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I’d like to reiterate: I haven’t an axe to grind with Ray Tretheway the person. Never have. As a person I’m sure he’s a great guy.  I only became enthusiastic about seeing him defeated after living in his district for 10 years. It was not a good experience. In fact I was so wound up over his (and the city’s)  absentee landlord treatment of North Natomas where we owned a home and our kids attended school, I started a petition for his recall.  I explored the topic  with many like minded people offline, some in high places, but most just regular Joes and Jills like me. In the end we all agreed it would be too costly, and it was best just to wait for 2010 . Seemed like eternity way back in 2008. But here we are. Finally.

Hopefully today will mark a new start for Sacramento and the Natomas area. It is my sincere hope residents send a resounding message to the city and Angelique wins by an impressive margin.

Ray sits in his office with a small group of people. Suddenly Staffer2 comes crashing into the room, out of breath, his eyes wide and completely out of breath. He is holding his iPhoneand pointing to it.

Staffer2: SIR! BREAKING NEWS!!!

Ray: Gadzooks! You scared the sugar out of me! !

Redacted woman: What is it Lassie!? Did you get the Galston Dart interview!!?

Staffer2:  Better yet!!! [gasping for air] JOE SACRAMENTO is airing a radio show for the next two days to honor you sir for your service to the city!!! I recorded some it so you can hear!!

Sounds of groans throughout the room

Ray [suspicious]: Ol’ bombastic Joe honoring me, Ray Tretheway? Sounds like a double cross. I know his kind.

Redacted woman: Joe Sac launch a radio show? That ninny couldn’t launch a water balloon

Staffer2: Well does everyone want to hear it????

Redacted woman: Well go on sunshine, what are you waiting for? .

Staffer2 presses PLAY on iPhone and puts it on Ray’s desk. Ray stares at the device inquisitively as various clips play…

[Click here if audio doesn't play]

Redacted Woman [disgusted]: You call that a radio show? I’d rather listen to mouth farts.

Ray: Do what now?

Staffer2: Would you like to hear more songs from the show sir?

Redacted woman [grabs purse and leaves]: I can’t do this anymore.

Ray: Actually I like the dedications from all my neighbors . Good to know I am appreciated and that people would take the time to send their regards. Let’s play some more!

Staffer2 giddily re-starts  iPhone playback and Ray starts swaying back and forth to the beat and clapping out of rhythm. At that moment KJ sticks his head in the door

KJ: Hey Ohio Players “Fire”! I love that song! Go Ray Ray, it’s your birthday, it’s your birthday!  Ha ha ha nice to see you. No really whatchya guys up to?

Staffer2 turns off music, Ray looks disapprovingly at KJ..

Ray: How can I help you Johnson?

KJ: Hey I thought I’d drop by and see if you have any thoughts to share about my arts initiative, my green shades program, my education program, my kings arena task force, or my strong mayor initiative?

Ray [scolding]: Hey Johnson didn’t they ever teach you  there’s no “MY” in team?

Staffer2: I think it’s: there’s no ‘i’ in team” sir

Suddenly RE Graswich pops up behind Johnson with a large book in his hand

RE: Uh excuse me but for the record in some languages the word “i” does in fact appear in the word team

Johnson smiles wide and slaps Graswich on the butt: Atta boy Bob! That’s what I’m talking ’bout baby!

Graswich gets bashful and tries hard not to smile

RE: Hehe. Thank you Mr Mayor

KJ: No no no don’t be shy Bob. Come on baby it’s show time give me a pound. Now break it down. Ok ok ok here we go [starting to dance in a circle with Graswich]

Ray: GET OUT OF MY OFFICE!

KJ: Hey hey hey easy does it old timer.  Just think about what we talked about ok?

Johnson and Graswich saunter away

Ray: But all we talked about was YOU and YOUR ideas Johnson!!

KJ turns around, flashes a smile and winks at Ray: I knew you’d get the hang of it sooner or later !

In this fictitious satirical episode, Ray and the gang are driving through his South Natomas neighborhood slowly. Ray is waving out the window at people as if he’s a celebrity but no one recognizes him. He talks on the car speaker phone to someone at the same time..

Ray: Yeah well I just saw a survey on YouTube that says I am up 63% over Ahsby in the polls. How you like them apples?

Voice: Nice. So your victory is pretty much guaranteed.

Ray: Sheesh oh yeah

Voice: Will you get fired if Kevin Johnson gets his strong mayor to pass?

Ray: Why in the heck would they fire me??

Voice: Well it sounds like Johnson doesn’t want a city council. Sounds like he just wants to run the whole damn shooting match himself.

Ray: Well ol’ Johnson’s eyes are bigger than his stomach. I know his kind.

Voice: But I thought you supported his strong mayor initiative last time around?

Ray: Well…

Staffer: That was uh…

Voice: I mean, I’m not trying to put you on the spot or anything.

Ray: No no you’re ok. Look I don’t want to get into the strong mayoral thing right now. I’m uh.. I’m actually uh –whichamacallit– multi-tasking right now

Voice: hey no worries Ray. So what about the gang tax? Remember that? Didn’t you support that?

Ray: You betchya!

Voice: That one floated like a sandbag huh?

Ray: I don’t remember the exact outcome

Voice: I do

Staffer [mumbles]: Oh boy

Voice: It was Roger Dickinson who first tried to sell it, remember?

Silence

Voice: The cities in the county wouldn’t support it so then you and Heather Fargo and Bob Fong tried to get the city to buy it and all heck broke loose. Matter of fact that was one of the last straws for Fargo.

Silence

Voice: You still there??

Ray: Ahem, errr you betchya.

Voice: So do you still support a gang tax?

Ray: No comment at this time. I’m just about out of time here

Voice: Ok sure thing. Couple more things and I’ll let ya get back to it.

Ray: You betchya I have all day.

Voice: Oh… errr.. fine then. What about the West Natomas fire station? Why did that take so long to get built?

Ray: We’ve done some darn good things out there in the west.

Voice: Yeah but didn’t it get so bad that citizens like Angelique Ahsby and Lisa Kaplan and Jaymes Butler and Keith Sharward had to start meeting with the developers to make them follow through on their commitments and literally BEG the city to help get the firestation built because West Natomas was in potential grave danger?

Ray: We’ve done some super things out there. They love their neighborhoods out there.

Voice: Hmm ok. So hey is it true you once compared a garage burglary at your home to a home invasion during a townhall meeting called to address a rash of armed robberies and home invasions in the North Natomas area of your district?

Silence.

Voice: Ok I am looking at YouTube video here and at 5:10 you say you and your wife were victims of a home invasion when your wife came home and caught a 12 year old “looting the entire place..”

Silence

Voice: This is one of the reasons  a lot of people say you are out of touch and not a good fit for the district any longer. How do you respond?

Ray: They really just adore their neighborhoods out there

Voice: In the video right after you speak the chief of police Rick Braziel thanks Angelique Ashby personally for organizing the meeting. Shouldn’t you have been the one to call this meeting? As I recall your office helped promote this meeting, but only after Ashby had worked with the police to organize it.

Silence

Voice: Are you there?

Ray: You betchya!

Voice: Ok one other thing– why have developers been allowed to flake on their commitments to new growth areas?

Ray: Well it’s a bad economy and jiminey crickett many of them have gone bankrupt– we couldn’t have ever predic–

Voice: So maybe the city shouldn’t have structured the agreements they way they did? Same way maybe the city should have had a reserve fund instead of spending everything that was coming in? Some people call that malfeasance. Did you protest the city’s wholesale spending spree during the the real estate boom?? Did you ever once truly stand up for your neighborhoods and protest the council’s spending problem and try to direct ANY of the millions of dollars in downtown—

Staffer: Welp we are totally out of time! It’s been a pleasure!!

Voice: Have you ever once apologized to North Natomas residents for the litany of broken promises you and your council—

Staffer hangs up on voice.

Ray leans out the window and flags another pedestrian “Howdy neighbor! Ray Tretheway sticking it to neighborhoods!”

Staffer: No no no sir—- it’s STANDING UP FOR NEIGHBORHOODS!!

Ray: Howdy neighbor!

I had JUST started playing Billy Joel’s “Captain Jack” when I received an email from a friend with this scan of a mailer that District 1 voters received today apparently  “Captain Jack will get you high tonight.. take you to your special island…”  Can I just say  

Hee!  What “special island” are these fruits living on? Seriously. This is out of control.  Who did this? I’m told Sac Building and Trades is responsible. Sounds like union to me. Anyone?

So apparently the island people (I think that is what they should be called) are scared to death of those “Big City” developers! But wait— what did I miss? Isn’t Sacramento a “big city”? Heck Heather Fargo loved those Sacramento 60. I think she even served on the Downtown Partnership thingy.. right?

I gotta tell you this mailer smells suspiciously  like the anonymous posters who bash KJ and Ashby on SacBee.com and Sacramento Press, and SNR and the pipefitter blokes.

The oddest part of the mailer is the alarming nature of the verbiage. These folks are apparently genuinely threatened by  Angelique Ashby.. a neighborhood activist who has spent more volunteer hours making her community better than most. The best part is that she hasn’t just talked and yapped and blogged about it, she actually IS about it. I once asked her why she doesn’t blog or participate in internet discussions. She responded, “Who has time?”  Now that is someone you want on your council, errr right?

As for the KJ puppet thing, come on really? Ashby is hardly anyone’s puppet. These people have apparently never sat down and talked to her.  Hardly the type to be puppeted by anyone. Give me one example where she’s been a puppet in her public life. What, because she accepted Kevin Johnson’s endorsement? Please. Ashby a person who has actually stood up to city hall and developers and demand they be accountable. Check council video archive and you’ll hear her representing her community with eloquence and passion.. consistently.

Look I am as hard on Johnson as anyone, but come on people. He’s not Lex Luthor trying to take over the world. His worst offenses as mayor can probably be summed up as:  overzealous, presumptuous, and  suffers from occasional myopia.  I do think he’s trying hard to make in roads. It’s unfortunate he’s trying to start a new parade rather than join the one in progress, and I think this is a fatal error, but this big conspiracy thing is a laugh fest.

“.. Capt Jack will get you high tonight…”

I think the T island people need some Capt Jack tonight.

PS: Save these mailers. They will be worth money one day.. like War of the Worlds propaganda.

A reader asked if they could ask me a series of questions back and forth on email and suggested I post the resulting interview. I agreed. Here is the result of our exchanges. This reader is not affiliated with any political parties or candidates running for office.

Q: Why do you pick on Ray so much?

MJ: I don’t think it’s accurate to say I “pick” on him. 1)  that’’s giving me way too much credit; 2) I don’t think a lowly little blogosphere urchin like me has the influence to “pick” on a public figure like Tretheway.  I’m just making light of some of the absurd things I observe him doing and saying.  I’ve done the same with other public figures like Roger Dickinson, Kevin Johnson, Heather Fargo, etc.

Q: What do you have against Ray?

MJ: I don’t have anything against Ray the person. I only discuss Ray the politician. I lived in his district almost 10 years, I know what his priorities are, and I have concrete reasons to support my position that he is not a good fit for residents or business owners in his district.  He should be sent packing and  never allowed back in the building–except as a citizen… during business hours only!  =P   <———- this is me smiling tongue in cheek

Q: What are your concrete reasons?

MJ: I think the West Natomas fire station fail alone is enough to send him packing. I’m astounded people say he’s not responsible for fails like that. Of course he is. I’ll prove it: He is taking credit for getting the fire station built now. Think about that. He shunned blame when people pointed the finger at him, yet he’s willing to take credit now that they’ve broken ground. Come on people.

Q: Shouldn’t Ray get any credit for the West Natomas fire station build?

MJ: Maybe in the “special thanks to” section of the credits, towards the end. I hope when they bolt an engraving on that building they list the names of residents who spent countless hours of their time meeting with developers, going to city council meetings, drafting letters , and working their tails off to get it built. That list would include Angelique Ashby. City of Sac email me and I’ll send you the whole list of names that should be on the dedication engraving.

Q: Have you ever talked to Ray Tretheway?

MJ:  We have exchanged a few emails. In the last one he sent, it started, “I want to thank you for your bombastic email..” It was an honor to receive that label from Ray,  who has established himself as the most bombastic politician in Sacramento.

Q: Why do you support Angelique Ashby?

MJ: Because she’s the only alternative to Tretheway.

Q: That’s the only reason?

MJ: I may not have supported her if there were better candidates. Then again, I may not have supported Obama if there were better candidates, too. But make no mistake, she is the best one for the job, hands down. I wouldn’t hesitate to vote for her.

Q: But you can’t because you don’t live in her district right? So why even be concerned?

MJ: I think everyone in the region should be concerned about the city of Sacramento. It’s the hub of the area. District 1 is its designated growth area. I’m very interested in what goes on there. It will have an impact on the whole area.

Q: How so?

MJ: Arco Arena alone is a regional attraction. Now there is talk of Cal Expo maybe moving there. We should all be paying attention to what goes on there.

Q: Who should be Sac County Sheriff?

MJ: No disrespect to McGiness, but I’m glad he’s on his way out. There are loads of problems at Sac Sheriff, tons of jobs have been cut, morale is down, it’s a bad situation. Some of it was avoidable in my opinion. Jim Cooper has the respect of the organization (his opponent even said he would hire him!), political experience and a highly regarded law enforcement career. I used to work with him when he was in gangs and I was working fraud for a wireless company in Sac. He was friendly, communicative, and  incredibly effective at his job. Other cops we worked with had chips on their shoulders and talked down to us. Not Cooper.  He called me by my first name, asked me how I was doing, and would even inquire about my family from time to time.  I’ve always liked him and I hope he wins.

Q: Do you regret supporting Kevin Johnson?

MJ: No. He was the best choice we had at the time. It is what it is.

Q: Would you ever support strong mayor?

MJ: Not without some major stipulations. I worry about his self interests. Here is a man who–to the shock and chagrin of his supporters–  charged into city hall like a bull in a china store and immediately launched his own new parade  rather than joining the one already in progress. Bad move. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I never dreamed he would do that. I fell for the “I’m a student of the game” thing lock stock and barrel. Oops. Fool me once….

Even Johnson himself has acknowledged now that he moved too fast, should have included his “colleagues,” and so forth. But that’s little consolation when you look back and find that SCORES of us were protesting his approach very early on. Myself and many others wrote countless articles, blogs, and comments calling his decisions and approach into question. I kept thinking he would reverse course. But nope. He’s really stubborn it turns out. And I don’t think that’s the kind of person you want at the helm of your ship in a storm. Call me a skeptic. I think he still has a lot to learn as a leader and hence is not ready to lead the city in a “strong” capacity.

Q: You have been critical of Johnson’s handling of the Arizona Boycott. Why?

MJ: This was a superb opportunity for KJ to establish himself as a leader and once again he failed the test. I guess he is still not ready to take the rock in crunch time. He flirted with leadership when he acknowledged he had heard the voices of those who were against the boycott, but he sent it away when he said he disagreed with them.

Matter of fact Ray Tretheway showed much stronger leadership than Johnson in the council meeting to discuss this. I thought Tretheway’s commentary was excellent. He brought up the best points and demonstrated the most objectivity.

IMO punishing discrimination with another form of discrimination is one of the most incredibly stupid things I have seen in a long time. Johnson was not going to support this lunacy, but then he caved in, probably because he can’t afford to lose any support for his next (sigh) strong mayor push. Oops–therein lies the problem of self serving agendas: they need support so you are forced to always vote with the majority. You literally block yourself from establishing yourself as a leader. It seems Johnson is his own worst enemy. He is always getting himself into  pickles..

Q: So do you don’t approve of the boycott I take it? LOL 

MJ: No way. Two wrongs don’t make a right. Even a child knows that rule. The people and businesses of Arizona are HURTING just like we are. How dare we kick them while they are down. Yes, the law sucks. I think it needs to be changed. But there are sooo many other ways to go about this instead of boycotting like a some local union dissatisfied with their wages.  Then again, when you love grandstanding and hearing yourself pontificate as much as Rob Fong apparently does, I suppose your options are limited.

Q: So do you guarantee Ashby will be a great D1 council member if elected?

MJ; Nope, but let’s face it, it is not like she has huge shoes to fill. She should be fine as long as she doesn’t do like Johnson is doing and start compromising her values to gain favors and friends, If she sells out residents will be all over her like flies on butter. If she stays focused on people and truly puts them first, I think chances are good she will succeed.

Q: Last question.. can Johnson turn it around?

MJ: Yes of course. All he needs to do is

.

.

Sacramento Press ran an article about how Ray Tretheway considers the registering of a domain name bearing the likeness of his name “identity theft.” Disrespecting every child who has ever been kidnapped and every parent who has suffered tremendous pain as a result,  Ray likened this flap to “an amber alert.” 

You may recall I wrote about a similar incident when–during a town hall meeting a few years back called by Sacramento Police and Angelique Ashby–Ray likened a burglary in his garage by a 14 year old kid to a “home invasion.” What is wrong with this guy? Seriously. Where’s his compassion? Where’s his sense of relativity?

Funny, the good Mr Tretheway once emailed me and accused ME of being bombastic???? Takes one to know one Ray. And it takes an identity thief to know an identity thief, too Ray. YOU are the one who STOLE Noel Martin’s likeness for  your campaign mailer, sir. Your people told him he was posing for an image that would be used to promote Kaiser Perm. Instead you used his image for your political mailer. Nice one Ray. If that aint identity theft I don’t know what is.

It’s all good, Ray. I’m not mad at ya. I just think it would be nice if you stopped  contradicting yourself for a change, and I think you owe John Walsh and everyone involved in stemming the tide of child abductions a sincere apology.

Ray sits in his car with his two staffers. Staffer in the front seat, Staffer2 in the backseat on his laptop typing away

Ray: What is so gosh darn private that we can’t discuss it in my office?

Staffer: Well sir we have a bit of a problem with the latest campaign mailers we sent out.

Ray: What problem?

Staffer: Well, one of the people we featured on the front of the mailer– uhhh Noel Martin– is the leader of the Natomas Chamber of Commerce and, well, he claims he didn’t give us permission to put his image on your mailer and he’s a bit uhhh excited.

Ray: Great story. Send it out to the press immediately. Next agenda item.

Staffer2:  No sir I don’t think you understand. He’s not happy with you. He’s not giving you props.

Ray: I don’t need his props. Ray Tretheway’s stage is prop free.

Staffer to Staffer2: Read him the guy’s statement.

Staffer2: His statement reads “I was told by Tretheway’s staff  I was participating in a press release announcement for Kaiser coming to Natomas and I intended for my participation to be pro-Natomas, not pro-Ray Tretheway.”

Ray: Where in the world did you hear that?

Staffer2: The Natomas Buzz.

Ray: Do what now?

Staffer: It’s a neighborhood blog.

Ray: I don’t know how they do that stuff. But tTell me the whole thing again so I can properly analyze it.

[staffer2 repeats entire statement]

Ray: [sits in silence listlessly for a minute or so as staffers look on.. then slowly and somberly]: Boys, I’m afraid this sounds like another quid pro quo job. Do you reckon this feller is part of the Sacramento Dirty Dozen ?

Staffer: Do you mean the Sacramento 60?

Ray: Them too.

Staffer: No sir he’s just a little guy running a little business in a little neighborhood out  in the SDHDUSA.

Ray: What the pickle is the SDHDUSA??

Staffer2: The super duper high density urban sprawl area sir.

Ray: Hey that’s MY district!!!

Staffer: Yes sir. Hence the problem.

Ray: Hey listen– I stand up for neighborhoods. I am the one who made sure North Natomas streets were lined with trees. If this feller is angry with me he can come down to city hall and tell it to my face.

Staffer: Right.  Orrrrrr you could call him and you know, “clear up any misunderstanding”… if ya know what I mean.

Ray: Well, I guess that’s always an option, too. …… yeah…… let’s do that one.

Staffer2: The Natomas Buzz wants a statement.

Ray: Tell them we will call this feller to clear up any misunderstanding. Anything else?

Staffer: Yeah one more thing. On the other mailer you crossed out the bullets we had and made your own comment about trees and forts.

Ray: How about them apples?

Staffer: Sir I wouldn’t advise those exact words.

Ray: Why not?

Staffer: Because… well….. they’re just….

Ray: Too honest??? Is that what you want to say??? Go ahead and say it!! Say old Ray is too honest. I can handle it.

Staffer: Oh sir. You are just too honest.

Ray:  Yeah right! I’m going for dinner [getting out of the car].

Staffer: Ok we will keep your changes sir (winking at staffer2) – trees and forts it is.

[door slams, Ray walks away]

Staffer: Disregard his changes. Go with the original.

Staffer2: Got it.

Staffer: Also, how is the YouTube campaign going?

Staffer2: Excellent.

Slow Tuesday

Ray: I’m bored. Give me something to do

Staffer: Are you ready to speak at tonight’s council meeting about the Arizona racial profiling law?

Ray: You betchya. I’m going to give them heck. We must stand up against this atrocity.

Staffer: May I look at your speech?

Ray [peers over his glasses inquisitively]: Why?

Staffer: Just curious.

Ray: No you’re not–you want to leak it on Facebook to all your friends and steal my thunder. How many do you have anyway? My friend looked at your Facebook and it doesn’t say how many friends you have. What are you hiding?

Staffer: Don’t be silly. I simply choose to exercise my Facebook privacy and not divulge those numbers.

[Rob Fong flies into Ray's office with a stack of paper under his arm]

Rob: Morning Ray

Ray: Morning Robert

Rob: Hey check this out [drops papers on Ray's desk]. SB 1070 report. Beauty huh?

Ray [rummaging through papers]: Well, there sure are a lot of them, that’s for sure.

Staffer2 [leaning in, looking excited]: Happy day! Arizona boycott!  This is so cool. Hopefully this boycott will bring Arizona commerce to its knees. They will regret ever passing this law! Our boycott will teach every resident there a lesson!

Rob [perplexed]: What do you mean?

Ray [waves off staffer2 dismissively]: Don’t listen to him Rob, he–

Rob [standing bolt upright and stoic]: No. I want to hear him out. Proceed.

Staffer2 [excited]: I was only stating what everyone already knows; that the boycott will negatively impact Arizona business owners, their families, and workers state wide. Since the boycott is coming at a time when 15% of Arizona residents are unemployed and thousands of businesses have filed for bankruptcy, we may have the perfect recipe for economic chaos.. and.. well.. I think it’s kind of exciting!

Rob [eyebrows furrowed, agitated, stares for a few beats at staffer2]: Ray correct me if I’m wrong but am I detecting a hint of negative chiding, here? And Ray do you approve of this staffer’s message?

Ray: Well I— Rob you know Ray Tretheway would never pull a punch by golly. I don’t really know what he’s talking about either and no, I don’t approve of his message.

Rob [satisfied, nods approvingly]: Good. [scoops up papers]. I have to get moving. Lots to do in preparation for tonight [dashes out of room]

Staffer: Technically there are likely dozens of ways we could protest this law without punishing the citizens and business owners of Arizona. Just sayin’

Ray [stands up and waves off Staffer, exasperated]: You make everything so gosh darn complicated.