Aug 28, 2026
In an essay called “A Case for Beauty in Our Cities,” Walker Larson argues beauty is not a luxury in urban life, but a necessity. Beauty, he writes, helps humans flourish. It anchors us, uplifts and reminds us that our environment matters.
As I read Larson’s words, I thought about Sacramento—our blocks, parks, skyline, neighborhoods and mismatched corridors of brilliance and blight.
Beauty may not be the first word outsiders use to describe Sacramento. Yet anyone who has built a life here knows we have a beauty all our own. The challenge is choosing to create more of it when opportunities arise.
Aug 28, 2026
Sacramento is a foolish, stubborn place. The city spends millions on separated bicycle lanes that many cyclists hate. Yet the city won’t spend a dime on signs telling riders to keep off sidewalks when pedestrians are around.
I gave up long ago expecting innovation from City Hall. Even when I worked for Mayor Kevin Johnson, our best ideas came from elsewhere. For Kevin, elsewhere meant Mike Bloomberg of New York and Antonio Villaraigosa of Los Angeles.
Kevin liked to think big. He loved the concept of “world class.” He borrowed ideas to improve public schools, solve homelessness, and fund arts and culture. Most of his ideas fizzled out by the time he left office in 2016. But at least he tried.
Aug 28, 2026
Not every important City Hall vote is about politics. Sometimes it’s about whether roads get built, utilities get installed and neighborhoods take shape.
The City Council’s upcoming vote on the Railyards Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District is one such moment.
The Railyards are a generational urban redevelopment opportunity. Thousands of homes, businesses, parks, roads, a hospital and public spaces are coming. But they need one thing before anything else can happen: infrastructure.
That’s why the city created an Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District there.
I helped establish the original Railyards infrastructure financing deal while serving on the City Council. It was a first for Sacramento.
Jul 28, 2026
Balanced budgets deserve recognition. The City Council closed a $66 million deficit this summer but weakened its economic safety net in the process.
City Manager Maraskeshia Smith, Finance Director Pete Coletto and councilmembers deserve credit for making tough decisions that produced meaningful efficiencies.
Consolidating departments, streamlining operations and reducing long-term homelessness expenditures are structural changes taxpayers should expect. Those savings aren’t temporary. They improve the city’s financial position for years to come.
The budget eliminates about 101 positions and increases fees for many services.
Jul 28, 2026
When people ask what makes Inside Sacramento successful after more than 30 years, I give the same answer: Local partnerships.
Yes, we publish local journalism. We tell stories about neighborhoods, people, businesses and public issues. But at our core, Inside Sacramento has always been about connecting people.
For three decades, we have been fortunate to partner with hundreds of nonprofits, schools, arts organizations, neighborhood groups and civic leaders who share a common goal—making Sacramento a better place to live.
Jul 28, 2026
In my crusade to stop cyclists from running down people on city sidewalks, I overlooked something.
I ignored the fact that some cyclists don’t chase pedestrians into doorways or gutters. Some cyclists are civilized. They follow rules.
Around two dozen readers contacted me after my first two Inside columns about sidewalk cycling. Everyone was gracious and polite and thanked me for highlighting an overlooked problem.
