Inside City Politics
Not Humane
The homelessness problem keeps getting worse.
A survey released June 26 found Sacramento County’s homeless count jumped 19 percent the past two years, to an estimated 5,570. A study released three weeks earlier found Los Angeles County’s homeless population rose 12 percent in the past year, to almost 59,000—despite massive new spending to combat the crisis.
California is home to almost 25 percent of the nation’s homeless population, yet makes up only 12 percent of the total population.
Homeless Numbers Jump
Homeless Numbers Jump BUT MAYOR SEES HOPE IN CITY’S RESPONSE TO CRISIS By Darrell Steinberg July 2019 This past week we received some sobering but hopeful news about homelessness in our city and county. The results from the latest count of Sacramento’s homeless...
Strong Mayor Deja Vu
A decade ago, many Sacramento residents were outraged when Mayor Kevin Johnson tried to make himself a “strong mayor.”
Johnson wanted to change the city charter and allow the mayor to serve as City Hall’s chief executive. He would have veto power over City Council decisions. The city manager and staff would answer to him.
From Beauty to Blight
The American River Parkway can expect more attention this summer with the park’s Jedediah Smith Memorial Trail moving toward possible designation as part of the U.S. Bicycle Route System.
National recognition would be exciting news for parkway fans. But there’s a risk—cyclists unfamiliar with the trail will encounter dozens of homeless campsites. Sadly, the American River Parkway can be a dangerous place, especially between Discovery Park and Cal Expo.
Compromise Budget
A unanimous Sacramento City Council adopted a $1.2 billion budget for fiscal year 2019-2020 on June 11. While all nine members endorsed the budget, the final document included three significant amendments by Mayor Darrell Steinberg and words of warning from Councilmember Jeff Harris.
Letters From Our Readers
Inside Publications received an unprecedented response to last month’s Publisher’s Desk by Cecily Hastings which discussed the Sacramento homeless problem and the documentary “Seattle Is Dying.” The following letters reflect the urgency and anguish felt by our readers. The letters are edited for space.
