2021 11/10 A Letter to the City Re: Midyear Budget Requests

Dear Mayor Steinberg, City Councilmembers, and City Manager Chan:

In the year I’ve been in office, I’ve heard from thousands of people regarding their concerns and ideas about needed improvements in their neighborhoods. When I bring these community concerns to staff, I hear a lot of support and empathy for the issues raised, but it is often followed by a somber realization: there isn't a sufficient budget to provide these services.

While I understand the limitations of the City budget, I also believe there are basic services any City should provide:

Streetlights, particularly in older neighborhoods that lack sufficient lighting to promote safety for all road users.

Sidewalk repair, the costs for which we put onto property owners during the 2008 recession. Sidewalks are a public good everyone uses and should be maintained by the City.

Public Restrooms to serve everyone in our city, particularly at parks. This should also include porta potties near large encampments.

Road and traffic safety improvements, particularly targeting streets and intersections where there are repeated collisions or injuries.

Public garbage cans and collection to help mitigate litter.

These needs aren’t unique to District 4, but are issues I’ve also observed citywide. As we approach the midyear and future budgets, I and the undersigned community groups urge that we consider the quality-of-life improvements the community is asking for and appropriate funds for these purposes.

Sincerely,

Councilmember Katie Valenzuela

Supported and Co-signed by:

  • Organize Sacramento
  • Midtown Neighborhood Association
  • Marshall New Era
  • Midtown Neighborhood Association
  • Marshall-New Era Neighborhood Association
  • Streets Are Better!
  • Organize Sacramento
  • Queer Democrats of Sacramento
  • Sacramento Area Bicycle Advocates
  • Neil Matouka, District 4
  • Nicola Simmersbach, District 4
  • Nicholas Waldon, District 4
  • Nicole Silkman, District 6
  • William Burg, District 4
  • Connie Reeder, District 3
  • Casey Thompson, District 4
  • Lianne Dillon, District 6
  • Tamie Dramer, District 6
  • Eric Sunderland, District 6
  • Frieda Schwebel, District 4
  • Dori Ganetsos, District 3
  • PJ Andrews, District 4
  • Debra Banks, District 6
  • John Rowe, District 4
  • Katherine Bolte, District 5
  • Gabriel Gipe, District 6
  • Josh Bartholomew, District 5
  • Bethany Harman, District 4
  • Andrew Richie, District 4
  • Celeste Doerr, District 4
  • Erica Jaramillo, District 5
  • Anna Molander, District 4
  • Dan Allison, District 4
  • Jonathan Escobar, District 2
  • Jeffrey Marculescu, District 4
  • Yolanda Marculescu, District 4
  • Laura Blosser, District 2
  • Naomi Wilson, District 4
  • Andrés Ramos, District 4
  • Andee Sunderland, District 2
  • Kendra Matouka, District 4
  • Sarah Lehmann, District 4
  • Nikki Paschal, District 4
  • Mel Mills, District 4
  • Devon L'Ecluse, District 2
  • Rachelle Barbour, District 4
  • Patrick Corcoran, District 3
  • Scott Thompson, District 5
  • Evan Minton, District 3
  • Adrianna Lucero, District 4
  • Courtney Poole
  • Eli Conley, District 5
  • Rainbow Porthé, District 4
  • Dinah Malkin, District 4
  • Jassy Grewal, District 4
  • Ann Clark, District 5
  • Jamie Hashimoto, District 4
  • Michelle Williams, District 2
  • Elizabeth Merrill-Belval, District 3
  • Heather Scott, District 4
  • Nicole Harris, District 6
  • David Dagnino, District 5
  • Charlene Jones, District 4
  • Briana Merrill-Belval, District 4
  • Matthias Kimball, District 4
  • E Haubrich, District 4
  • Ricardo Villanueva, District 3
  • Linda Draffin, District 4
  • Grant Mack, District 4
  • Sarah Cox, District 4
  • Michael Camponovo, District 4
  • Jon Hill, District 4
  • Jerry Champa, District 4
  • Tracy Fairchild, District 4
  • Donald Van Dyke, District 4
  • Carolynn Kohn, District 4
  • Michael N. Mills, District 4
  • Steve Kayner, District 4
  • Jeff Webb, District 4
  • Judith Anshin, District 4
  • Michael Andrews, District 4
  • Julie North, District 4
  • David DeWitt, District 4
  • Judy McClaver, District 3
  • Will Green, District 3
  • Martin Palomar, District 3
  • Clyde Wade, District 4
  • Bill Leddy, District 4
  • Cydney Haug-West, District 5
  • Junior Goris, District 7
  • Adrian Rehn, District 5
  • Katie Hymans, District 4
  • Peter Saucerman, District 4
  • Stacy DeFoe, District 5
  • Andrea Jessop, District 4
  • Hilary Harkins, District 4
  • Cindy McCoy, District 4
  • Brian Kiley, District 5
  • Whitney Delgado, District 4
  • Lena Pereira, District 4
  • Erik Johnson, District 4
  • Elayne Anderson, District 4
  • Kevin Gee, District 4
  • Susan Twining, District 4
  • Melva Mills, District 4
  • Courtney Chittock, District 4
  • On ting wong, District 4
  • Delaney Walls, District 4
  • Fiona Castleton, District 4
  • Catherine Schulze, District 4
  • Dosayra Brumley, District 4
  • Kyle santos, District 4
  • Rafael Garcia, District 4
  • Todd Whalen, District 4
  • Catherine Lamm, District 4
  • Angela E. Hearring, District 1
  • Glenn Jackson Jr., District 1
  • Yurie Namiki, District 4
  • Brianne Chaney, District 4

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