No Contest
Rich Desmond faced a competitive campaign in 2020 to represent the suburban unincorporated area on the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors. He won.
Responsibility for essentials such as schools, parks, water, electricity, fire protection and flood control falls to elected officials from special districts. Many of these posts are up for election this November. But voters won’t see many names on the ballot.
There’s no interest—and no competition.
The Arden Park Recreation and Park District has five members on its board of directors. All incumbents are up for election. Each is running. But don’t look for them on your ballot. All are unopposed. They win automatically.
Camped Out
What happens when camping is banned on the American River Parkway? Sacramento County will soon find out.
Homeless advocates predict people will die. Parkway environmentalists say the natural waterways will continue to be harmed if campers remain. Average citizens express fear for their safety unless campers are removed.
Now that the Board of Supervisors has unanimously approved the parkway camping ban, don’t expect anything drastic to occur right away.
Pot Has A Shot
The Sacramento County Board of Supervisors gave cannabis fans hope that commercial marijuana operations could become legal in the unincorporated area. Currently, the county prohibits commercial cultivation and sales, but that could change if voters approve a cannabis tax in November.
Or maybe not.
By a narrow vote, the board agreed to ask voters to establish a special tax on gross receipts from cannabis businesses. The money would fund county homeless services, including along the American River Parkway. County staff estimates the tax could generate $5.1 million to $7.7 million annually.
Cannabis Reversal
Statewide voters blessed cannabis in California, but local jurisdictions—cities and counties—control the legalized pot market.
Sacramento County prohibits commercial cultivation and retail sales in unincorporated areas. Now the Board of Supervisors is thinking about changing that. The move is motivated by the desire to collect taxes—lots of them.
Counting Time
Primary voting by mail in Sacramento County is underway and ballots can be cast at Vote Center locations through June 7 when the polls close. Two candidates already know they’re winners. Others must wait for the final tabulation.
County Assessor Christina Wynn and Supervisor Phil Serna drew no opponents, so neither needed to campaign.
Serna hasn’t faced an election battle since his maiden run to succeed Roger Dickinson in 2010, and that race brought token opposition. We can ponder whether Serna will try to move up the political ladder, though history has not favored candidates from the county’s first district.