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Mayor Kevin Johnson on Charter Reforms |
Sacramento's city charter was established in 1849, revised in 1921 -- and hasn't been
modernized since. Despite the vast progress we are making as a community, our city
government still operates much like the Model T that was popular back in the '20's:
unresponsive, slow moving, and unable to navigate difficult challenges.
During my first months at City Hall, I am hearing residents that demand more action
from their government. In these tough times, you want less red tape. A greater vision.
More emphasis on public safety, economic development, and our schools. You rightly
deserve a Mayor and Council that reflects your views, and will make the decisions to
move Sacramento to the next level as the world-class city it deserves to be.
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"As the city’s top elected official, the mayor should be able to propose a budget. The mayor should be able to appoint department heads…"
– Sacramento Bee, 9.26.09
"Yet among the nation’s 50 largest cities (Sacramento is No. 38), only 18 have a city manager form of government. The mayor-council form of government deserves a closer look."
– Sacramento Bee, 9.26.09
"Kevin Johnson is not making the Strong Mayor initiative about him – he wants the Charter changed for the future of the City."
– Katy Grimes, The Sacramento Citizen, 8.05.09
"Kevin Johnson is the first Reform Mayor this city has seen in decades. His positions are steadfast and sound, but his efforts are thwarted every step of the way by a petty City Council."
– Katy Grimes, The Sacramento Citizen, 8.05.09
"The City of Sacramento is a regional center for commerce and culture and needs to take the steps today to ensure its leadership position in California and our nation. We believe that an executive mayor system can make that happen."
– Linda Cutler, Metro Chamber Board Chair
"Under their mayors or the mayor-council form of government, progress happens, problems are solved and businesses can flourish."
– Linda Cutler, Metro Chamber Board Chair
"In 2002, the Metro Chamber advocated for effective and accountable government by supporting the ballot measure that created a full-time mayor. Now with the creation of an executive mayor, the Metro Chamber supports holding the elected mayor accountable for the city’s progress."
– Matt Mahood, Metro Chamber President & CEO
"Eighty-eight years ago, the city commissioners were blocking development of infrastructure and schools, and the chamber felt that a city manager could be held accountable to get things done. But the needs of our community have changed. Once again, we have a city council structure that is failing to create a positive business climate, costing our community jobs and the competitive edge to become a national and global leader."
– Matt Mahood, Metro Chamber President & CEO
"From day one, and still today, we share Mayor Johnson’s vision for Sacramento – and that is a world-class city…We believe Executive Mayor Initiative is the next logical step toward getting to world-class."
– Brent Meyers, President, Sacramento Police Officers Association
"This initiative is the next obvious step to seeing Sacramento recognized as a world-class city. We believe that transitioning over to this structure of governance will hold all elected officials more accountable to their constituency."
– Brent Meyers, President, Sacramento Police Officers Association
"A mayor in Sacramento under this structure of government will have the authority to ensure appropriate levels of funding for public safety, which translates into safer streets for our police officers and citizens."
– Brent Meyers, President, Sacramento Police Officers Association
"You can’t get the level of collaboration we have had with a city manager kind of leadership. You need a stronger form of leadership."
– Mayor John Hickenlooper, Denver
"If you don’t have a strong mayor, it’s really hard to move quickly and really support the suburbs. You can attract greater talent."
– Mayor John Hickenlooper, Denver |
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Sacramento Bee Editorial: City voters need ability to fix City Hall |
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1.30.10
Sacramento Bee Editorial: The court battle involving Mayor Kevin Johnson's strong-mayor initiative has thrust some potent questions before Sacramento and all of California:
Can voters go directly to the ballot to overhaul or modernize their City Hall? Or does the state constitution force them to go through a lengthy charter revision process that, to some extent, can be checked by forces resistant to change?
If this ruling stands, lawmakers will need to step in and make a constitutional fix. Voters deserve the right to go to the ballot and fix City Hall when it is not serving their interests.
Such questions are now before the courts. They were put there because of a lawsuit filed by Bill Camp, a Sacramento labor leader. Camp argues that Johnson's strong mayor initiative – which would give the mayor broad new powers, including some now granted to the city manager and the City Council – goes beyond a simple amendment to the city charter.
And in his final ruling Jan. 21, Sacramento Superior Court Judge Loren McMaster agreed with Camp, blocking the initiative from the June ballot.
If this ruling stands, lawmakers will need to step in and make a constitutional fix. Voters deserve the right to go to the ballot and fix City Hall when it is not serving their interests.
http://www.sacbee.com/325/story/2500919.html |
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Sacramentans for Accountable Government files emergency writ in the Court of Appeal seeking to overturn Superior Court ruling |
1.25.10
SACRAMENTO – Today Sacramentans for Accountable Government (SAG) filed an emergency writ in the Third District Appellate Court seeking to overturn last week’s ruling by Superior Court Judge Loren McMaster removing the Sacramento Charter Reform Initiative from the June ballot.
The appeal challenges the Superior Court’s conclusion that the initiative is an unconstitutional revision of the City Charter, stating that, “The ruling misinterprets not only the charter amendment, but also the relevant law. It also deprives the voters of Sacramento of their precious right of initiative despite the fact that there is no direct authority in support of the Court’s order.”
In addition, the appeal points out that the Superior Court ruling was flawed in a number of ways, such as:
- The court ignored its duty to resolve all doubts in favor of the people’s power of initiative;
- The court ignored the appellate courts’ repeated admonition against pre-election review;
- The court misapplied the California Supreme Court’s analysis of the distinction between amendments and revisions;
- The court misconstrued the charter measure; and
- The court fails to recognize Constitutional provisions that permit changes in the manner of appointment of city officers to be made by amendment
The appeal emphasizes that the ruling amount to an unjustified intervention in the electoral process, noting that, “Since 1911, the California Supreme Court has invalidated two statewide ballot measures as impermissible revisions of the Constitution, and California courts have never even considered what constitutes a similar revision of a city charter.”
Thomas Hiltachk, legal representative for SAG stated, “This appeal stands on solid legal ground and we are fully confident the Appellate Court will recognize its merits given previous decisions in similar cases. More than 50,000 Sacramentans wanted the opportunity to vote for change at City Hall in June and they should have that right. Sacramento deserves better than the status quo and the courts should not stand in the way of reform. We expect that the Appellate Court will side with the people.”
Text of Appeal (PDF)
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Did judge rule correctly in strong-mayor lawsuit? No |
1.24.10
Sacramento Bee OpEd: Tom Hiltachk: The road to achieving government reform is always difficult. History has proven that those in power rarely choose to reform themselves. It is that very historical fact that led to the progressive reforms enacted in California in the early 20th century, which gave the people the power to reform their own government via the initiative process.
http://www.sacbee.com/opinion/story/2483393.html |
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Appeal planned Monday for strong-mayor ballot item |
1.23.10
Sacramento Bee: Attorneys for Mayor Kevin Johnson's strong-mayor initiative on Monday plan to appeal a judge's ruling to block the proposal from the June ballot, said Steve Maviglio, spokesman for the strong-mayor campaign.
The appeal is to be filed in the 3rd District Court of Appeal in Sacramento.
http://www.sacbee.com/city/story/2483585.html
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Sacramentans for Accountable Government will immediately appeal judge's ruling |
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1.21.10
SACRAMENTO – Thomas Hiltachk, legal representative for Sacramentans for Accountable Government (SAG), issued the following statement in response to Judge Loren McMaster’s final ruling today that officially removes the Sacramento Charter Reform Initiative from the June ballot.
“We will immediately appeal this unprecedented decision by Judge McMaster and we are very confident we will prevail in the Appellate court. More than 50,000 citizens that are fed up with the status quo at City Hall signed petitions to put this measure on the ballot and they should not be silenced by a single judge.
“Today’s ruling deprives the people of Sacramento of their right to reform their city government and hold it more accountable. We trust that a higher court will recognize this and side with us so that our city can still vote on this measure in June.
“The implication of today’s ruling, that the people do not have the right to reform their government through the initiative process, is at odds with long-held principles and previous court decisions. Higher courts have honored the will of the people and upheld the democratic process consistently in the past and we believe they will do so again in this case.
“While the ruling is disappointing, we remain fully dedicated to bringing efficiency and accountability to City Hall. The ‘Council-Manager’ form of government that was adopted in 1921 does not work for Sacramento anymore. The time for reform is now.” |
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Denver leader praises strong-mayor system before Sacramento crowd |
1.19.09
Sacramento Bee: Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper boosted Mayor Kevin Johnson's campaign to create a strong mayor in Sacramento on Tuesday, touting the cooperation such a system fostered in his own region.
"You can't get the level of collaboration we have had with a city manager kind of leadership," Hickenlooper told close to 600 people at the Downtown Sacramento Partnership's annual State of Downtown breakfast in the Memorial Auditorium. "You need a stronger form of leadership."
In Sacramento, Johnson's measure on the June 8 ballot would give him and future mayors authority to hire and fire top officials and propose a budget, tasks now carried out by top city staff. The mayor also would have some veto powers.
http://www.sacbee.com/city/story/2474508.html |
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