Please consider calling in to the 10:30 am Budget Subcommittee meeting tomorrow, leaving a voicemail for your council member, or leaving a comment in the comment portal. For the agenda and more information click here.
What are our asks?
1. The climate crisis is urgent. This proposed budget does not reflect that. (Note: there is $630K proposed, this maintains the 2 climate action staff and internal sustainability program. Please see below for some more background on why this isn’t enough).
2. The city needs more staff to deliver and implement the CAP. Fund more staff positions to increase capacity for this essential work.
How do I call in or make a comment?
Call in (2 min max comment) – this is fun! Use this link to enter the Zoom meeting. Click the raise your hand button before the first agenda item starts (during the Land Acknowledgement and Pledge of Allegiance). The clerk will unmute you so you can make your comment (don’t worry, no one will see you, cameras aren’t shared!)
Leave a voicemail – (extra special for people who are in Vang, Jennings and Schenirer’s districts!) Call their office number and leave a voicemail – your name, neighborhood, that you want climate to be a budget priority. Phone numbers are listed below.
Leave a written comment – leave a written comment in the meeting portal. Say you “oppose” the proposed budget and reiterate the asks above. There are some great comments in the portal already, use those as examples!
Why are we asking for this?
The city’s draft Climate Action Plan has been delayed for over a year due to inadequate resources. Council approved a $4.4 million one-time allocation in 2021 for ‘first year’ projects, much of which has been rolled over into this year’s budget. Workshops on building electrification, transportation, and green workforce development are planned but may also be delayed. The city is missing many opportunities to apply for matching state and federal funding for projects this year.
To the council’s credit, it did pass a New Building Electrification Ordinance in 2021 and has proposed funding for some long-awaited active transit projects, including the Del Rio Trail and Broadway Complete Streets. But outside of these efforts, there have been few policies or dollars allocated that match the urgency of the City’s own 2019 climate emergency declaration.
Who’s on the budget committee? What do they care about?
Mayor Steinberg: Previously suggested the council to consider climate being a part of economic development. On April 26, he asked the City Manager to show options for funding more climate action in the CIP.
Mai Vang: Passionate about urban tree canopy (fun fact: the city’s tree planting program is stalled even though there’s money to pay for it)
Jay Schenirer: Very passionate about opportunities for youth.
Rick Jennings: In Feb, expressed excitement about expanding bike trails so kids could ride all over the city safely.
Contact info for committee members
Jay Schenirer – jschenirer@cityofsacramento.
Mai Vang – mai@maivang.org, (916) 808-7008
Rick Jennings II- rjennings@
Mayor, Darrell Steinberg – DSteinberg@cityofsacramento.
