Newest comments on The Sacramento Press written by William Burg

William Burg on "Police union halts labor talks with City Hall"

2012-02-08T20:31:48Z

The problem with the comparison to Indianapolis is that the NFL uses revenue sharing, allowing small-market cities like Indianapolis and Green Bay to be on equal footing with the big boys. The NBA doesn't work like that. If you'd like a further explanation of how NFL revenue sharing works, here's a handy video: http://vimeo.com/35003246

William Burg on "The Red Rabbit opens on J Street"

2012-02-07T15:32:19Z

Don't worry Serg, you'll be there before you know it...

William Burg on "Bagatelos may take on McCarty for District 6 council seat"

2012-02-06T04:27:59Z

I noticed that my mavigliometer pegged the needle whenever TheTruthSquad posts...

William Burg on "Keller Group signs on as Powerhouse Science Center partner"

2012-02-05T17:09:56Z

Not to mention that its use of the existing powerhouse is a great example of "The greenest building is the one that is already built!"

William Burg on "Ask the County Law Librarian -- Law Library Closing for Move; Re-opening March 1"

2012-02-05T17:08:49Z

Is there a plan in place for future use of the old Law Library/Hall of Justice building? It would be a shame to see such a beautiful treasure of a building sitting vacant.

William Burg on "Bagatelos may take on McCarty for District 6 council seat"

2012-02-03T20:43:46Z

Clumsiness? "Whoops, I accidentally dropped this pile of money into your campaign fund!" I wouldn't call that clumsiness. I'd call that corruption! No, I wouldn't call it clumsiness. None of this is personal, or based on personalities, as much as many people want it to be, or accuse opponents of SMI in all its incarnations as based on personalities rather than issues. Personally, I like Mayor Johnson, and all my dealings with him have been cordial. I also like Mark Friedman a great deal, but don't approve of the way he spends his money to influence elections in a city where he does not live. I'm sure Jon Bagatelos is a fine individual as well, but I strongly disagree with his position on this issue and his reasons for running. My issue is not with their personalities, but with the measures they wish to use to govern this city, which veer away from democracy and towards a more authoritarian "my way or the highway" mode of government--otherwise known as "running government like a business." But government doesn't work like a business, and it should not be run like one. That is the crux of the problem, and the basis of the argument against SMI.

William Burg on "Bagatelos may take on McCarty for District 6 council seat"

2012-02-03T16:20:59Z

Not to mention a seat on the Planning Commission in return for a big check in support of SMI. Looks like KJ's financial backers really do want the best government money can buy!

William Burg on "Bagatelos may take on McCarty for District 6 council seat"

2012-02-03T06:52:23Z

Sounds like the Sacramento 60 is willing to pull out all the stops to take over City Hall--no matter how much money they have to spend to buy Council seats!

William Burg on "Meet the Candidates for District 4"

2012-02-02T02:47:06Z

The Sacramento Old City Association will host a District 4 Candidates' Forum on Saturday March 10, at the "Courtyard" building, 1322 O Street, Sacramento. All four candidates have committed to participate. The candidates' forum will be part of SOCA's quarterly "Preservation Roundtable" event. The Preservation Roundtable starts at 9:00 AM, the candidates' forum starts at 10:00 AM. More details will be posted to http://www.sacoldcity.org

William Burg on "Mayor: Responses to parking lessee search ‘promising’"

2012-02-01T06:03:15Z

"Promising" much...delivering little.

William Burg on "New Orleans fare coming to Broadway"

2012-01-25T15:26:24Z

Glad to see a local business take a place on such a prominent corner. The breakfast menu is important--this town can use more reasonably priced corner breakfast spots, and they sound very reasonably priced. Such places become magnets for community as well as places to eat!

William Burg on "10 Reasons Why a 50-Year Parking Agreement is Bad for Sacramento "

2012-01-22T08:51:04Z

There are other factors at work here--can the Maloofs afford to sacrifice ARCO Arena and a share of their team? They pretty much have to, as they don't have the $70 million to buy their way out of town. Can AEG afford to let the Kings move to Anaheim, which would cost them around $500 million in media rights? And how does ARCO become valuable property as long as the North Natomas building moratorium is still in effect? I'm not entirely convinced about the need for a slightly bigger concert hall downtown, or that it would be so inexpensive. I suppose a smaller facility could be put in a smaller space--like the 300 block of Capitol, or in the "Docks" area along the Sacramento River, instead of on top of the Amtrak parking lot like the current arena proposal. But even at a lower cost--who pays for it? And could we get by with Arco, Memorial Auditorium and public events at the Rivercats ballpark across the river, while reinvesting in our own transportation network, local businesses, infill, and, based on response #9, more hustle and bustle on the streets from small/medium sized local music clubs, generating foot traffic and urban interest. That sort of thing can be parlayed into far more private investment in the urban core--ideally, at least doubling the population of the central city. And that kind of vitality CAN draw interest from corporate headquarters and major commerce (or become the incubator for locally-grown business reaching that size) and thus provide both the tax base and the private financing for a strongly-positioned, financially feasible arena proposal.

William Burg on "10 Reasons Why a 50-Year Parking Agreement is Bad for Sacramento "

2012-01-22T03:30:41Z

You had me until you started talking about a slightly smaller arena. How exactly does that work, and how do you propose paying for it--and which of these events are we not currently hosting at Rubberband Pavilion or the Convention Center already?

William Burg on "Will leasing city garages ruin parking validation?"

2012-01-21T16:45:00Z

Ordinarily, residential parking permit programs are based on activism from the neighborhood: neighbors petition the city for things like resident parking programs. Now that there is more housing in Old Sacramento, maybe it's time for an Old Sac neighborhood association that can advocate for the rights of people who live there--currently there is no advocacy group for downtown or Old Sac residents.

William Burg on "Many Sacramento 2020 “supporters” don’t live in Sacramento, or don't exist at all"

2012-01-20T03:43:17Z

I don't think that is the author's point--his point is that a lot of these efforts to change Sacramento's system of government are coming from people who do not live in the city of Sacramento, which brings into question the validity of their effort--even an effort as unscientific and unverifiable as an Internet petition.

William Burg on "Many Sacramento 2020 “supporters” don’t live in Sacramento, or don't exist at all"

2012-01-20T03:41:39Z

Hey now, someone paid good money for those letters!

William Burg on "Many Sacramento 2020 “supporters” don’t live in Sacramento, or don't exist at all"

2012-01-19T01:10:51Z

Yes, that is correct, you can only vote on Sacramento measures if you live in Sacramento. Even if you own a business or work here. You can voice an opinion, but it's nothing more than that--an opinion. Sacramento 2020 isn't just trying to voice an opinion, they are trying to change our method of government--and if it is an organization directed and controlled by people outside our city, that's downright alarming.

William Burg on "The Sacramento Press on 'Insight': Strong mayor initiative"

2012-01-18T03:25:53Z

Austin has a council-manager form of government, as do most of Texas' major cities like Dallas, San Antonio, and Fort Worth.

William Burg on "Arena headlines State of Downtown discussion"

2012-01-18T01:16:37Z

Excellent point. By the speaker's own standard, the current arena proposal is a loser.

William Burg on "'Strong mayor,' 'executive mayor': Taking a closer look"

2012-01-12T16:52:54Z

Actually the day to day operation will still be the job of the city manager, except the City Council won't be able to fire him--which they can currently do on a week's notice.

William Burg on "'Strong mayor,' 'executive mayor': Taking a closer look"

2012-01-12T07:25:23Z

Date ArticleType 1/9/2012 Public policy experts will share independent analyses of new charter reform proposal For more information: Michael Faust 916-321-9115 mfaust@metrochamber.org For Immediate Release January 9, 2012 Public policy experts will share independent analyses of new charter reform proposal SACRAMENTO – Today, the Sacramento Metro Chamber, Region Builders and Sacramento Police Officers Association announced plans to host a public policy panel discussion on the Checks and Balances Act of 2012 this Thursday, Jan. 12 from 2-3 p.m. at the Metro Chamber’s office, One Capitol Mall, Suite 300. Panelists include renowned public policy experts Dr. Barbara O’Connor and Professor Robert Benedetti. Dr. O’Connor is a former professor of Communications at California State University, Sacramento and director emeritus of its Institute for the Study of Politics and Media. Professor Benedetti is executive director of the Jacoby Center for Public Service and Civic Leadership at the University of the Pacific and a professor of political science. The Checks and Balances Act is a new proposal to amend and modernize the Sacramento City Charter. Key components include transitioning the city to the “mayor-council” form of government, instituting new ethics and transparency policies, and establishing an independent redistricting commission to draw boundaries for council districts based on the decennial census process. “We are proud to facilitate discussion on this critical public policy issue,” explained John Frisch, Metro Chamber board chair. “Given the state of our economy, our budget and our city, we need to be evaluating the kinds of reforms contemplated in the Checks and Balances Act. We believe strongly in Sacramento citizens’ right to vote on this proposal, and we want to do our part to educate and inform the public as they evaluate this plan.” Supporters of the Checks and Balances Act are urging the Sacramento City Council to place the measure on the June 5, 2012 ballot. The city council will begin discussions on the plan at their Jan. 17 meeting.

William Burg on "'Strong mayor,' 'executive mayor': Taking a closer look"

2012-01-12T07:24:07Z

This just seems like a more authoritarian form of government, not a more democratic one. It's a way to engrave "My Way or the Highway" on the mayor's door, fast-track pet projects, and shut out members of the community who didn't contribute sufficiently to the re-election campaign. The one thing that has not changed in any of these iterations is the shadowy group of financial backers behind this initiative--and the sorely incomplete nature of each plan. Crucial details are left sketchy, to be filled in later--but considering that each measure was written in secret, out of public view, why should the uncompleted details receive any more public scrutiny should this measure pass?

William Burg on ""Strong Mayor" Proposal at Secret Public Meeting"

2012-01-10T06:24:55Z

Not his political cohorts--his employees. His political cohorts, the people writing the checks, have remained in the shadows, and will stay there until someone exposes them to the light.

William Burg on ""Strong Mayor" Proposal at Secret Public Meeting"

2012-01-10T04:02:38Z

That's what confused me too. It was supposedly a public meeting--but they apparently didn't bother inviting the public.

William Burg on "Wag the dog: Sacramento style"

2012-01-10T04:00:54Z

I'm wondering what inspired the name? The first thing that comes up on a Google-search is an essay by Joel Kotkin, an advocate of suburban development and critic of "New Urbanist"/back-to-the-city development. He wrote an article by that title in 2008: http://www.newgeography.com/content/00150-sacramento-2020 which basically says that Sacramento's main problem is that we don't have enough suburbs. I wonder if there is any connection between "Sacramento 2020" and advocates of continued outward suburban development?

William Burg on "2011 recap: The fight to keep the Kings in Sacramento"

2011-12-29T06:47:36Z

Of course, that $1 million pledge from Thunder Valley has resulted in a rift in the tribe's leadership, triggering a recall drive that now jeopardizes that pledge: http://www.sacbee.com/2011/11/08/4037734/thunder-valley-casino-tribe-split.html And how could this story be called complete without mentioning that our current arena's sponsor, Power Balance, is filing for bankruptcy now that people have realized wearing a rubbber band on your wrist doesn't affect your athletic performance? They lost $9 million this year, and have filed for bankruptcy, which makes it unlikely that they will be able to honor their $700,000 per year sponsorship commitment--they are already $100,000 behind in that commitment. http://ransackedmedia.com/2011/12/06/power-balance-days-away-from-folding/ http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/money_co/2011/11/power-balance-files-for-bankruptcy-after-retracting-health-claims.html Also revealed this year was that AEG stands to lose $500 million in media rights if the Kings move to Anaheim, which may explain their strong support for a Sacramento arena, not to mention the possibility of a profitable lease arrangement like the one they have with Kansas City, where AEG gets paid each year from arena proceeds before a cent goes to the city's construction debt. http://ransackedmedia.com/2011/12/17/aeg-helps-sacramento-in-order-to-protect-the-lakers/ And let's not forget the overly-ardent Kings fan who apparently unwittingly filed a Fair Political Practices Commission complaint against City Councilmember Sandy Sheedy, provided to him by parties who are still unknown--a complaint that was tossed out by the FPPC. http://ransackedmedia.com/2011/11/02/who-is-really-behind-the-complaint-against-sandy-sheedy%E2%80%99s-arena-poll/

William Burg on "Year in review: Up-and-coming R Street"

2011-12-29T01:06:19Z

I'm a big fan of the improved lighting on R Street, which makes walking in the evening much more comfortable and safe. Hopefully the stretch between 15th and 18th will be done sometime in the near future--that stretch gets a lot of pedestrian traffic between Light Rail and Safeway, and could use the help.

William Burg on "Mayor: City is at 'critical juncture' on the road to new arena"

2011-12-28T15:03:44Z

So...how's that private side of the equation coming along?

William Burg on "Year in review: Changes to K Street"

2011-12-28T15:02:54Z

No mention of the grand opening of Pizza Rock/District 30/Dive Bar in January? While the whole "mermaid bar" idea drew plenty of smirks, to be honest including myself, and occasionally became the basis for criticisms of the very idea of redevelopment, it's an idea that seems to have taken off. According to a Downtown Partnership source, the 1000 block of K Street now attracts 5000-8000 people every weekend. Over the course of a month that's more people than used to come down for the busiest "Second Saturday" events, but consistently through the month instead of all on one day. And, at least from what I have seen (most recently on December 17 while leaving the Crest well after midnight) the attractions of the 1000 block aren't just a flash in the pan--the crowds are still consistent and large. And this wasn't the only new business opening on K Street this year: http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/48240/Photo_essay_Tequila_Museo_Mayahuel_soft_opening_Friday Mayahuel has carved a niche for itself at 12th and K, even without mermaids. http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/56714/Temple_Coffee_reopens_in_new_location Temple Coffee moved a block away, but still serves the K Street corridor, and seems to be doing well in their new spot. Another coffee shop reopened almost immediately in Temple's spot: http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/58549/A_look_inside_Broadacre_what_goes_into_making_your_coffee A French bakery opened in the former La Bou/Creperie spot on 9th and K: http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/61510/Photo_essay_Estelles_Patisserie And a seafood restaurant is opening on 9th a half-block away, although I'm not sure if they are open yet: http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/59690/Gourmet_seafood_restaurant_coming_to_downtown_Sacramento

William Burg on "I Street Bridge turns 100"

2011-12-24T17:38:54Z

I kind of like the way it looks now--tough, gritty and formidable.

William Burg on "Mayor's office unveils proposed charter reform measures"

2011-12-23T04:07:01Z

So, if Johnson isn't behind this charter proposal, who is behind it? Who wrote it? And, most importantly, who will be paying to promote it?

William Burg on "Mayor's office unveils proposed charter reform measures"

2011-12-22T05:50:12Z

Same buzzwords--new package!

William Burg on "Does AEG want to help Sacramento in order to protect the Lakers?"

2011-12-18T21:44:01Z

So if AEG stands to lose a half-billion dollars if the Kings move to Anaheim, could they be convinced to contribute significantly more than the $50 million estimate people are hoping for? The Maloofs seem a bit more enthusiastic about Sacramento these days--but in an interview in today's Bee they claim they have no debt. Don't they still owe the NBA and the city of Sacramento quite a bit of money, or are there other factors at work here?

William Burg on "Council agrees to seek lessee for city parking operations"

2011-12-16T18:38:08Z

And, on the flip side, it could let us know that our parking isn't worth as much as we thought it was. It's a bit like putting your house on the market with high expectations and then getting that first actual low-ball bid...or no bid at all. I suppose we'll see.

William Burg on "City parking should not be leased out: tell Council to say no"

2011-12-15T06:39:27Z

Lady Gaga didn't have any problems with Arco Arena, she played there the last time she came to Sacramento. She did not, however, play the Stockton arena--it is half the size of Arco. It also does not host a major-league team. Stockton Lady Gaga fans had to watch a video of the concert at a local theater--or drive to Sacramento. One should also note that downtown Stockton hasn't exactly burst to the forefront of urban vitality in the six years since their arena's completion. How are property values in downtown Stockton these days? Staples Center was financed by a $315 million "asset-backed securitization", provided by Bear Stearns, plus the city of Los Angeles provided $38.5 million in bonds and $12 million a year in TIF provided by their redevelopment agency. How are redevelopment agencies doing these days? Incidentally, how is Bear Stearns doing these days? http://staplescenter.com/press/press-detail/214/staples-centers-groundbreaking-finance-package-is-largest-ever-for-a-sports-arena http://www.rodneyfort.com/PHSportsEcon/Common/OtherData/NBATeamValues/NBANSLI02.pdf http://money.cnn.com/2008/03/28/magazines/fortune/boyd_bear.fortune/ About the Santa Clara arena: "In a financial package announced this month, Goldman Sachs, Bank of America/Merrill Lynch and U.S. Bank would back the construction with an $850 million loan, the majority of the total cost. The money would be funneled through the 49ers and the Santa Clara Stadium Authority, an agency created to oversee the stadium. The construction loan is expected to be repaid over the next 25 years from ticket sales, rent from the team and naming rights. The city is chipping in $114 million, as approved by voters in June 2010, and the National Football League is expected to contribute $150 million." Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/12/13/MNEV1MC1VS.DTL#ixzz1gaBABJNm In other words, the city voted on it, and it passed--but the bulk is a loan from Goldman Sachs, US Bank and Bank of America of $850 million. Payments on a loan that size, assuming 5% interest over 25 years, will be about $70 million a year, and the team will pay $30 million a year in rent. One hopes that the city will be able to clear $40 million or more in annual profits every year...

William Burg on "Council agrees to seek lessee for city parking operations"

2011-12-15T05:16:08Z

It's kind of like "monetizing" jewelry at the pawn shop when there isn't enough money to pay rent. And note that the best-case-scenario $200-240 million fund is based on a 50 year contract, not 27 years as in Melissa's example--and that best-case scenario would also involve changing state law to make it possible for street parking meter revenue to be included in the deal. And then there's the bond-debt wrinkle that Melissa mentions...and, well, there are kind of a lot of wrinkles. Maybe the wrinkles should be a separate article entirely.

William Burg on "Council agrees to seek lessee for city parking operations"

2011-12-15T05:12:41Z

Some of the limitations mentioned by Council members make the parking proposal worth less money to investors. The preference for a 30 year deal, rather than 50 years, means that the proposal is only worth 60% as much, since the contract length is 60% as long: instead of, say, $200 million, it becomes worth $120 million. The requirement that city staff be retained for parking enforcement, instead of staff provided by a contractor, means that overhead costs are higher, again lowering the value of the contract: instead of, say, $120 million, more like $90 million. The requirement that parking fees not be raised exorbitantly, in order to avoid a scenario like Chicago where parking fees quadrupled, also limits the value of the contract--although parking fees would absolutely have to rise (the parking study mentioned an immediate increase of 25 cents an hour, increasing to 75 cents an hour in a few years.) This puts a cap on how much the parking contractor can earn, again limiting the maximum value of the contract--say from $90 million to $60 million. And, finally, the Council has expressed some pretty big concerns about the fact that parking fees currently provide $9 million to the city's general fund, funds that would be lost if the city sold those parking fees. $9 million multiplied by 30 years is $270 million (assuming that parking demand and revenue don't increase for the next 30 years), which means selling the parking rights for $60 million would cost the city $270 million, for a net loss of $230 million. Some have suggested that increased revenues will somehow make up for that net loss, but there are no clear figures regarding how that will actually work other than vague statements about playing the odds and other phrases probably better suited to a Lotto commercial than sound public policy.

William Burg on "Council agrees to seek lessee for city parking operations"

2011-12-14T20:47:22Z

It will decrease the amount by 40%.

William Burg on "Council agrees to seek lessee for city parking operations"

2011-12-14T20:47:05Z

No, they did not. There would be no guarantee that the parking contractor would continue to honor the city's parking validation program--unless, of course, the city added that restriction to the contract, which, like the limitations below, would make the contract worth less money.

William Burg on "Council agrees to seek lessee for city parking operations"

2011-12-14T20:38:56Z

Actually, several city council members mentioned that they were interested in the bids even if the arena didn't go through--so no, this would not necessarily be linked to the arena. And considering that some of the parking is more than a mile from the arena site, it is pretty unlikely that some of this parking would ever be used for arena parking. It's still a lousy way to raise cash (like selling your seed corn) but theoretically it could be done.

William Burg on "City parking should not be leased out: tell Council to say no"

2011-12-14T05:54:33Z

What kind of events could be held at this arena that can't be held at the current arena? The capacity is pretty much the same. If it's okay for Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber, exactly what big-name acts are we missing? And who are these "proposed operators"? We don't have proposed operators, or an operating scheme yet...do you know something we don't? Davi: We don't know yet who is doing the enforcement--that would be up to whoever submits a proposal, and the requirements of the city. If the city requires that the contractor keep the current enforcement staff, the same people would be issuing tickets, but theoretically a private operator could hire their own staff. One thing we do know is that parking costs would go up: the estimate given in the report assumes a 25 cent per hour immediate increase in parking rates, going up to 75 cents more an hour within a few years.

William Burg on "City parking should not be leased out: tell Council to say no"

2011-12-14T05:48:01Z

Q and R were tied together to avoid the 2/3 requirement for new taxes but still failed to pass. The arena that would have been built was intended to revert to public ownership after 30 years, which was part of why the plan was so bad--if Arco was obsolete after 20 years, what would the Q/R arena look like in 30? The Maloofs' response to the latest proposal is even more lukewarm than Q/R: they would also lose their parking revenue stream in the proposed plan, and they don't have the cash to buy the city contract.

William Burg on "Man on the Street: business after cars on K"

2011-12-10T21:35:28Z

In that case, your wish is granted, because there are about 5000 paid parking spaces in public parking lots within a block of K Street for K Street visitors, in addition to street parking on adjacent streets, which is free after 6 PM and Sundays. And if your concern is podium parking in residential developments, there will be podium parking in the 700 K Street project, underneath the 150 residential units going into that block.

William Burg on "The Downtown arena funding plan is a complete mess"

2011-12-10T21:32:49Z

It's starting to remind me more and more of last year's "Boqueria" plan: ask for something totally unrealistic and unreasonable, just to see if the city will go for it, and when asked about financing, ask the city to pay for that too. We should keep in mind that the "Think Big" task force is not actually an official city body: it's an ad-hoc group with no regulatory authority, and thus no need to follow rules that city bodies do (such as the Brown Act) regarding public notification of meetings (most of which are set up at 11 AM during the work day with, generally, only 1 day of public notice, and no public agenda.)

William Burg on "The Downtown arena funding plan is a complete mess"

2011-12-10T01:37:00Z

Thsas: you are correct--the government only holds the funds and property that the people own and government has taken via taxes. But that is exactly who is taking on the costs, and the risks, in this arena scheme--the taxpayer.

William Burg on "The Downtown arena funding plan is a complete mess"

2011-12-10T01:18:41Z

We have not heard any financial commitment from the private sector at all. And how much can the Maloofs afford to pay if they end up losing the $10 million or so a year they make from their parking rights at Rubbercheck Pavlion?

William Burg on "The Downtown arena funding plan is a complete mess"

2011-12-10T01:04:23Z

I think it is actually an early rendering from the "Think Big" selection committee, the original Railyards arena proposal, but not the most current one which is planned closer to I-5 (on land the city has to buy, incidentally, a price not in the current figure.) The Q-R arena was supposed to be farther north, against the northern edge of the Railyards property (the area that is currently bare soil.) The current plan is for a city owned lot where the Amtrak parking lot now sits.

William Burg on "Man on the Street: business after cars on K"

2011-12-09T20:47:17Z

Ahem. Are those parking garages off the 110 free, or paid parking lots?

William Burg on "The Downtown arena funding plan is a complete mess"

2011-12-09T20:45:02Z

Generally, "you have to spend money to make money" only applies when you expect to make more money than you spend. Every indication so far points to this expenditure returning far less than the amount the city has to put in. Unless by "you have to spend money to make money," you really mean "The city has to spend its money for the private sector to make money." In which case I think there may be something wrong with your business model.

William Burg on "Man on the Street: business after cars on K"

2011-12-09T16:17:06Z

Downtown Los Angeles office buildings constructed in the early 20th century, the sort which are currently being converted to condo use, did not, in fact, have stacked parking garages. Some of these condo projects have added parking, either integral to the building or nearby--but these private developers chose to add parking, they were not presented with an arbitrary parking requirement the way that current codes do. But there's a big difference between car storage for neighborhood residents (which is important for cities) and providing unlimited "free" parking for downtown visitors in big ol' parking lots (which is not.)

William Burg on "Man on the Street: business after cars on K"

2011-12-08T20:41:57Z

Cities became what they are today because of the social engineers who worked mighty hard to empty cities of their populations and move everyone to the suburbs. They forgot the lessons of city building pioneered by the "old urbanists" who built K Street (and downtowns like it) in the first place, and assumed they could support a downtown where nobody lived (or at least nobody you'd want to know.) Reconnecting K Street to the existing city fabric means a lot more than just automobile access, although for many, I realize it's difficult to conceive of any form of transportation not involving a car. Look at Los Angeles: in a decade they have tripled their downtown population, primarily by encouraging the conversion of mostly-vacant office buildings to housing, without requiring additional parking. Rebuilding their once-superb transit network has also helped reconnect Angelenos to their downtown without requiring acres of parking lots--and we can use the same model to repair downtown Sacramento.

William Burg on "City supports high speed rail for the north state"

2011-12-08T05:38:56Z

Sounds like you agree with Cohn, who has recommended that HSR include upgrades to existing "regular-speed" rail. And I can't think of any better way to improve passenger rail service than to separate it on its own line, instead of using freight tracks. But if we do that, why should we limit ourselves to speeds that were considered pokey by railroads 100 years ago? High-speed rail is the state of the art in the present day in the rest of the world. But your dismissal of rail as "choo-choo" trains makes clear that you don't want to see any sort of rail improvement--you're probably just obsessed with vroom-vroom cars and can't bear attention paid to a transit mode other than your favorite toy.

William Burg on "City supports high speed rail for the north state"

2011-12-08T05:36:25Z

Sounds like the "Dutch Flat Swindle," the accusation made at the Central Pacific Railroad by freight wagon operators who didn't want that newfangled railroad competing with their wagon roads. The "high-speed rail" of its day put them out of business.

William Burg on "Man on the Street: business after cars on K"

2011-12-08T05:34:57Z

There are already several multi-story parking garages along K Street or within one block: on 3rd, 6th/7th (underground), 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th (the last two as part of hotels) and a few surface parking lots. Thousands of spaces, in fact. Lining K Street with parking along the entire length open to cars will add a grand total of 90 parking spaces (assuming no space is left for loading zones, fireplugs or crosswalks, and all light rail loading ramps were removed.) What unused square at 11th and K? The space in front of the Cathedral gets used a lot (every time there is a wedding or gathering at the Cathedral it fills) and the area between K and L on 11th is an excellent "outdoor room" with just the right proportions--it gets a lot of pedestrian use. I think maybe you just consider it "unused" because you seem to ignore the presence or role of pedestrians entirely...

William Burg on "Man on the Street: business after cars on K"

2011-12-08T05:31:26Z

Trying to simulate a suburban shopping center in order to attract people who hate cities back downtown is the strategy that has been tried repeatedly over the past 40 years. The one thing that really hasn't been tried is turning K Street back into a traditional urban neighborhood, and re-connecting it with its adjoining central city neighborhoods.

William Burg on "City supports high speed rail for the north state"

2011-12-07T20:31:30Z

Sounds like the concrete lobby will do whatever they can to ensure that future transportation spending is solely dedicated to highways and airports, even though they will end up costing more than high-speed rail!

William Burg on "Old questions resurface for City Council candidate Kim Mack"

2011-12-03T02:49:54Z

'As evidence that she did not participate in the email sharing scheme, Mack points to the fact that the unsolicited email addresses came from “Friends of Obama” – a name her organization was never called – and that not everyone on the Sacramentans for Obama email list received the Strong Mayor Initiative emails. “Somebody made an assumption that I gave out the email list,” Mack said. “No one asked me if I did, they just made assumptions.”' Except the emails didn't come from "Friends of Obama," they came from "Kim Mack." And it's pretty easy to assume that Kim Mack was responsible for the email list, because her name was on both the originating email address and the signature of the email.

William Burg on "Old questions resurface for City Council candidate Kim Mack"

2011-12-03T02:29:38Z

It's not exactly clear in this article, but Kim Mack was the co-chair of "Sacramentans for Accountable Government." The email above came from someone explicitly identifying themselves as Kim Mack, both via the email address and the signature at the end of the letter. So either someone else involved in "Sacramentans for Accountable Government" was falsely claiming to be Kim Mack and sending emails in her name, AND going behind her back to steal her email list, or she sent the emails. If the former, why would she continue to work with an organization that stole from her and falsely used her name? If the latter, doesn't that mean she is now lying?

William Burg on "Old questions resurface for City Council candidate Kim Mack"

2011-12-03T02:16:45Z

---- Forwarded Message ----- From: "Kim Mack, Co-Chair" To: "***** *****" <******@******> Sent: Friday, January 2, 2009 7:21:30 PM GMT -08:00 US/Canada Pacific Subject: Changing Sacramento with Mayor Johnson Begins Monday! Dear ***** *****, In November, you voted for change -- in our city and in our nation. Now the work begins -- right here in Sacramento -- to change our community into the world-class city it can be. Mark your calendar and join us on Monday, January 5th at 6:00 p.m. at the Grand (1215 J Street, downtown Sacramento, across from the Sheraton), when our new grassroots organization, Sacramentans for Accountable Government, will hold its first meeting. Mayor Kevin Johnson will be there. So please join us and be a part of our effort to bring a more responsive and accountable government to Sacramento. See you on Monday! Sincerely, Kim Mack & your friends at Sacramentans for Accountable Government P.S. -- Check out our new website, www.reformsacramento.com Click here to RSVP Click here to invite a friend This message was intended for: ******@******t You were added to the system January 2, 2009. For more information click here. Update your preferences | Unsubscribe

William Burg on "Team owners, players reach tentative deal, NBA season to return by Xmas"

2011-11-27T18:51:49Z

So is the arena about pro basketball again?

William Burg on "Johnson: People are ready to talk about strong mayor initiative"

2011-11-24T08:46:53Z

I think he meant "wage." Maviglio doesn't let the facts get in the way of his wage.

William Burg on "Johnson: People are ready to talk about strong mayor initiative"

2011-11-24T04:45:55Z

"Accountability" to who? The 1%ers writing the campaign contribution checks?

William Burg on "Johnson: People are ready to talk about strong mayor initiative"

2011-11-24T04:44:38Z

Steven Maviglio: Attorney Tom Hiltachk sure as heck wasn't elected by the voters either, but he wrote the previous Strong Mayor Initiative. The real estate developers who paid private signature gatherers to flog petitions in support of SMI weren't elected either. Apparently that doesn't matter to you if they're the party signing your paycheck.

William Burg on "Johnson: People are ready to talk about strong mayor initiative"

2011-11-23T19:53:58Z

Really? Where can we find this booklet? There was a booklet printed, detailing the Mayor's accomplishments AFTER he took office, with city funds (which he later repaid out of pocket) that included Strong Mayor--but was there anything referring to charter change before the election?

William Burg on "Johnson: People are ready to talk about strong mayor initiative"

2011-11-23T06:51:17Z

Good catch, fifthgen: Johnson didn't mention a word about changing the city charter until after he won the election--then the folks on the "Sacramentans for Obama" got an interesting email from Kim Mack about his new plans. Hm...Kim Mack. That's a name we have heard again recently, isn't it?

William Burg on "Johnson: People are ready to talk about strong mayor initiative"

2011-11-23T04:52:38Z

We already had a "strong mayor" system of government...when we were a city of 40,000. We did away with our "strong mayor" charter 100 years ago this year. The era of Sacramento's "strong mayor" charter was synonymous with corruption and cronyism. There is nothing modern about it--it's a throwback to the 19th century and the era of patronage, political bosses and "the best government money can buy."

William Burg on "Power Balance files for bankruptcy"

2011-11-23T02:56:03Z

In "A Field Guide to Sprawl," Dolores Hayden called such projects "ball pork."

William Burg on "Power Balance files for bankruptcy"

2011-11-22T21:07:32Z

Actually, they aren't paying the city of Sacramento--they're paying Goldman Sachs, who bought the debt a few years ago. If the Maloofs split town, the city of Sacramento is on the hook to pay back Goldman Sachs--although we do get Rubberband Pavilion and a 25% share of the Kings if that comes to pass.

William Burg on "City considers consolidating Planning, Design Commissions"

2011-11-22T02:08:21Z

How about we get rid of the Sports Commission instead? We'd save ten times the money! http://www.sacbee.com/2011/11/21/4069622/lean-times-for-the-sacramento.html#storylink=misearch

William Burg on "Power Balance files for bankruptcy"

2011-11-22T01:51:15Z

...And exactly what purpose would a sports arena serve without a sports team to go with it?

William Burg on "Power Balance files for bankruptcy"

2011-11-22T01:50:48Z

Hm. A mouthpiece selling a mouthpiece. How very meta.

William Burg on "City considers consolidating Planning, Design Commissions"

2011-11-21T07:12:07Z

well then--would re-combining Design and Preservation back into a single board (the way they were until a few years ago) accomplish the same goal?

William Burg on "The Grid in Technicolor"

2011-11-19T17:11:23Z

When people ask where to see "fall color" in Sacramento, I generally recommend Land Park/Curtis Park or East Sacramento. The more dramatic trees are Eastern varieties that were planted in cities as shade trees, while our native trees in the foothills just tend to turn brown in fall--a less impressive "show" than their eastern relatives.

William Burg on "Ruhstaller beer makes Sacramento comeback"

2011-11-16T21:01:11Z

The 20th century business model was all about national brands and chains--cities prided themselves on their ability to resemble other cities. In the 21st century, businesses and cities are about placemaking: What makes us different, unique, unlike other places? The answer is often rooted in local history. As J-E Paino is learning, people are very interested in local history--it's not just about the past, but about the future! The story of Frank Ruhstaller and his son Frank Ruhstaller Jr. are just the kind of local history we're talking about, even if they haven't been household names for a while. In fact, "Ruhstaller" would probably be an ideal name for a local alley, even though that alley would be south of R Street while the Buffalo Brewery was on the north. And here's hoping they open a taproom! The old Ruhstaller Building on 9th and J Street still stands, and may have a vacant space--considering the building has the words "Ruhstaller Building" on the side, they wouldn't even need a new sign! (Finally, anyone interested in more information about Sacramento breweries is urged to pick up a copy of "Sacramento's Breweries" by Ed Carroll--you can find copies at Beers Books on 9th and S or Time Tested Books at 21st and L, or via Sacramento County Historical Society at http://www.sachistoricalsociety.org .)

William Burg on "Hundreds gather to celebrate cars returning to K Street"

2011-11-15T05:26:31Z

There are plenty of places to park--just not on K Street itself. 5000 or so parking spaces are within a block of the newly opened street. And yes, you have to pay for them (unless you get parking validation) but you have to pay for parking in cities. The point of cars driving through this particular street is twofold: attracting new tenants (at least three businesses have cited the return of cars to K Street as a major reason why they chose to locate on K) and attracting federal dollars (you can't call a street a "transportation corridor" unless it carries cars for purposes of attracting federal funds.) Getting K Street away from the shopping-mall idea is absolutely good news. Get food, see a movie, see a band, dance, have a drink. Not the things you do in a suburban shopping mall, but the things you do in a city. EDIT: Correction--looks like it's four businesses now--there is a sign at the Roos-Atkins building at 10th and K, apparently Sharif Jewelers is moving into their ground-floor suite right on the corner!

William Burg on "Hundreds gather to celebrate cars returning to K Street"

2011-11-15T01:04:53Z

The same folks who did that half-block of R Street, D+S Development, are part of the team working on the 700 block of K Street, and their project has a lot of similarities, but on a bigger downtown scale. The owners of Shady Lady are going to open a 500 seat live music venue, and instead of 12 condos upstairs there will be about 150 apartments.

William Burg on "On the Road again - K St"

2011-11-13T20:29:31Z

Streetcars had been out of service for 20 years by the time that K Street was converted into a pedestrian mall--and for two years by the time the Crest opened in 1949. The 20 years after the end of streetcar operation, and following the opening of Sacramento's first suburban shopping centers, mark the era of K Street's initial decline. Re-branding K Street as a suburban-friendly shopping center doesn't work. Downtown Sacramento has to offer a different product--the urban experience itself--to set itself apart.

William Burg on "Capitol Mall design competition winners announced"

2011-11-13T01:38:36Z

Complying with the Capitol View Protection Act was a requirement for all the proposals submitted to the contest, although some didn't appear to listen too well. Although the Capitol View Protection Act doesn't really talk too much about trees, just the height of buildings. Here's a link to the code...see what you can find: http://law.onecle.com/california/government/8162.5.html

William Burg on "Phyllis Newton: Candidate for District 4 City Council seat"

2011-11-12T17:45:56Z

She supports the arena even if it doesn't pencil out? Enough said...

William Burg on "Gourmet seafood restaurant coming to downtown Sacramento"

2011-11-09T01:40:49Z

I'll reserve my judgment about the food and the prices until I try it...but I will try them out. And it's nice to see the historic building tenanted and fixed up!

William Burg on "Family-owned Lofings Lighting turns 50 Friday"

2011-11-09T01:37:46Z

I had Lofing's restore and rewire some of my old lighting fixtures (including a kit originally intended to convert gaslight fixtures to electrical lights from about the 1920s) and am still happy with the job they did. Their showroom on J Street is always a pleasure to walk past at night when all the fixtures are lit up!

William Burg on "Gourmet seafood restaurant coming to downtown Sacramento"

2011-11-08T02:44:00Z

Brandon: "Historic" vs. "historical" is not a quantitative measure. A historical document is one that contains information about history--a manuscript or an article, for example. A historic document is one that is important due to its association with an event--the Magna Carta or the Declaration of Independence. So you could say that a building is historic because of historical documentation explaining its significance, but not the other way around (unless perhaps the document was written on the building--such as on a historical marker.) For various reasons, California regulations used the term "historical" to describe historic sites and buildings, and maintains that nomenclature primarily for consistency--perhaps because some California properties are listed for events that took place on a site rather than buildings or objects that remain on the site, and the program serves to document the history of the event rather than preserve a building. Historic buildings don't need to be of the magnitude of Sutter's Fort or the Eiffel Tower to be eligible; they can be significant to the local community and be just as eligible for historic building registers. The building discussed in the article is listed on the Sacramento Register of Historic and Cultural Resources, as an individual landmark building and as part of the Cesar Chavez Plaza Park Historic District, so the term "historic" definitely applies here. http://www.cityofsacramento.org/dsd/planning/preservation/documents/SacRegister-revised9-28-10.pdf Your house might be historic too: have you checked the Sacramento Register above to see if it is a contributor to a local historic district? And if it's not, it might be eligible for listing!

William Burg on "Movement: A photo essay of the Sacramento Valley Station"

2011-11-07T20:20:11Z

The plan is for the old station to be the entrance to the new station--along the lines of Union Station in Los Angeles, the only Amtrak station on the west coast busier than Sacramento. In fact, if you compare the distance to the tracks between the entrance to the Los Angeles depot and the actual tracks, they're about the same as the planned distance to the tracks on the new alignment. The main difference between the two, at this point, is what goes in between the tracks and the depot. The original intermodal plan approved by City Council calls for an elevated structure like an airport terminal that would carry passengers over the tracks, with Amtrak and possibly Greyhound buses on the lower level. The Urban Land Institute and the Mayors' Institute on City Design recommended a more open "transit village" approach, with a central plaza behind the depot leading to several transit options. The arena planned for the adjacent lot is likely to intrude upon that plaza unless the city buys more land just to the west of the city lot, to allow enough space for the already approved depot--otherwise, they might have to return the millions in transportation funds already set aside for that project.

William Burg on "Gourmet seafood restaurant coming to downtown Sacramento"

2011-11-07T05:00:25Z

Buildings are considered "historic" because of their association with important events or individuals, not just because they existed in the past. And that link even specifically mentions "historic houses" in its list of what should be "historic" rather than "historical": 'You’ve probably heard TV announcers refer to “historic treaties” or perhaps you’ve visited some “historic houses” or “historic battlefields.” All of these were important or famous things in history.'

William Burg on "New mayoral candidate plans to bring 'fresh leadership' to Sacramento"

2011-11-05T21:57:09Z

Sounds interesting except for the "miniature version of Venice" idea. Flooding downtown Sacramento isn't something we want to repeat...

William Burg on "Alleyways of Sacramento receive names, part four"

2011-11-05T21:55:19Z

"Rice" and "Tomato" at least have some connection to the local agricultural processing industry (we weren't a farm town, but where the farmers brought their products to be turned into something that could be shipped) and "Solons" is another name I like because of its connection to our old baseball team (which stayed around town a lot longer than either John Sutter or his son, and there is already a "Sutter Street" in Folsom.) "Victorian" I'm not so hot on because it's awfully generic--and because the term is often used to describe any house older than a mid-century ranch house, even though there isn't actually a style of house called "Victorian" (it describes an era, not a building style.)

William Burg on "Alleyways of Sacramento receive names, part three"

2011-11-04T19:32:50Z

They *did* give the alleys names that start with the same letter as the street just to the north. Quill is south of Q, Liestal is south of L, Matsui is south of M (well, where M used to be before they renamed it "Capitol" and so on. The quality of many of the names selected is another matter entirely (although personally I like "Matsui" too!)

William Burg on "FPPC will not open case based on Sheedy poll complaint"

2011-11-04T05:50:56Z

Either that, or he's a willing "fall guy" willing to lie to support the pro-arena effort.

William Burg on "Central city alleys receive names, part two"

2011-11-04T05:33:22Z

Heck no. Too many good B names to choose from! I lean towards "Bordisso" myself, but that's just because I like Old Ironsides.

William Burg on "Alleyways of Sacramento receive names, part three"

2011-11-04T05:29:28Z

The alley between Q and R was formerly known as "Whitney Avenue" when the Western Pacific Railroad's branch line from their mainline (between 19th and 20th) and the Front Street docks ran down that alley, serving industries a half-block from Southern Pacific's R Street line. I suppose it can't be named that because there is a Whitney Way in Sacramento County already.

William Burg on "Central city alleys receive names, part two"

2011-11-04T01:03:05Z

The point of the naming scheme is to start the name of the alley with the name of the street just to the north: Eggplant south of E, Fat south of F (actually, I guess they did use one of my name suggestions!) and so on. So if you forget the actual name of the alley, you know it starts with that letter. My suggestions were pretty ad-hoc (developed by reaching for a dozen or so local history publications on my bookshelf and digging out names) and are kind of deliberately aimed at the sort of folks who don't often get streets named after them, but they could be developed further.

William Burg on "Central city alleys receive names, part two"

2011-11-03T04:40:11Z

N Nevis (Manuel Nevis) Portuguese winemaker and master carpenter, established three wineries in Sacramento Nushida (Kenso Nushida) First Japanese American baseball player to play for the Sacramento Solons, 1932 O O’Neil (Mary Rooney O’Neil) First woman elected to Superintendent of Public Schools P Perez (Juan Perez) bandleader of “Banda de Guerra,” state champion children’s marching band sponsored by Honorifica, local Mexican American community organization Price (Sophie Price) Schoolteacher, author, historian R Ryan (John C. Ryan) Irish immigrant, founder of Sacramento’s first brickyard Ryan (Thomas Ryan) Captain of riverboat Flora, early owner of building now occupied by “Old Ironsides” Robinson (Dr. Charles Robinson) A leader of the Sacramento City Settler’s Association, involved in the Squatter’s Riots of 1850 Ruhstaller (Frank Ruhstaller) Founder of Sacramento City Brewery S Silveira (Gabriel Silveira) Portuguese musician, bandleader, furniture store owner, community activist Scott (Elizabeth Thorn Scott) Founder of first school for African American children Satchell (Rev. Charles Satchell) First minister of Shiloh Baptist Church Shooks (Samuel Shooks) African American hailed as “mayor” of Sacramento’s Depression-era shantytown along Jibboom Street, sometimes called “Shooksville” Strizek (Jere Strizek) Suburban developer, founder of “Town & Country Village” T Takeuchi (Tadashi Takeuchi) Soldier of 442nd Regimental Combat Team, killed in action in Vosges, France 1944 Thompson (Vincent “Ted” and Georgia Thompson) Owners of Thompson Funeral Home, Sacramento’s first African American owned funeral home Taverna (Fr. Dominic Taverna) Founder of the Dante Club, an Italian-American social/cultural society U Urbs Indomita (Indomitable City) Sacramento city motto V Vierra (Manuel Vierra) Portuguese immigrant, member of “Arizona Gang”, Southside Park bar/restaurant owner Vito (Vic Vito) Founder of Vic’s Ice Cream W Williams (Marvin Williams) First African American member of Sacramento Solons baseball team Wong (Bill and George Wong) Founders of Bel-Air Market chain Weinstock (Harris Weinstock), co-founder Weinstock-Lubin department store Y Yee (Yee Fung Chung) Chinese pioneer, herbalist, provided services to Stanford family and Chinese community (I couldn't find anything for Q.)

William Burg on "Central city alleys receive names, part two"

2011-11-03T04:40:03Z

For those who may be interested, here's a list I came up with: B Bordisso (Bill Bordisso, Lou Bordisso) Founders of “Old Ironsides” Tavern, received first city issued liquor license after Prohibition, Sacramento Solons player Baer (Max Baer) World champion boxer and Land Park resident Blue (Daniel Blue) His home was original location of St. Andrew’s African Methodist Episcopal church Ball (Kathryn Uhl Ball) Sacramento artist, best known for watercolors and drawings of Sacramento landmarks, a legacy of Sacramento’s participation in the Depression-era Federal Art Project C Colley (Nathaniel Colley) Civil rights attorney, NAACP vice-president Clayton (Sarah Clayton) Her advocacy helped found Sacramento County Hospital (current site of UC Davis Medical Center) and Sacramento Foundling’s Home orphanage. Cooledge (Belle Cooledge) Sacramento’s first woman mayor. D D’Allesandro (Settino “Sam” D’Allesandro) Founder of La Rosa restaurant Dunlap (George Dunlap) African-American owner of Dunlap’s Dining Room restaurant, State Fair concession and dining service on Sacramento Northern Railway E Ewing (Dr. Elizabeth Ewing) Physician specializing in women’s illnesses Edson (Katherine Philips Edson) Lobbyist for women’s suffrage, safe milk, labor laws. F Fong (W. Fong Yue) Chinese business owner, built mansion adjacent to Southside Park Freitas (Tony Freitas) Sacramento Solons baseball player, PCL Hall of Fame Fat (Frank Fat) Founder of local restaurant Fletcher (George and Barney Fletcher) Founders of St. Andrew’s African Methodist Episcopal Church G Galarza (Ernesto Galarza) Mexican immigrant, labor activist Glide (Lizzie Glide) Business owner, land speculator Gallatin (Albert Gallatin) Huntington & Hopkins Hardware manager, original owner of the home that became the Governor’s Mansion, consolidated streetcar system and electrified Sacramento via Folsom Powerhouse Grau (Henry Grau) Founder of Buffalo Brewery H Hopley (Nettie Hopley) Principal of Lincoln School, encouraged immigrant youth to become Americans without abandoning their native culture Heilbron (Dr. Louise Heilbron) Osteopath, German immigrant, moved practice to Sacramento after 1906 earthquake Hepting (Eugene Hepting) Sacramento bicycle enthusiast, photographer and early historian I Igo (Dr. Louise Igo) Nurse, doctor, first manager of Sisters of Mercy’s school of nursing J Jackson (William C. “Nitz” Jackson) Founder of Club Zanzibar, West End jazz club Jackson (Lydia Flood Jackson) African-American business owner, suffragist and civil rights activist Jan (John Jan) Chinese featherweight Pacific Coast boxing champion, Golden Glove champion K Khan (Saddullah Khan) Founder of Sacramento’s first mosque Klumpp (George Klumpp) Mortuary owner, mayor, rebuilt Edmonds Field baseball field after it was destroyed by fire L Lee (Archy Lee) Slave brought to Sacramento, became free after extended court battle Lewis (Amanda Lewis) Accomplished cellist and painter, works on permanent display in Crocker collection Lindley (Mary Denson Lindley) First woman elected to Sacramento city council Leung (Leung Hing Kuei) Founder of Chung Wah Chinese Language School, Sacramento’s first Chinese language school Lubin (David Lubin) Department store owner and philanthropist, founder of Weinstock & Lubin (aka Weinstock’s) M Masante (Father Silvio Masante) Priest at St. Mary’s Church, had radio program on KROY, served as military chaplain in World War II Miyakawa (Tsunesaburo Miyakawa) Japanese druggist, founder of Agnes Hospital which served Sacramento’s Japanese community Morgan (William K. Morgan) Partner in Morgan-Jones Mortuary, Sacramento’s first African American superior court judge Morgan-Jones (Grace Morgan-Jones) William Morgan’s sister, partner in Morgan-Jones mortuary, board member Women’s Civic Improvement Club (African American civic organization) Machado (Manuel Machado) Portuguese farmer, aka “The Bean King,” his X Street mansion later became the Women’s Civic Improvement Club clubhouse and boarding house for single African American women

William Burg on "FPPC will not open case based on Sheedy poll complaint"

2011-11-03T02:05:24Z

So...if Langdon wasn't the one who actually wrote or filed the complaint (he claims he just signed it), who actually wrote the complaint and sent it in?

William Burg on "Sheedy faces allegations of wrongdoing with recent poll"

2011-11-03T02:04:25Z

Okay--but Langdon claims he didn't file the complaint! So who did?

William Burg on "Central city alleys receive names"

2011-11-03T00:05:19Z

Robert Eggplant is a great guy, but his alley should be in Berkeley, not Sacramento.

William Burg on "Central city alleys receive names"

2011-11-02T20:02:38Z

I worked up a list of local folks of historical interest corresponding to various alley names, but apparently they weren't considered viable because not enough of the names were recognizable...although I wonder how many folks recognize streets named after local historic figures in other cities, or would recognize the name if there wasn't a street named after them?

William Burg on "Cultures of food around the city: ethnic grocery store roundup"

2011-11-02T20:01:11Z

Some are relative newcomers, but many of downtown Sacramento's ethnic groceries have roots going back decades, some even to Sacramento's old ethnic neighborhoods--the New Roma bakery on E and 18th, for example, is the descendant of the old Roma Bakery, an Italian-owned bakery that was once downtown at 3rd and J Street. My favorites are Italian Importing on J Street and 19th, a great place for sandwiches, Italian cooking staples and cheese (sometimes I just walk in to smell the place, as it reminds me of stepping into my grandmother's kitchen) and Cheung Hing on 11th and T, a Chinese grocery store with a lunch counter in the back with inexpensive combo plates and dim sum (they are connected to the Capitol Tea Garden restaurant around the corner.)

William Burg on "Sheedy faces allegations of wrongdoing with recent poll"

2011-11-02T06:27:58Z

From the "Fox 40" news report referenced in Cosmo's blog: http://www.fox40.com/news/headlines/ktxl-formal-complaint-filed-against-city-councilmember-20111101,0,6338108.story "In a phone conversation with FOX40 Sports Director Jim Crandell, the man who signed the complaint said he’s not entirely sure what he signed. Be the first to know! Sign up for FOX40 breaking news alerts. The man told Crandell he thought he was signing an internet petition, like he’d done in the past. No word on where the forms came from or how they ended up with the man who signed them. The man said all he did was sign and return the forms, as he was told to do." This smells fishy...who told him to sign the forms? Langdon is an attorney--how many attorneys would willingly provide their legal signature to a document they didn't understand--or sign a printed-out document assuming it was an "Internet petition"? According to the newscaster, he received the document from "friends, neighbors, came on the Internet" but wouldn't specify who actually asked him to sign the form. Again, fishy.

William Burg on "Davis and Sacramento: How do they stack up for new business owners? "

2011-10-30T20:31:56Z

For food-truck aficionados, Davis is definitely less comfortable territory--while much hay has been made about Sacramento's 30-minute limit, in Davis, the limit is 10 minutes, effectively barring the various "gourmet" food trucks from operating at all. http://www.davisenterprise.com/local-news/city/city-law-bars-food-trucks-from-davis/