Of candidates and maps
Today’s Bee had a feature on geography-as-destiny in the mayoral race. The city looks like a donut – if you map areas that lean Johnson against areas that lean Fargo. The city center – old, established neighborhoods, went for Fargo in the primary. The outer frontiers – North Natomas, the Pocket – went for Johnson. Polls indicate the trend still exists heading into Tuesday’s final showdown.
Crime concerns are central to the Northern and Southern Sacramento outposts. It’s worth noting, though, that both reaches experience little violent crime. It’s the property crimes that keep people awake. I suppose in the grand scheme of things, I’d opt for property crime over violent crime. Or, you know, no crime would be best.
As a resident of both new and old Sacramento – and as someone who’s lived in higher-crime areas in other cities, I know how I’ll be voting on Tuesday. . . .
(Obviously, my views are my views and aren’t necessarily representative of Metroblogging nor of any of our other authors. So bear that in mind.)
I’m voting for Heather Fargo.
There’s a few primary reasons: first, over my years in Sacramento – primarily spent living in downtown or midtown, things have been steadily getting better. More businesses, more nightlife, more caring residents, more renewal. The Bee article cites critics from the outposts who dislike Fargo’s traditional focus, as they see it, on the health of the city core at the expense of their neighborhoods. With property values and sales still heading downhill, however, a vibrant, economically strong tax base in the downtown and midtown areas is essential to maintaining city services all around the city. The same property crimes, by the way, bother center city residents, along with more serious crime concerns.
Sh*t happens. That’s the bottom line. The entire country is in economic crisis and, historically, there will always be a corresponding rise in property crimes when the belt tightens around everyone’s collective budget. I live in the ‘burbs now (the very Southern edge of the ‘burbs) and wow, are problems relative. It’s a quiet paradise out here compared to some parts of midtown. Of course, I used to live in the Tenderloin in San Francisco, so really, ALL Sacramentans should shut up about their crime woes.
It’s all imporant, of course. No level of crime should be tolerated. But I just don’t see Fargo as the singular blameworthy party for property crimes in North Natomas. Nor is it realistic, given the economic realities faced by local governments across the state, to expect Johnson to have the resources to combat suburban concerns.
My choice is Fargo because I don’t things are worse in Sacramento. Things remain messy because governing is messy – especially in a shitty economy. Things have gotten better under her watch. I hope Kevin Johnson sticks around and learns more about governing – all cities are stronger when experienced leadership is in the pipeline, ready to lead when called. I don’t think he’s there yet.
Readers, I welcome your passionate counterpoints. . . . .
Heather Fargo is the wrong choice. If you want to get strangled in your home, be my guest.
well it’s a shame that voters in California voted to increase the hate (yes on prop 8) and that Johnson was elected mayor here in Sacto. He’s not very liberal when it comes to Gay/Lesbian issues and was FOR prop 8, just like the Mormon Church and he’s also anti-choice when it comes to abortion.
If you voted NO on prop 8, please boycott Music Circus as Richard Eckert, their Artistic Director has donated money to the yes on 8 folks, even though he’s willing to work with gay people and take dollars from them. Here are the others who donated too:
The following individuals or organizations (according to ElectionTrack.com) have donated money to the California Proposition 8 campaign which seeks to ban same sex marriages. Please do not patronize them. 8 = HATE. Thanks, and pass this list on until all people receive equal treatment
Scott Anderson / Executive, Zenith Specialty Bag / Chino Hills, CA / $1,000
Steven Clark / Manager, R.l. Co. / Orangevale, CA / $1,000
Janet Mahoney / Nursing, Scripps Health / San Diego, CA / $1,000
Matthew Major / Engineer, Lockheed Martin / Sunnyvale, CA / $1,000
Paul Eumurian / Engineer, Boeing / Anaheim, CA / $1,000
David Warner / Periodontist, David A. Warner Dds / Whittier, CA / $1,000
Integrated Dental Implant Services / Las Vegas, NV / $1,000
John Ludwig / Dentist, John B. Ludwig Dds Dental Corp. / Santa Clara, CA / $1,000
Craig Paullin / Partner, 14000 Avalon, Llc / Los Angeles, CA / $2,500
Richard Snelson / Accountant, Ernst & Young Llp / Newhall, CA / $5,585
Brent Griffiths / Self Employed, Brents Carpet One / Newhall, CA / $1,000
Gordon Maughan / Medical Doctor, Self Employed / Palos Verdes Estates, CA / $1,000
Scott L. Larson / Mngr., Scandia Rec., Inc. / Ontario, CA / $1,000
Richard Teerlink / Real Estate Consultant, Richard M. Teerlink Consulting / Gold River, CA / $2,500
Mark Warden / Executive, The Bergman Corp. / San Jose, CA / $1,000
James Elison / Geologist, Paso Creek Reources / Bakersfield, CA / $1,000
Mark E. Abel, Dds / Auburn, CA / $1,000
Douglas Myers / Cpa, Douglas S. Myers, Cpa / Mission Viejo, CA / $1,000
Dallin Large / Pool Cover Repairman, Cover Care / Los Angeles, CA / $1,000
Patrick Foley / Ceo, Rirock Technologies, Inc. / Redlands, CA / $5,000
Mark Walton / Accountant, Reading Intenational, Inc. / South Pasadena, CA / $1,000
Wikitoria Lovett / School Teacher, San Bernardino City Usd / Redlands, CA / $1,580
Lois Lafrance / Cinematic Artist, Activision / Thousand Oaks, CA / $1,000
Scott Wallace / Engineer, Carlsbad Manufacturing Corp / Chula Vista, CA /
$1,000
Steve Keithly / Vice President, Whittier Mailing Products / La Mirada, CA / $3,000
Paul Kepes / Risk Manager, Ctc, Llc / Chicago, IL / $9,900
Monica Kepes / None, N/a / Chicago, IL / $9,900
Salvatore Cordileone / Clergy, Catholic Diocese Of San Diego / San Diego, CA / $2,000
Lance Paddock / Teacher, Alvord Usd / Fullerton, CA / $1,000
New Covenant Church / Martinez, CA / $3,050
Nathan Birchall / Cfo, Ranch Capital / Encinitas, CA / $1,000
Ken Swanson / Engineer, Sun Microsystems / San Jose, CA / $3,000
Patrick Svedin / Sales, Sanofi Pasteur / Salt Lake City, UT / $1,000
Jay Mortensen / Consultant, South West Dealer Services / Laguna Hills, CA / $2,500
Edward Weaver / Teacher, Tehachapi Usd / Tehachapi, CA / $1,000
Jay Clark / Produce Dealer, A & Z Produce / Centerville, UT / $25,000
Scott Eckern / Artistic Director, California Musical Theatre / Citrus Heights, CA / $1,000
Rodney Remington / Physician, Self – Remington / Clovis, CA / $1,000
Harold Stevens / Building Contractor, Stevens Construction / Lancaster, CA / $1,200
David Payne / Self Empoyed, Muzicraft / Santa Barbara, CA / $9,550
Behrouz Younessian / Cfo, The Brass Ring Inc. / Oceanside, CA / $2,000
Robyn Evans / M.d., Self – Robyn Evans / Redlands, CA / $1,000
Todd Johnson / Dentist, Todd L Johnson Dds / Citrus Heights, CA / $1,000
Todd Johnson / Dentist, Todd L Johnson Dds / Citrus Heights, CA / $1,000
Benjamin Whitesides / Principal, Orange County Logistics / Huntington Beach, CA / $1,000
Michael Freeland / Optometrist, Family Optometry Of Camarillo / Camarillo, CA / $1,000
Stuart Watt / Attorney, Amgen / Camarillo, CA / $2,500
Stuart Watt / Attorney, Amgen / Camarillo, CA / $2,500
Drew Dellenbach / Sales, Bms / Corona, CA / $1,500
K. Melton Higgins / Ceo, Ca Bapist Foundation / Fresno, CA / $1,000
Arthur Birtcher / Real Estate, Birtcher Anderson / San Juan Capistrano, CA / $1,000
Barry Magaoay / Advisor, Lee Financial Group / Kapolei, HI / $1,000
Shelley Mitchell / Owner, Strategy Micro / Laguna Hills, CA / $1,000
Brian Mendenhall / Manager, Pendum / Lake Forest, CA / $1,000
Drew Dellenbach / Sales, Bms / Corona, CA / $1,500
K. Melton Higgins / Ceo, Ca Bapist Foundation / Fresno, CA / $1,000
Arthur Birtcher / Real Estate, Birtcher Anderson / San Juan Capistrano, CA / $1,000
Don Francis / Manager, Cbs / San Ramon, CA / $2,500
Jeff Hendrickson / Manager, Legacy Professional Services / San Clemente, CA / $3,500
John Mcgaffey / Manager, Polara Engineering / Murrieta, CA / $1,000
Mike Denning / Consultant, Ernst & Young / San Clemente, CA / $3,000
Jeff Grover / Manager, Solecon / Modesto, CA / $1,000
Lu Little / Admin Asst, Rw Little Ins Agency / Los Angeles, CA / $8,500
Robert Little / Ins Agent, Rw Little Ins Agency / La, CA / $9,500
Richard Zamboni / Manufacturer, Zamboni, Co / Paramount, CA / $1,000
Donovan Cyndi / Secretary, Gaelic Electric / Santa Barbara, CA / $1,000
Calvary Bible Church / Bakersfield, CA / $2,255
Donn Crummer / Real Estate Mgmt, Crummer Realty Mgmt Group / Santa Ynez, CA / $1,000
Ronald Smith / Professor, Biola University / San Bernardino, CA / $1,000
Helen Boltz / Chemical Plant Manager, Tressidewl-kirley / Mesa, AZ / $5,000
Myron Randall / Computer Programmer, Firemans Fund / Penngrove, CA / $1,000
Dave Barlow / Real Estate Broker, Barlow Williams Realty / Camarillo, CA / $1,000
Bohl, Nixon & Schoneman / Ventura, CA / $2,000
Jon Van Woerkom / Attorney, Aig / Roseville, CA / $1,001
Orion Wood / Consultant, Orion Wood Consulting / Newark, CA / $2,500
Frank Johnson / Engineer, Naval Facilities Engineering Service Center / Oxnard, CA / $1,000
Robert Frost / Project Manager, Ace Hardware / Clayton, CA / $1,000
Patrick Fitzgerald / Cpa, Pricewaterhouse Coopers Llp / Mission Viejo, CA / $2,000
Jon Hickman / Investment Analyst, Mdb Capital / Pleasant Hills, CA / $1,000
Scott Letellier / Sports Executive, Big League Dreams Usa, Llc / Palos Verdes Estate, CA / $1,500
Sally Lee / Vp Media, Guthy-renker Corp. / Los Angeles, CA / $1,000
John Warren / Cpa, John Warren Cpa / Uniah, CA / $1,000
Dan Lang / Attorney, J.d. Lang & Associates / Westlake Village, CA /
$1,000
Kelley Ivancovich / Farmer, Ivancovich Farms / Porterville, CA / $1,500
Alan Colledge / M.d ., Central Utah Clinic / Lindon, UT / $1,000
John Griffiths / Orthodontist, John C. Griffiths, Dds, Mds, Pc / Las Vegas, NV / $1,000
Darren Wight / Finance, Insight Health Corp / Laguna Niguel, CA / $1,500
Dana Del Francia / Ceo, Bullet Freight Systems / Anaheim, CA / $1,000
America Francis / Apartment Manager, Spieker Companies / San Ramon, CA / $2,000
Bruce Higginson / President, Awc / Garden Grove, CA / $2,001
Brian Gibson / Operations Manager, Hewlett-packard
/ Antelop, CA / $1,000
Jennifer Johnson / Manager, Coraticum Asset Mgt. / Holladay, UT / $2,500
Mark Lindgren / Pilot, Fedex / San Luis Obispo, CA / $5,000
Thomas Brasher / Insurance, Brashers Insurance Svc. / Newcastle, CA / $2,500
Jeff Nelson / Tech Support, Shields, Harper & Co. / Vacaville, CA / $1,800
David Knowles / Insurance, David Knowles Insurance / Sacramento, CA /
$1,000
Jon Iverson / Cpa, Jon Iverson, Cpa / San Jose, CA / $5,000
Michael Schield / Manager, Orpor, Inc. / Laguna Woods, CA / $2,500
Eric Schwarz / Consultant, Omni Management / Thousand Oaks, CA / $2,000
Roman Catholic Bishop / Sacramento, CA / $1,000
Schmoekel Insurance Agency, Inc / Sacramento, CA / $1,000
Eugene Van Zee / Pastor, Faith Community Church / San Jacinto, CA / $1,064
Travis Clawson / Potato Processor, Joy Foods / Laguna Beach, CA / $1,000
Aldric Porter / Co-producer, Columbia Pictures / Santa Rosa Valley, CA / $5,000
Richard Jordan / Professional, Natural Success International / Laguna Niguel, CA / $25,000
Anne Weaver / Rn, Kaiser Sand Teresa Hospital / San Jose, CA / $1,000
Janet Smith / Interior Design, Labelle Maisor / Altadena, CA / $1,000
Kevin Riches / Business Owner, Self – Riches Group / Portola Valley, CA /
$1,000
Stephen Taylor / Financial Advisor, Bank Of The West / Sacramento, CA /
$1,000
Robert Pratt / Attorney, State Of Ca. / Woodland, CA / $1,000
Susan B. Jones / Psychotherapist, Susan B. Jones, L.c.s.w. / Yuba City, CA / $5,000
Gregory Clark / Consultant, Cirrus Financial / Dublin, CA / $21,500
William Orlando / Manager, Aes Ins. / Concord, CA / $1,000
Ross Biesinger / Financial Advisor, Morgan Stanley / Palm Desert, CA / $1,000
Lise Dimartino / Teacher, Lammersvill School District / Tracy, CA / $1,000
Friends Of Ron Packard / Carlsbad, CA / $5,000
Pam Peterson / Executive, Folsom Lake Ford / Granite Bay, CA / $1,000
Iris Marshall / Designer, Hyundai Kia / Laguna Hills, CA / $1,000
Carole Waite / Teacher, Los Angeles Usd / Huntington Park, CA / $10,000
Karen Cooper / Tech, C.h.w. / Riverside, CA / $1,000
Meghann Pricer / Project Director, Century Group / Los Angeles, CA / $1,000
Kristine Kiser / Accountant, Kristine M. Kiser, Cpa / Mission Viejo, CA / $1,500
Eric Chen / Research, Ucla / Los Angeles, CA / $1,000
Thomas Butler / Real Estate, Fortress Investments / American Fork, UT / $1,000
Fang Lu / Engineer, Broadcom / Rowland Heights, CA / $5,000
Cay Pooley / Accountant, Mosaic / San Luis Obispo, CA / $1,350
David Paxman / Teacher, Byu / Provo, UT / $1,000
Tracy Pickett / Executive Support, Ladera Integrators / Mountain View, CA / $3,000
Garth Pickett / Accounting, Ladera Integrators / Mountain View, CA / $3,000
Richard Marshall / Veterinarian, Sutter Institute For Med. Resrch / El Dorado Hills, CA / $1,000
Angela Li / Software Engineer, Yahoo!, Inc. / San Mateo, CA / $1,300
Bruce Jensen / Engineer, Raytheon Co. / Goleta, CA / $1,250
Linda Reeve / Landscape Design, Self- Linda Reeve / Alamo, CA / $9,500
Ca State Council Knights/columbus / Fontana, CA / $8,889
Lasco Enterprises / Spring Valley, CA / $1,000
David Pace / President, High Valley Construction / Villa Park, CA / $1,000
Calvary Chapel Mission Fund / El Centro, CA / $2,000
High Valley Construction Co, Inc / Anaheim, CA / $1,000
Central Christian Church / Lancaster, CA / $2,490
Larry La Monica / Property Manager, La Monica Properties / Carson City, CA / $1,000
James Lee / Pharmacist, Yorba Linda Pharmacy / Anaheim, CA / $1,000
William Albert / Developer, Sares-regis Group / Irvine, CA / $1,000
William Wilson / Dentist, William G Wilson Dds / Modesto, CA / $1,000
Lisa Call / Teacher, Los Altos School District / Los Gatos, CA / $1,000
Brad Zimmerman / Grading Contractor, Quest Engineering / Tustin, CA / $2,500
Sharleen Peterson / Research Clerk, Bank Of America / Alhambra, CA / $1,000
Paul Manwaring / Ces Coordinator, Ces Seminars/institutes / Twin Falls, ID / $1,800
Linda Williams /Cpa, Ristau & Co Inc Cpas / Turlock, CA / $1,000
Keith Rowbotham / Tradebinder, Allied Binding Co / Corona, CA / $1,000
Robyn Robinson / Insurance Broker, Self – Robyn Robinson / San Juan Capistrano, CA / $1,000
Kenneth Woolley / Ceo, Extra Space Inc. / Salt Lake City, CA / $5,000
Angie Crosby / Teacher, Anaheim City School District / Newport Beach, CA / $1,000
Melanie Jensen / Insurance Broker, Sheppard & Assoc. / Orangevale, CA / $1,000
Tevita Piutau / Contractor, Self – Tevita Piutau / Ontario, CA / $3,300
Ralph Ogden / Attorney, Law Offices Of Ralph C. Ogden / Modesto, CA /
$1,000
Sarah Pack / Therapist, Emq Children And Family Services / San Jose, CA / $2,000
Neal Proctor / Appraiser, Appraisal Net / Folsom, CA / $3,000
William Obryant / Director, Unitedhealthcare / Mission Viejo, CA / $1,000
Hierbert Gillespie / Attorney, Gillespie Law Office / Roosevelt, UT / $1,000
Steven Olsen / Psi Network, Inc, President / Laguna Niguel, CA / $24,999
David M. Fenn / Contractor, Fenn-robbins Homes / Lake Arrowhead, CA / $1,000
Daniel F. Johnson Forensic Services / Canyon Country, CA / $1,000
Ashcraft Design / El Segundo, CA / $1,000
Keven D. Oreilly / Physician, Dr. Kevin Oreilly / Redlands, CA / $1,000
Eric Fors / Comm. Loan Underwriter, Bank Of America / S. Pasadena, CA /
$1,000
Jeremie D. Mckee / Mngr., Npc / Corona, CA / $1,000
Robert C. Van Sweden / Finance, Gfi Energy Ventures / Santa Monica, CA / $1,000
Bradley E. Haag / R.e. Appraiser, Appraisal Solutions / Lehi, UT / $2,000
Daniel E. Burgoyne / Mngr., Ca Dgs / Folsom, CA / $1,000
Matthew Perona / Acct., Price Waterhouse Coopers / Concord, CA / $1,500
ann – next time, a link would work just as well, but I know what you mean.
kathleen – i hadn’t heard about the string of natomas strangulations. fear is a great argument though – way to go.