Last chance, Heather… I even dropped one to give you some elbow room…
Mayor Fargo, (hfargo@cityofsacramento.org)
1. Are you collecting the $550 per month mayoral car allowance? If so, are you using a vehicle for official business, and how many driving miles have you personally logged in the past two years?
2. In the 2008 State of the City address you disagreed with the Corps of Engineers’ AE flood zone designation, and stated you felt the levees were “strong as ever” —-yet in the KCRA debate with Johnson you agreed with him that we are in fact in severe danger of catastrophic flooding. In fact, on May 11, 2008, you told the LA TImes “To me, floods are the biggest risk to public safety we face and the biggest risk to our economic viability,” said Sacramento Mayor Heather Fargo, head of the flood control agency’s board. “In our 12-step recovery, we are way beyond denial.” Can you please discuss the conflict between your two statements?
3. In your interview with Inside East Sacramento, when asked what the important issues facing the city in the next 5,10 years were, you cited, “economic development, job development with our youth, flood protection air quality, and global warming..” Later, you would tell a News10 debate audience that the most important issue to you was public safety. In subsequent interviews you have again stated crime is the most important issue facing the city. Can you please discuss the reasoning behind your recent reprioritization of issues facing the city?
4. You are quoted in a Bee article as saying you would not commit to further N Natomas annexation on the grounds “If we can’t put it in a magazine cover as a model, I don’t know why we would do more.” What exactly did you mean by this statement?
5. Th Bee reported you took 25 trips that cost taxpayers $44,000. How do you justify those expenses when all of your subsequent recommendations could have been gleaned from Google search or video conference calls–and even SMUD’s web site?
6. When members of the Metro Chamber recently complained that you were not responsive to their emails and inquiries, your response was that your job was complicated, and that your limited staff had to “triage” requests daily, and therefore requests were prioritized and responses could be delayed . The word “triage” paints a picture of a frantic hospital emergency room or battlefield mash unit. If your office is under siege in the manner you suggest, how do you justify missing 125 days of work since Oct 2005? Updated: 2:20PM PST
7. The NNFF (North Natomas Financial Plan) is said to be in flux now, and residents have heard that a $36 MILLION rebate to developers is even being proposed. Residents in N Natomas are paying EXTRA for amenities and public safety measures that were promised to them in the master plan for the area. What can North Natomas residents expect in terms of your commitment in seeing these broken commitments repaired? And, is it true that a $36 MIL rebate to developers is on the table?
8. Why haven’t you publicly denounced the Local 447’s hit campaign on Kevin Johnson? Do you approve it, or denounce it?
9. Please describe in succinct terms the relationship between gang violence and summer job opportunities for pre-screened youth.
10. Why are North Natomas residents carrying the burden of all new low income housing on its back? Related: do you see any correlation between low income housing and crime?
11. When you announced your candidacy, you signed a document stating you promised to run a clean campaign and denounce ANYONE who sought to defame another’s *personal* character. Can you please explain why you have not followed through on that commitment?
Thank you for your time
Joe Sacramento
