Mayor Steinberg gets upset - Sacramento City Council Jan 11, 2022 / measure U & homeless issues

What are your thoughts on what happened during this meeting?

Mayor Steinberg claims without any evidence that the caller does not have full information needed for his statements as if more information is needed for the point made. He talks about the amounts of city spending for various items as if that justifies the spending. He does not respond to the issues identified or what makes his statements wrong or untrue. He should understand that just stating something is wrong or untrue is not convincing.

In fact, the mayor confirms that Measure U approval by only a majority vote was the political plan. He states "Green is green" without any concern on how the green ($$$) was obtained. The caller did attend the meeting mentioned and Steinberg did speak before the crowd stating that if measure U stated what he wanted to do with the taxes collected then it would need at least a 66.6% vote to pass, something that could not be done. Measure U was more of a trojan horse to sneak something by the voters with just a majority vote. He stated this smiling as this is just a means to an end. If he didn't do this, the developers and special interest groups associated with the homeless and low-income housing would not receive hoped for funding. The crowd applauded this strategy. Mayor Steinberg says he “changed the investment arc of the city.” What does he mean by “investment arc”. Does such action hinge on at least informing the voters of such a change and a 2/3 vote as affecting specific earmarks for such fundamental changes?

Sacramento voters on Nov. 6, 2018, approved a new version of the City’s Measure U additional sales tax, extending it, making it permanent, and raising it from a half-cent to a full cent.

The original Measure U 1/2% additional sales tax was approved by voters in 2012 as a temporary tax. This was to end in March 2019. Its revenues had been used to restore essential City services that had been cut or scaled back since 2008, including those provided by Sacramento fire, police, parks and libraries.

Measure U is a general tax, and the revenue it produces goes in the City’s General Fund and can be used for any municipal purpose. Mayor Darrell Steinberg and members of the Sacramento City Council have said new Measure U funds could be used to build and bolster an inclusive economy, grow jobs and provide housing that is affordable to all.

Information for Jan. 11, 2022 Sacramento City Council meeting Agenda: http://sacramento.granicus.com/GeneratedAgendaViewer.php?view_id=22&clip_id=5150
Full video of Jan 11, city council meeting:
https://sacramento.granicus.com/player/clip/5150?view_id=22&redirect=true
Item 17 - Continuation of a Local Declaration of a Shelter Crisis (PDF-916 KB)
Item 18 - Measure U Community Advisory Committee Recommendations Regarding FY 2021-22 Midyear Budget Priorities (PDF-741 KB)

Sacramento Bee response to Mayor Steinberg / Sacramento City Council, Sunday 1/16/2022 after the Jan 11, 2022 meeting.
https://www.sacbee.com/article257272487.html

Sacramento City government: Measure U information:
http://www.cityofsacramento.org/City-Manager/Major-Projects/MeasureU
https://www.cityofsacramento.org/-/media/Corporate/Files/CMO/MeasureUfacts083118.pdf?la=en

Sacramento ABC Channel 10 Video on Measure U:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iN19E8RyWs

Sacramento CBS Channel 13 video on Measure U:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuDi13cRx_U

Sacramento NBC Channel 3 video on Measure U :
https://www.kcra.com/article/sacramento-voted-measure-u-how-spent/27587665