Fresh Start
New mayor inherits a mess, but here’s some help
By Jeff Harris
December 2024
Two questions linger from the mayoral election. What challenges face the apparent winner, Kevin McCarty? What improvements do residents want?
For answers, let’s start with the legacy of departing Mayor Darrell Steinberg. He was elected in 2016 on the promise to resolve homelessness. He leaves behind a broken promise.
Soon after arriving, Steinberg alienated the County Board of Supervisors by condemning their response to homelessness and mental health problems.
His soft stance on homelessness turned the city into a magnet for unhoused people. Tent populations exploded. Anti-camping ordinance enforcement ceased.
Collaboration between city and county finally resumed when City Manager Howard Chan and County Executive Ann Edwards took initiative and bridged the divide. Working with the city, county officials funded a substantial shelter and housing program.
But collaboration came too late to salvage Steinberg’s image. His homeless “Master Siting Plan” was a failure. His initiatives for youth workforce development yielded meager results.
At City Council meetings, Steinberg refused to enforce rules of decorum. Council sessions were disrupted or shut down. The mayor created a culture of belligerence at City Hall.
His symbolic Gaza resolution deepened divisions. The demonstration that resulted cost $40,000 in police overtime.
After George Floyd’s murder and the unprecedented destruction of business corridors, the mayor did nothing to restore shops and save merchants. Downtown still struggles.
Steinberg tried to enact “use of force” language in city code that would have caused many good police officers to leave. Thankfully, his efforts failed. Police and city staff never felt supported by Steinberg.
Mayoral spending sprees led to record deficits despite all-time high revenues. Steinberg leaves the City Council in a tough financial predicament. Along with the budget, roads and parks deteriorated over the last eight years.
In a final gesture of failed leadership, Steinberg punted a decision to extend Chan’s contract, leaving the city manager’s future to the new mayor and council. This is political cowardice. Without a quick resolution, it creates a leadership vacuum.
In short, Steinberg leaves his city in far worse condition than when he arrived.
While new mayors bring fresh priorities and ideologies, they must understand basic functions and fundamentals of city governance. McCarty does—he served 10 years on City Council.
All City Council members should read Sacramento Community Surveys from the last five years. These documents hold many answers.
There’s good news in the surveys. Most residents love their city and plan to stay here over the next five years.
But there’s bad news, too. Confidence in municipal government—safety, the local economy and the city’s direction—dropped steadily over the past five years to the low 30% range.
Community surveys light a pathway for the new council.
First, the mayor must gain control over council meetings. Second, most people feel the mayor and council do not address their concerns and priorities. Political leaders must listen to constituents.
From there, the mayor must demonstrate fiscal restraint and lead the council to realistic decisions about spending taxpayer dollars. And Downtown must be revitalized.
Finally, the mayor must regain the confidence of city staff and make them feel supported.
It’s simple. Residents want a clean, safe city with well-maintained roads and parks. They want thriving businesses. They want more housing at all income levels, and neighborhoods with equal access to services and resources.
They want homelessness resolved with compassion and laws enforced.
I’ve lived in Sacramento for nearly 40 years. It’s still a great city. With realistic leadership it can again become a destination city—a place to be proud of.
Jeff Harris represented District 3 on City Council from 2014 to 2022. He can be reached at cadence@mycci.net. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @insidesacramento.
