's most vital question. Why has the capitol of the world's 6th largest economy eluded "world class city" reputation? Doesn't require rocket science. There's no Jewish Delicatessen downtown! Like what would L. A. be without Cantor's? Or Manhattan without the Carnegie? So why all this talk about a place to play basketball when we don't even have a Jewish Deli? First things first! First the deli, then we can talk sports. But why basketball when the A's are looking for a ballpark? Think big! Outa the box! BrooksTruitt 2010-12-26T20:12:54Z BrooksTruitt comment-41505 2010-12-01T18:21:43Z 2010-12-01T18:21:43Z Thanks Bill for heralding the re-instatement of Management Academy. I hope this means that re-instationg the Planning Academy will soon follow. Of all the policy issues facing local government, none are so vital as land use - what should be built, for what purposes and where located. These are major concerns of CMA's audience as well as those seeking ways to promote sustainable, livable communities. Environmental issues such as air quality, traffic congestion, public transit are based on buildings, their use and location.. Some of Sacramento's leading architects and builders supported the Academy and and volunteered to lead class discussions. Citizens who attended provided support to the Council's decisions that have helped to create a prospering central city. The Council initiated Planning Academy some 8 or 9 years ago at the request of Sacramento Old City Association (SOCA) and had the support of Environmental Council of Sacramento(ECOS). Staffer Julie Sontag, under direction of Planner Jim McDonald got the Academy under way. She was followed by staffer Helen Selph who carried on until recently discontinued for economic reasons. Given the recent gaffes in land use policy, re-starting Planning Academy deserves the the Council's immediate attention. BrooksTruitt 2010-12-01T18:21:43Z BrooksTruitt comment-38857 2010-10-14T17:43:52Z 2010-10-14T17:43:52Z C'mon people. Give the Chamber some slack. Obviously, Sarah Palin was booked when when Mahood found out Alfred E. Newman was a fictional character. BrooksTruitt 2010-10-14T17:43:52Z BrooksTruitt comment-38629 2010-10-11T00:39:18Z 2010-10-11T00:39:18Z What a surprise. The politicians responsible for ruining California's excellent educational system now pretend to reform the system. First let's make teachers the scapegoats! That way they won't come after us, the politicians and overpaid administrators who have failed to marshall resources for a decent educational system. BrooksTruitt 2010-10-11T00:39:18Z BrooksTruitt comment-38584 2010-10-09T15:40:37Z 2010-10-09T15:40:37Z Excellent argument Dr. K. You've demolished the scare tactic. Good riddance. Now on to the economic argument. To be sure, taxing M will produce revenue streams to help California cope with recession, but more important is the billions to be saved by no longer having to bear the costs of prohibition. Even more important is that repeal of prohibition (a much better slogan than, "legalize marijuana") would lead to removing hemp from federal dangerous substance list thus opening up a whole new industry. Create jobs, maybe? BrooksTruitt 2010-10-09T15:40:37Z BrooksTruitt comment-37723 2010-09-23T16:18:33Z 2010-09-23T16:18:33Z Thanks Suzanne for providing us with how another city has dealt with gatherings similar to our Second Saturday Art Walk. Certainly other cities have experiences of similar gatherings to share. How does San Francisco manage their frequent "street events?" Then there's Manhattan which is like a 24/7 street faire. Maybe we need to know more about the psycho/sociology of the late teen-twenty somethings. That seems to be the demographic prone to misbehavior. And maybe the behavior of the "cruising set" is not about 2nd Sat. This is the group most often involved in violence occurring any night anywhere. BrooksTruitt 2010-09-23T16:18:33Z BrooksTruitt comment-37429 2010-09-18T16:38:21Z 2010-09-18T16:38:21Z Sounds like a healthy discussion of issues more complicated than the simply stated topic. Of the many cogent comments, I liked Phil Serna's. The government is not them, it's us. Also, the comment that participation in community goes back to Greek and Roman times. Oddly, a more recent declaration of government's role is established in our Constitution. In addition to establishing justice and providing for the common defense it's to "promote for the general welfare." Let's keep this blah, blah, blah going! BrooksTruitt 2010-09-18T16:38:21Z BrooksTruitt comment-34572 2010-08-10T15:54:08Z 2010-08-10T15:54:08Z WOW ROBERT, What a revelation! We live in a corporate oligarchy. What else is new? I noted some corporations, impatient with lobbying approach, are sending in CEO's to capture governorships and senate seats to cut out "the middle man," so to speak. Maybe we do, as the Tea Party says, need to get our country back, but not from the White House but from CORPORATIONS! BrooksTruitt 2010-08-10T15:54:08Z BrooksTruitt comment-33925 2010-07-30T23:02:46Z 2010-07-30T23:02:46Z Though not readily apparent, maintaining a healthy tree canopy is also a public safety issue. Every year tens of thousands of dollars worth of damage is done by falling tree branches. A few years ago a two year old child was killed by a falling limb in Fremont Park. Yet public safety is seen as entirely about police and fire: departments absorbing 80% of the city's general fund. What must maintenance staff facing layoff think when they see an ambulance and 3 EMT staff accompanied by a fire truck with 4 firefighters responding to a medical emergency? Perhaps there's a sound administrative rationale for this. If so, the council should share it with the public. Otherwise, people will think some of FD funding might be re-allocated to mitigate tree damage. BrooksTruitt 2010-07-30T23:02:46Z BrooksTruitt comment-33485 2010-07-24T15:33:57Z 2010-07-24T15:33:57Z The city pays $34M for employee health insurance? So if we had a single payor national health care plan, wouldn't that $34M solve our budget problem? BrooksTruitt 2010-07-24T15:33:57Z BrooksTruitt comment-33429 2010-07-23T19:26:11Z 2010-07-23T19:26:11Z Dive bar Schmive bar. Karpaty would do better by opening a Jewish Delicatessen! Cantor's North! Carnegie West? BrooksTruitt 2010-07-23T19:26:11Z BrooksTruitt comment-32809 2010-07-14T15:46:36Z 2010-07-14T15:46:36Z City staff are obligated to fully vet these 4 proposals. And they did involving local development "mavens" and outreach to preservation and community groups. They made their recommendation to council which was adopted. So what was this "ad-hoc committee" all about? Was it created to trump city staff's work? It didn't even smell right to the mayor. Me either. BrooksTruitt 2010-07-14T15:46:36Z BrooksTruitt comment-32734 2010-07-13T20:51:20Z 2010-07-13T20:51:20Z To councilmembers Cohn, Tretheway, Fong, I ask, "Did you learn nothing" the night of June 22? BrooksTruitt 2010-07-13T20:51:20Z BrooksTruitt comment-32427 2010-07-08T17:16:13Z 2010-07-08T17:16:13Z Wow Rhonda, excellent letter. You really nailed all the "right to vote" and "accountability" BS spewing forth from the "Mayor's Posse." Appreciate noting that Councilmember Pannell never was on the Johnson Express. BrooksTruitt 2010-07-08T17:16:13Z BrooksTruitt comment-32426 2010-07-08T17:02:05Z 2010-07-08T17:02:05Z Perhaps if Mayor Johnson shifted focus from drafts of ballot language to what he thinks the city needs and how meeting needs is impeded by the city charter. The office of mayor provides an excellent platform for municipal leadership. He should use it to develop a consensus on needs and ways to meet them. Then community can decide what if any charter changes may be required. BrooksTruitt 2010-07-08T17:02:05Z BrooksTruitt comment-32303 2010-07-07T17:25:10Z 2010-07-07T17:25:10Z Volunteerism. Sounds good. But it would be nice if news release included what programs or operations new Chief is to "coordinate" or direct. People need to know what operations are staffed wholly or in part by volunteers. Also, what volunteer operations are contemplated and will they benefit the community. brookstruitt BrooksTruitt 2010-07-07T17:25:10Z BrooksTruitt comment-22958 2010-03-05T19:45:18Z 2010-03-05T19:45:18Z Like the proverbial elephant on the living room sofa, an issue is ignored. Talking about corporate welfare. Taxpayers are paying the multi-million dollar cost of moving tracks belonging to Union Pacific. UP should return the favor. Pay the cost of a new arena, I mean, "entertainment center!." BrooksTruitt 2010-03-05T19:45:18Z BrooksTruitt comment-22824 2010-03-03T18:05:57Z 2010-03-03T18:05:57Z ANY PLANS FOR COMMERCIAL SPACE TO INCLUDE A JEWISH DELI? BrooksTruitt 2010-03-03T18:05:57Z BrooksTruitt comment-22484 2010-02-20T19:43:54Z 2010-02-20T19:43:54Z Bill is on the right track. One business closing is opportunity for another opening. And closing of a chain is an opportunity for local business that helps the local economy. Like Starbuck's closing in Oak Park being replaced by a local business serving a better product. And what should replace Hard Rock? A Jewish Deli, of course. Lot of talk about "world class city" Ever hear of a wcc without a Jewish Deli downtown? What would Manhattan be without the Carnegi; Los Angeles without Cantor's? You want music? How about Klemser? BrooksTruitt 2010-02-20T19:43:54Z BrooksTruitt comment-22429 2010-02-19T18:08:50Z 2010-02-19T18:08:50Z Who was the consultant on Kamilos' proposal, Rube Goldberg? BrooksTruitt 2010-02-19T18:08:50Z BrooksTruitt comment-22428 2010-02-19T18:02:32Z 2010-02-19T18:02:32Z the mayor claims now to be taking a more "collaborative approach" on the council. Though it has come a year late, it's welcome none the less. But is it for real? How does joining councilmember Waters in pointing the finger of blame at colleagues promote the "collaborative approach?" BrooksTruitt 2010-02-19T18:02:32Z BrooksTruitt comment-22427 2010-02-19T17:33:30Z 2010-02-19T17:33:30Z Wow, look who the Kings got for Kevin Martin. Who do you think we could get for Kevin Johnson? bt BrooksTruitt 2010-02-19T17:33:30Z BrooksTruitt comment-22352 2010-02-17T19:59:22Z 2010-02-17T19:59:22Z The mayor's plan to to ask the council to move "SM Lite" to November doesn't get us out of the woods. His entourage has deep pockets that can create a propaganda snow storm. Or should I say snow job. But it does provide those who still believe in municipal democracy to pull the covers off Kevin Johnson's "Kitchen Kabinet." It is well known that the lawyer who foisted SMI on us is the Republican operative heading the campaign to spit California's vote in the Electoral College so that 19 - 20 votes will go to the GOP candidate. And the latest right winger is Shawn Callahan who authored Johnson's latest SM Lite blurb. Sacramento Press could provide a great public service by pulling the covers off Johnson's posse of political pimps. We shouldn't have to rely entirely on SN&R. The local daily shows no sign of doing it. BrooksTruitt 2010-02-17T19:59:22Z BrooksTruitt comment-22186 2010-02-13T16:51:28Z 2010-02-13T16:51:28Z It seems that no matter how rules are written, enforcement staff must use common sense. Perhaps this brief sign kerfuffle is an example. BrooksTruitt 2010-02-13T16:51:28Z BrooksTruitt comment-22092 2010-02-12T17:02:44Z 2010-02-12T17:02:44Z Good report. Perhaps future stories will include utilities rates for residences and businesses in other California cities. BrooksTruitt 2010-02-12T17:02:44Z BrooksTruitt comment-22091 2010-02-12T16:44:09Z 2010-02-12T16:44:09Z Let me get this straight. One of the mayor's council colleagues is suing Goldman Sachs to recover funds Goldman allegedly "stole" from SMUD. One of the mayor's council colleagues is representing SMUD in the suit. And the mayor selected Goldmam as a volunteer to evaluate arena proposals. Among thousands of financial experts, why Goldman? If Mayor Johnson is sincere about promote collaboration on the city council, he's off to a bad start. BrooksTruitt 2010-02-12T16:44:09Z BrooksTruitt comment-21976 2010-02-10T21:32:10Z 2010-02-10T21:32:10Z Councilmember Sheedy is right about city suffering "strong mayor" fatigue. So is Mayor Johnson as his petulant performance at last night's council meeting showed. Before he's able to take a "collaborative" approach to his colleagues, re charter change or other issues, he needs to take a time out and get his head together. Replacing some of his lawyers might also help. If last night were a hockey game, he'd be in the penalty box. BrooksTruitt 2010-02-10T21:32:10Z BrooksTruitt comment-21760 2010-02-05T17:37:24Z 2010-02-05T17:37:24Z The Johnson corps of volunteers brought Luntz & Brown to town to pimp the strong mayor initiative. Now that Judge McMaster has shown it to be a lemon, KJ's spinmeisters are making lemonade. Johnson & Co. are now fighting for our rights! Huzzah! Expect the American Civil Liberties Union and maybe the Southern Poverty Law Center to be arriving shortly. BrooksTruitt 2010-02-05T17:37:24Z BrooksTruitt comment-21108 2010-01-22T21:47:41Z 2010-01-22T21:47:41Z Ms. Haley's road map quotes Mayor Johnson's prescription for improving the city government, "We should engage in a dialogue . . ." But that's not what Johnson did. "Dialogue" was limited to his lawyer who wrote him a "charter" that if passed, would make him the west coast version of "Mayor Daley." BrooksTruitt 2010-01-22T21:47:41Z BrooksTruitt comment-21005 2010-01-21T16:52:38Z 2010-01-21T16:52:38Z Cynics will say, " Ethics Commission? That's like giving a corpse an enema." Being an optimist, I say, "Yeah, but it couldn't hurt!" BrooksTruitt 2010-01-21T16:52:38Z BrooksTruitt comment-19592 2009-12-19T16:46:04Z 2009-12-19T16:46:04Z Well that's a fair question. Actually, I'm just a general activist. Often Neighborhood but also Peace, Traffic Calming, Human Rights, Smart Growth, Local Business Support — stuff like that. Learned early that the world is run by those who show up. People like you, Marion. BrooksTruitt 2009-12-19T16:46:04Z BrooksTruitt comment-19523 2009-12-18T18:37:34Z 2009-12-18T18:37:34Z Hey cool it Marion. I may only be one of the cronies hanging out for morning coffee, but the Old Soul is named after me. And I'm considered the main crony. In the interest of fairness, don't you think I should at least be consulted? BrooksTruitt 2009-12-18T18:37:34Z BrooksTruitt comment-19347 2009-12-15T23:40:33Z 2009-12-15T23:40:33Z Ewhalen is right on, as we used to say in the '60s. Best coverage of local issues is in SacPress. That said, the mayor now has an opportunity to display real leadership. And for once, he seems to be on the right track. Now he needs to see the whole enchilada: re-development of not only the mall but also the 700 & 800 blocks of K Street as s single project. Mall property should be considered for arena sight and vision should include rehab and update of Bel Vue apartments as affordable apartment units. Council needs to establish policy that subsidy (land grant, tax forgiveness, etc.) is conditioned on increased housing and other goals that came out of the JKL Charette 4 years ago. BrooksTruitt 2009-12-15T23:40:33Z BrooksTruitt comment-18723 2009-12-04T22:04:47Z 2009-12-04T22:04:47Z Thanks to the Sacramento Press excellent reports of meetings like this one, I don't have to attend yet get to put in the proverbial 2 cents. Seems preponderance of opinion favors a downtown location. But where downtown? Note Railyards not mentioned. But it has come up around a few water coolers, coffee bars even. So how about Westfield, DT Partnership, the City, Stan Thomas and the NBA (Let's leave the Maloofs out of this) and consider a Sports/Enternment Facility in a re-developed Westfield Mall? It's got parking, near hotels, next to K Street needing to be awakened, and fed by public transit. Therein lies Kevin Johnson's legacy. So if we get moving we might get the Republican National Convention by the Summer of 2016! BrooksTruitt 2009-12-04T22:04:47Z BrooksTruitt comment-17997 2009-11-19T19:44:03Z 2009-11-19T19:44:03Z Jim Knapp is right. Government should be good stewards of tax dollars. But that means looking beyond price per part. When dollars are spent with local business, a larger portion circulates in our community. With NAPA, a larger portion sails out of town to corporate headquarters. government has an important role in stimulating the local economy BrooksTruitt 2009-11-19T19:44:03Z BrooksTruitt comment-17717 2009-11-13T16:40:13Z 2009-11-13T16:40:13Z The site where Nestle plans to bottle our water and sell it back to us should be considered hight priority for locating the Arena we've been hearing about for the last 10 years. BrooksTruitt 2009-11-13T16:40:13Z BrooksTruitt comment-17524 2009-11-09T21:34:02Z 2009-11-09T21:34:02Z Great story. Also, kudos to the City Clerk's office for making it easier to follow the money. This is an important stride toward transparency which is the cornerstone of accountability, one of Mayor Jouhnson's cardinal virtues. BrooksTruitt 2009-11-09T21:34:02Z BrooksTruitt comment-16931 2009-11-01T17:34:46Z 2009-11-01T17:34:46Z As important as it is to create new revenue stream to cope with state's budget crisis, it's even more important to realize tremendous savings in law enforcement, legal and incarceration costs. And more important still is that legalization and control can open a whole new industrial hemp industry. Advocates claim hemp requires less water, chemicals, than cotton, the other agribiz fiber crop. BrooksTruitt 2009-11-01T17:34:46Z BrooksTruitt comment-16317 2009-10-25T20:09:42Z 2009-10-25T20:09:42Z Great news, Shawn. I guess you weren't kidding. Steve is tired. Needs to devote remaining strength to SMUD You've got my full support. P. S. You might want to keep that quiet to avoid proverbial "Kiss of Death." effect. BrooksTruitt 2009-10-25T20:09:42Z