This week, the gang sits down for a lengthy chat with World-Famous mayoral candidate Leonard Padilla to talk about all things Sacramento, and the bounty hunter fields several questions from our Facebook fans.
You can find out more about Padilla by visiting his website.
I am one of dozens of people of my generation in Sacramento who count Mayor Joe Serna, Jr. as my mentor. As my teacher, council member, alcalde and friend in the 1980’s and through the 1990’s, he helped shape my commitment to local government and public service. When important issues face our city, I frequently find myself reflecting and wondering what he would do in these circumstances, and what advice would be give me. I can’t claim to know what Joe would say during the debates that seem to consume Sacramento of late, nor would I ever be as presumptuous as to speculate. But I often think of the words he did share, and I think I know what I would say to him if he were here:
Dear Joe,
You would be happy to know that your impact on the affairs of Sacramento hasn’t diminished much over the past decade. Your name is invoked, often by both sides, whenever an important and controversial issue faces our city. If I had a dollar for every time I heard someone say, “Joe Serna would have. . . “, I could probably build myself a very large public amenity in the downtown rail yards. Lately, two issues have made me think a great deal about you : strong mayor and the arena.
While the issue of “strong mayor” has not been on the agenda for some time, there is great speculation that it will again rear its head in one form or another, particularly if the current Mayor is successful in getting his allies elected to the City Council in June and/or November.
You and I had many conversations on this topic while you were Mayor. I remember you saying that you felt the City had grown to the point where it was in need of a charter change that would give the mayor greater opportunity to govern. Of course at the time the position was not a full-time position, and that is what you complained about most. That has since changed and you would be happy to know that the mayor is now given the opportunity to devote the time necessary to do the job.
Whatever form the change should take, I also remember you being adamant about one thing. You were very clear of your intention to run for a third term and final term. You planned to propose a change only if re-elected to a third term, so it would take effect during the tenure of your successor. As you said, to do otherwise would appear too self-serving. Unfortunately that third term was not to be.
Lately, all of this talk of arena is somewhat reminiscent of an issue you faced when you worked with civic leaders, led by Greg Luckenbill, to lure the Raiders to Sacramento. I remember after a long rancorous public meeting at the Community Center, when the deal appeared to be on the verge of falling apart, you said putting up that much public money to lure a sports franchise to town was the “biggest mistake” or your political life. After much time has passed and emotions are long since calmed, I am not sure I would agree with that harsh self-evaluation, but I do understand the sentiment. The $50 Million the city and county raised in bonds to get the deal done was a huge risk, albeit not a $300 Million risk, but the deal was conservatively constructed in a way that ensured that the City would always be made whole. As a result, while we didn’t get the Raiders, we did get a refurbished Community Center, Memorial Auditorium and numerous other city projects that have been enjoyed by a generation and help make our city great.
Admirably, you knew when to admit that the deal wasn’t going through, step back and look toward tomorrow without creating a festering wound in our city. You set deadlines, and you held all parties to them. When it was clear the time had come, you moved on. But that didn’t mean you were a defeatist, for it wasn’t long before you were donning a green and gold baseball cap emblazoned with “Sacramento” and exclaiming “Play Ball”. You showed me that a leader knows it is important to aim high, yet also show the patience and maturity to wait for another day – another example of putting the interests of the city before your own agenda.
Joe, this is the great city you always said it was. It can be the great city you always dreamed it would be. We will have our bumps in the road, but I think if we consider your example from time to time, we will get there in a more civil way, worthy of your past leadership and deserving of all Sacramentans.
Yours,
Patrick
PS. Any advice you can give on getting a school bond passed would be greatly appreciated.
That I will save for another letter, another day.
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Don’t forget to tell a friend!
In the April newsletter put out by the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 39, two authors make it a point to warn that the City of Sacramento is (was?) partaking in a risky gamble by pursuing a Downtown arena for the Sacramento Kings. Here are some choice quotes:
“The City of Sacramento is near the brink of financial disaster and without an infusion of millions of dollars in additional revenue in the next 24 months it could be facing the same problem that is plaguing other large California cities – higher costs and lower tax revenues…”
“It is a cruel and sick irony that while the mayor jet-sets around, schmoozing with the one-percenters about his arena project, city employees are on a path that will ensure they can never afford to buy a ticket to any event held at this arena…”
“The City of Sacramento is hanging on by just a thread… If the City does not get its priorities in order soon, a bankruptcy judge will do it for them, and Sacramento will join the ranks of other infamous cities such a Vallejo, Stockton, and perhaps San Jose.”
You can read both arena-critical articles in the field below.
The one that’s not Gavin Newsom is our guest this week
What the heck is the Sacramento Current band rambling on about this week? Well, I’m glad you asked! In this latest episode, Tamie Dramer joins the panel and adds a long over due female perspective to our collective wonky-ness. We rap about a last-minute pullout at a mayoral forum, springtime gardening and how to get 23 trees worth of leaves into a green bin (spoiler alert: you can’t), and a look ahead towards a series of interviews with the candidates running for City Council.
If you enjoy the Sacramento Current podcast, don’t forget to share it with a friend!
On March 19th, Mayor Kevin Johnson, Leonard Padilla, and Jonathan Michael Rewers were invited to speak at a forum during the River Park Neighborhood Association Board Meeting. Johnson had to cancel due to “ongoing issues related to the arena”, but Rewers and Padilla each spoke at length about their vision of a new Sacramento. The audio attached is Padilla’s presentation.
In case for some strange reason you’re not familiar with Leonard Padilla, here’s his bio from his webpage:
Leonard Padilla has been hunting and capturing fugitives for over 35 years. He has built a reputation as the “World Famous Bounty Hunter” and has appeared in movies and television.
Padilla has also testified in court as an expert from the bail bond industry and has been instrumental in seeing legislation passed in the California legislature to improve the ability to capture fugitives in other states and abroad.
In 1982, Leonard Padilla opened the Lorenzo Patino School of Law with Attorney Doug Nareau, Heman Smith, and Judge Lorenzo Patino. The Lorenzo Patino Law School provides an affordable legal education for those wishing to practice law. Leonard is currently the Chairman of the Board of Trustees.
On March 19th, Mayor Kevin Johnson, Leonard Padilla, and Jonathan Michael Rewers were invited to speak at a forum during the River Park Neighborhood Association Board Meeting. Johnson had to cancel due to “ongoing issues related to the arena”, but Rewers and Padilla each spoke at length about their vision of a new Sacramento. The audio attached is Rewers presentation.
If you’re unfamiliar with Rewers, here is his candidate statement from the city’s website:
Sacramento is and has always been a great city. It’s not our monuments that make us great but the dedication and heart of the people. Through both good and bad times, we as a City Family have always moved forward in the best interest of all. Why do I want to be Mayor? Because, I believe that the role of the Mayor is to represent the needs and interests of the people, to reflect what is great about our City and responsibly ensure that even in the bad times Sacramento moves forward. Unfortunately, we do not have the resources to maintain the foundations that make Sacramento an outstanding place to live. We have lost police officers and firefighters, our parks are turning brown, our swimming pools are closed and our youth are losing safe places to go. It is time for us to innovate, reimagine what a city can do and should do. For more than a decade, I have demonstrated that through creativity, transparency, fiscal responsibility and good business sense that you can lead by example – and make city government work. Leaders have followers, managers have subordinates. I’m not running for fame or power – just to make things work.
It’s hard to let something you love die, and KJ undoubtedly loves the idea of a new arena. So much so that now that the deal between the city and the Maloofs is all but kaput, he’s still clinging on to the idea of going forwards anyhow. The Bee has even quoted the mayor as saying that he plans to explore how to construct the facility “with or without an anchor tenant.” Hold on a second now, cowboy. Is there any details in the current outstanding loan with the Maloofs and would give us pause before proceeding? Oh, you bet there are.
You see, there is a pesky little paragraph in the existing Kings loan that states if the city constructs a new arena which they are not the anchor tenant in, they get to walk away from the balance of the remaining loan. Can you imagine that scenario? One where the now publicly-vilified Maloofs are awarded $65 million de facto because the mayor can’t get over his obsession with a shiny new arena? Would the mayor really pursue the matter further if that was the case? If I’ve learned anything watching the events of the last year, I know that anything is possible.
Meanwhile, a little birdie told me that one ex-NBA-player-now-current-mayor that will remain unnamed and one Kings owner who’s initials may-or-may-not-be “G.M.” had breakfast on Monday morning at a popular Downtown eatery. If this is true, they could have opened the newspaper and read stories about how angry they were with each other for failing to move forward with the arena deal. What I would have given to have been a fly on the wall that morning…
Another week brings another new episode of the Sacramento Current podcast. This week we’re discussing the city’s wire theft problems and the deeper issues behind it, public school budgets and what’s working in charter schools (and what isn’t), plus, because we just can’t help ourselves, the arena. Is it dead? Will it arise from the ashes? Who can say?
On a quick side note, big thanks to everyone who is sharing our podcast with their friends and “liking” us on Facebook. The best way you can support this effort is by turning on new listeners. And we love feedback so if you’ve got something you want to tell us, or an idea for a future topic for our panel, send us a note at sacramentocurrent@gmail.com.
With the news today that the arena deal is kaput, the Sacrament Current crew felt that a special episode was warranted. Due to the time constraints, only Patrick Kennedy and Isaac Gonzalez are featured in this recording.
Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.
