Cooper or Schenirer--Voters Will Decide Sacramento's Future

In his column today, Sac Bee attack dog Marcos Breton goes after Sac City teachers and City Council candidate Ali Cooper. Evidently Breton sees them as ganging up on children and keeping them from reaping the benefits of the CORE waiver. This is all part of a full court press on behalf of Council incumbent Jay Schenirer. Jay's day job is "education consultant" and his company wrote and oversees the waiver. Not only did Sac City teachers help put a dent in his income by helping to get the district to withdraw from the waiver, they are supporting Cooper, his opponent.
 
The status quo that Ali Cooper represents is a return to neighborhood centric politics at City Hall. Why is the Council approving development over the objections of affected neighborhoods? Whyhaven't police patrols returned to former levels? Cooper wants neighborhood voices to be heard and neighborhood needs met.

Cooper demands an end to the pay to play politics that have taken hold since Kevin Johnson has become mayor. Behests from corporations to politicians "charitable non-profits' are simply influence peddling. Having the city attorney declare that a $5000,000 donation to Kevin Johnson from Walmart has no affect on his vote to end the "big box ordinance' is naive at best.
 
Why is the City subsidizing billionaires when it can't afford to keep its libraries open without a special tax being passed? The City should be focusing on restoring city services back to the pre recession levels. The arena subsidy plan threatens the general fund and puts city services in jeopardy. Copper opposes it.

Cooper opposes the strong mayor proposal which would negate the City Council and the residents they represent while putting greatly increased powers into the mayors hands. The mayor would have veto power over council approved ordinances. A super majority would be need to over turn it. The mayor would be able to hire and fire the city manager. The council would no longer be able to go to city staff directly on behalf of their constituents. Jay Schinerir voted to put the proposal on the ballot.
 
Jay Schenirer represents "progress" all right-- a progression to a future for Sacramento where developers and billionaire sports franchise owners get taxpayer subsidies while residents have to pay more and more for basic city services while receiving less. A future where neighborhood needs are ignored and quality of life diminishes. Is that the future we want for Sacramento? Or do we want the future that Ali Cooper represents? The decision is up to you.
 
http://www.sacbee.com/2014/05/14/6402651/marcos-breton-will-sacramento.html