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.”