City of Sacramento Government News Digest

The Sacramento City Council on Tuesday unanimously appointed Shoun Thao to serve as interim District 2 councilmember. Thao fills the seat left vacant in January when Sean Loloee resigned after being indicted on federal fraud and labor charges, as reported by The OBSERVER.

With 44% of votes in the March 5 election, Roger Dickinson will face Stephen Walton in the November election for the District 2 seat vacated by indicted former City Councilmember Sean Loolole.

The former council member and owner of the Viva Supermarket chain had charges of filing false tax documents and wage theft added to his December indictment.

Political newcomer Dr. Flo Cofer received the most votes in the primary election and will face second place runner-up Assemblymember Kevin McCarty in the November general election,

Leaders from the National Urban League and four California chapters gathered March 13 at the Capitol to lobby for a bill that aims to restrict police from making traffic stops for certain low-level offenses.

According to an email sent to library patrons and posts on social media, the library will be closed March 30-April 12.

George Sim Park in Lemon Hill is a special place for state Assembly member Kevin McCarty. The 52-year-old got his start in politics in 2004 representing the South Sacramento neighborhood on the City Council.

Candidates vying to take the seat of outgoing Supervisor Sue Frost on the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors faced off at a recent forum, sharing with voters their differing perspectives.

After Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg said the city erred in notifying the public about Measure C, a Sacramento County spokesperson said election officials won’t investigate whether the measure is legally on the ballot.

The six candidates vying to be Sacramento’s next mayor fielded questions about homelessness, gun violence and police accountability at a candidate forum held at the Greater Sacramento Urban League.

Why she’s running for reelection: “There is clearly still have a lot of work to do. I want to keep working on solutions that will keep people housed, build more access to opportunities, and prepare us for the future.”

Sacramento, known for its tree-filled landscape, faces unique challenges in intense weather. The convergence of high winds with large trees poses significant risks to people and urban infrastructure.

Programs are in place that assist tenants on the verge of being evicted. There are also programs and nonprofits that assist families, men, women and children who are experiencing homelessness.

Lauren Hammond, the first Black woman elected to the Sacramento City Council, died in her sleep Jan. 18 at the age of 68. Representing District 5, Hammond served from 1997 to 2010.

Despite a $50 million budget deficit, Measure L still requires Sacramento to set aside money for youth programs, Mayor Darrell Steinberg said the city will need to work with partners to meet the law’s goals.

The former Capitol Park Hotel has reopened in downtown Sacramento with a spruced up appearance and a new purpose: as permanent supportive housing for formerly homeless residents.

A former Best Western motel has reopened in downtown Sacramento after being converted into permanent housing for nearly 100 unhoused individuals.

The Sacramento City Council plans to redo a vote on whether to give City Manager Howard Chan and other executives pay increases because the council violated the Brown Act on the initial decision.

Four days after Councilmember Sean Loloee pleaded not guilty to federal charges, it remains unclear whether he will heed calls to resign.

She was the first Black woman on the Sacramento City Council and while she had just one term in office, her legacy of service was solidified by decades of commitment throughout the community.

The Sacramento City Council voted unanimously to place a business operations tax measure on the March 2024 primary election ballot.  If it passes, the city will update the tax and adjust it for inflation for the first time since 1991.

Richard Pan said his background as a pediatrician and as a professor at UC Davis illustrates a “career dedicated to solving problems,” positioning him as a mayor who can lead Sacramento with efficient judgment.

Sacramento voters living in districts 2, 4, 6 and 8 will weigh in on who represents their area on the city’s law-making body. Candidates who receive more than 50% of the vote in their races would win outright.

Shortly after purchasing a Hagginwood apartment building last year, Sacramento Councilmember Sean Loloee evicted the tenants of all eight units, according to the property manager: “The owner wanted to rehabilitate the units.”

Steve Hansen says he is running for mayor because he wants to rebuild Sacramento, lead the city into its next great chapter, and leave no one behind.

Sacramento City Councilman Sean Loloee will not seek re-election to his North Sacramento seat. Loloee, whose grocery stores and homes were raided by federal agents, told state Sen. Angelique Ashby that he would not seek re-election next year, Ashby said.

Sacramento City Councilman Sean Loloee destroyed evidence related to the operation of his grocery store business, the U.S. Department of Labor alleged in a federal court filing Thursday.

Public health advocate Dr. Flojaune Cofer, who was also chair of the Measure U Community Advisory Committee, would be the first Black woman to serve as mayor of Sacramento if she is elected.

As part of the city’s effort to enhance infrastructure in underserved areas, Sacramento announced the completion of the South Sacramento River Parkway Trail West, which connects Meadowview to the soon-to-be-finished Del Rio Trail.

Sacramento residents will vote for a new mayor in the March 2024 primary election.