Winding down a long, long week of all work and no play–which I hope is not making Joe a dull boy..
Fargo claims Johnson’s plan for Sacramento is a fake
Camp KJ began mailing his “40 point plan for Sacramento” out to voters today. When sitting mayor Heather Fargo was asked about it, she dismissed the plan as a “copy” of her ideas already in play. When reporters asked Johnson what he thought of the mayor’s comments, he said, “I like the mayor, and I am a big fan, but there is not a lot she has done in the past 8 years that I am going to copy.”
Whoa. A BIG FAN? Imagine Obama saying he is a “big fan” of McCain… or Bush. Sheesh. And here I thought Fargo’s “fans” were limited to South Natomas and a few downtown neighborhoods. May I be so bold as to ask: What is KJ a fan of? Fargo’s debate decorum? Her incessant besmirching of his character? Her security detail? Her haranguing of colleagues in the press? Her inability to execute a master plan in the time assigned to it? I mean, if you’re a “fan” KJ, why run against her?
In my view this is not the message KJ should be sending to tens of thousands of voters and volunteers who have fervently supported him strictly on the strength of his promise to be everything Fargo is NOT. This is a very tight race. We are less than two weeks away from the election. Now is not the time to be spilling your admiration for your opponent.
On a related note, “40″ was an interesting number of points for Johnson to select for his plan. 40 is–perhaps coincidentally–also the number of acres in St. Hope’s 40 Acres Art Gallery name. The term 40 acres is also–perhaps coincidentally–present in Spike Lee’s film company name “Forty Acres and a Mule,” which Spike based on the U.S. government’s broken promise of reparations to African Americans.
Is this 40 point coincidence significant to Sac residents as they head to the polls? Probably not. But it would be if his mayoral agenda includes screenprinting the city of Sacramento with his name brand. That’s not to knock KJ’s awesome work in Oak Park. He rocks for his commitment to his neighborhood, and I am the first to high-five him for that. I’m just sayin’…
And while I’m bagging on KJ (hey I am just keeping it real), does anyone know what this “bully pulpit” thing is he keeps talking about? “We’ll use the bully pulpit to get what we need for Sacramento” says KJ. Research teaches me Roosevelt apparently coined it, saying the White House was a “terrific platform from which to persuasively advocate an agenda.” Whenever I hear the term it I picture a big kid with freckles and buck teeth stealing a little kid’s lunch money, so any clarification here is welcomed!
Fargo’s all time, greatest flip flop remix
I owe Joe Sac friend and South Natomas resident thesacramentoinsider.com all the credit for digging this one out of Fargo’s dark walk-in vault of political bloopers. This might be very enlightening for all you recent bay area la and overseas transplants..
CITY LOSES SUIT OVER NATOMAS
http://tinyurl.com/64w9n3
“In 1987, the [Natomas Community] association sued the city of Sacramento and a dozen developers, claiming the city was breaking state environmental laws by turning the young area into a sea of offices and apartments. In a single-day trial, Fargo’s association won. Two years later, frustrated by the council’s continued disregard for what she considered good planning in Natomas, she ran for City Council and won.”
http://www.sacbee.com/history/v-print/story/595444.html
So let me get this right. Heather Fargo SUED Sacramento for hurrying too many apartments and offices into her South Natomas neighborhood, then joined the city council, became mayor, and proceeded to PILE-DRIVE a kabillion tons of apartments, high density homes, condos, low income majorplexes and big box stores into the farmland across the freeway from her neighborhood without sending them the public safety resources need to keep great residents in the area and protect lives and property?? Nice! Define hypocrite.
Turns out the old timers are right: Heather Fargo was once an impassioned activist with her heart in the right place who simply metamorphized into the exact kind of urban sprawl developer puppet she so despised in her activist years. Now I see why so many people in South Natomas support her; she had good intentions. But we’ve all heard the saying about good intentions … or at least 46% of us have.
I also see KJ campaign missed a HUGE opportunity to point out Fargo’s legendary hypocrisy to voters. She SUED the city she loves for ruining the quality of life in her So Natomas neighborhood, then turned around and hijacked the city council and ruined the quality of life for North Natomas!! Absolutely staggering.
Anyhow, proves my point I have been making to everyone: ACTIVISM SELLS. You gotta stand for something to get elected. Heather Fargo made it to the mayor’s office for standing for something–even though she would ultimately stand for nothing and fall for anything once she got there.
KCRA does scandal piece on Sac PD vehicle use
KCRA ran a piece tonight about the unmarked cars being driven by 242 Sac PD detectives. There have been some questions into whether we should allow cops to drive these cars home at night–um, especially when most of them do not live in Sacramento. Funny, most of our cops don’t live in Sacramento. Who needs a real estate agent? Next time I’m home shopping (2040 when the market rebounds) I’m just going to drop by the police station and get some recommendations as to where I should live. I bet the answer will be: “Anywhere but Sacramento.” Hopefully the public counters will be back open by then.
Anyways, KCRA presented this as some sort of scandal. They have the big soundtrack theme going with Edie Lambert (who is so pretty and articulate–probably my fav in Sac) saying “And Sacramento taxpayers might be paying mllions of dollars..” You get the idea. Thing is, Bonnie Pannell (who I really think I could like if she would stop being so punitive and get out the box) already raised that concern with the Chief last Tuesday in the city council meeting. The vehicle use issue is not that black and white. There is also a union contract in the balance. Kind of old news with no legs. I didn’t know KCRA rolled like that. “KCRA: where the news comes..last” at least tonight.
Sources:
KJ big slip: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27354115/
Fargo gem: http://www.thesacramentoinsider.com
Oh for God’s sake young Joe you slave to melodrama! KJ is not that deep. You give him way too much credit young Joe. But I think his 40 acres of points in his plan say something about him. It appears as though he believes the mayorship of Sacramento is an expansion of his Oak Park vision for the city. He has been telling you buffoons this the whole time. “We can do what we have done in Oak Park all across Sacramento.” You see young Joe, Mr. KJ thinks that his 40 acre brand isn’t just right for his sacred oak park, he thinks it’s good for the whole city. He thinks all of you are dying for his leadership and ideas. Funy young Joe but I would say you have more ideas than KJ. You should have run against him. I caution people against rushing to vote for KJ. You all might get more than you bargained for. I would hate to see all the children in sacramento running around with “40 R after school program” shirts.
Omg look at the big brain on Joe!! he finally is starting to figure out Kevin Johnson’s agenda! No no no Joe you say kcra is slow with the news. I would say you are the slow one. People have have been saying johnson only wants to be mayor to be in the public spotlight again for months! of course he has 40 points in his plan!!! i actally didnt notice that until you said it so thanks. but duh. this is spotlight stealing kj we are talking about here
Wow Joe you have high standards for politicians. You are in for a lot of disappointment my friend. They are all egoists who want to push their views on others. I think Johnsons fan comment was a huge goof up and it shows his inexperience, but imo not a whole lot more. But he’s all we got. Hope he can deliver
Oh young Joe don’t make me demote you. Do I have to do everything for you? The bull pulpit term stems from President Theodore Roosevelt’s reference to the White House as a “bully pulpit,” meaning a terrific platform from which to persuasively advocate an agenda. Roosevelt often used the word “bully” as an adjective meaning superb/wonderful. Roosevelt also had political affiliation with the Progressive Party, nicknamed the “Bull Moose” party. It got the moniker when Roosevelt ran for President as its candidate in 1912, after declaring himself as “fit as a bull moose.”
Joe I totally agree with you and am pissed KJ is saying he is a “big fan” of Fargo’s. Why doesn’t he just go ahead and give out some Fargo Progress signs too. And while he’s at it why doesn’t he go to tell all the Rhnda Erwins of Sacramento he is a fan of Fargo’s at their next community meeting? Is he friggin serious Joe? I know what the problem is. He is basically just a gym rat in a suit and is flying through this thing by the seat of his pants. I hope and pray you are right about Johnson in your advocacy of him because I know you have been instrumental in changing a whole lot of minds in Sacto.But I applaud you for calling him to task on his careless sound bites and questioning his motives. That is why I like you Joe. You are honest and not afraid to question anyone or anything. I would pay good money to watch a Joe Sac vs. KJ debate.
Wow. Thanks for the comments all….
Roger, please go back to finding more new taxes to pitch. I had to laugh at your “40 R t-shirts” idea. Funny. And scary.
MBreton/Bmr, I don’t think he is a spotlight stealer. That is not to say he doesn’t love the spotlight though. I think he loves being a VIP. Personally,I think he sees himself as part of some fraternal order of elite athletes, not a man OF the people. He may have once been a man of the people, but from what I have seen and heard this election season, he seems more a man FOR the people. I could be wrong. Go ahead and prove me wrong KJ. And that is not to say there is anything wrong with politicians who are for rather than of. It’s just that KJ’s brand is that he is a down-home third generation son of Sacramento.. OF the people… so I detect a bit of a conflict that could damage his credibility as time goes on. Just armchair psychology here nothing more… I could write several books on this topic.
Brian, yeah I am hearing that more and more. Pastor Mike alluded to my political naivety too. I agree I have some learning to do. But just because politicians act a certain way does not mean that way is right. Johnson should be setting a new example for conduct, not following other examples. Just my .02
Lauren, thanks for recognizing that. I try to keep it real as possible, even when it’s hard sometimes, because I DO want fargo out of office
Joe I was just directed to your site by a good friend who is hooked on it. I have now read about 5 articles and every single one is dead on the money. I think you speak for more people than you probably even know. I say way to go Joe!!!! Keep keeping it honest Joe. It is so refreshing to see such eloquent honesty. Thank you.
40=Forty bad zoning decisions in Natomas that Heather presided over.
Or maybe forty meetings where Heather promised developers they could have carte blanche in Natomas.
Or perhaps it is how many days of rain this winter before the levies break.
Oh wait, that was Noah.
Hey Joe I like getting credit for the hard work I put in… but I cannot take only about 20% credit for the information on the old Fargo/Tretheway law suit against the City. I received the information from after posting on a yahoo site about the need to sue the city since being active in our communities and attending meeting after meeting and going to council meetings while giving up valuable time with our families has proven time and time again to be a complete waste of time.
The lawsuit in question was apparently filed in 1986 by LENNANE, JAMES P, PLAINTIFF, and INTERVENORS; ENVIRONMENTAL COUNCIL OF SACRAMENTO, NATOMAS COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION and SACRAMENTO OLD CITY ASSOCIATION . This lawsuit was apparently filed after the City approved a new Natomas Community Plan to build out the Natomas Basin.
I will be posting copies of the lawsuit on my site in the next few days.
From what Fargo has stated publicly, she and Tretheway were involved in this suit (through the NCA I assume) and fought development in Natomas. Apparently they “settled” the case in 1988. (I suspect…maybe with large donations to the Sacramento Tree Foundation and for campaign contributions, but I cannot confirm this yet)
So it looks as though Fargo and Tretheway used this lawsuit to propel themselves into office, and once in office, worked like whirling dervishes to approve the paving over of some of the most fertile farmland in the world, even going so far as fighting the Army Corps of engineers and lobbying Congressman Robert Matsui to write a federal law forcing the Army Corp to allow development in Natomas.
One very interesting not on this lawsuit….The Plaintiff’s attorney was Greg Thatch… well he is now apparently the attorney for most of the developers in Natomas…So it appears that like Ray and Heather… Thatch switched sides to personally benefit… I guess all of them figured…if you cant beat them join them…and they have all done very well for themselves in the last 20 years off the taxpayers wallet.
It amazes me to no end that given Fargo and Tretheway’s history of lying and deceit; using a cloak of environmentalism, while being the worst urban sprawl proponents we have ever, yet no one ever questions them on their BS. It’s becoming more and more apparent to me that Sacramentans, are like a bunch of lock step lemmings gobbling up what they are fed, never questioning authority.
Now to support my contention that Fargo has succumbed to dementia do the unfortunate progressive disease she has, and can no longer hold elected office, just two weeks before HER OWN election, and maybe as a parting shot to the Natomas residents, she and Ray are pushing a fast track plan to de-fund dozens of very important public infrastructure projects which have been promised for decades, and to put a cap on what fees her developer friends will have to pay in the future in North Natomas…she has no idea of how pissed off this is making the residents up north… and right before an election…clearly she has lost the capacity to function at a very basic level.
Maybe just maybe someone up North will get fired up enough to do something about it…but this is a very slim chance…looks like they are all appeasers and not willing to rock the boat like Fargo and Tretheway did way back when.
Joe can you add an edit button so we can edit our own posts? geez…i need to slow down…typo’s all over
Hi Joe,
I live in an area of Sacramento that is not within the City limits. Does this mean that going to a City Council meeting would be pointless? What do the areas of Sacramento that are outside city limits have as an option for influencing the direction Sacramento is going?