Sacramento City Council Meeting - May 13, 2025

The Sacramento City Council met on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, starting at 5:31 p.m. and adjourning at 9:27 p.m. The meeting featured special presentations for Affordable Housing Month and Jewish American Heritage Month, a unanimous consent calendar, a public hearing for the ParkeBridge East Rezone, a detailed overview of the Fiscal Year 2025/26 Proposed Budget, and the continuation of the Animal Care Services Division audit. Public comments addressed homelessness, youth programs, park services, and budget priorities.

Consent Calendar

• Item 1 (Watt Avenue Bridge Project): Adopted Resolution No. 2025-0121 authorizing an agreement with Sacramento County for up to $800,000 for bridge improvements.
• Item 2 (Active Transportation in Work Zones): Adopted Resolution No. 2025-0122 approving a new policy and rescinding the Sidewalk Closures Policy.
• Item 3 (Legal Services Contract): Passed Motion No. 2025-0132 increasing contract with Liebert Cassidy Whitmore to $545,000.
• Item 4 (EMS Corps Wraparound Services): Passed Motion No. 2025-0133 awarding a $660,000 contract to Greater Sacramento Urban League for two years.
• Item 5 (Fire PPE): Passed Motion No. 2025-0134 increasing contract to $640,000 for fire equipment through June 2025.
• Item 6 (Neighborhood Landscaping District): Adopted Resolution No. 2025-0123 approving FY 2025/26 assessments and setting a public hearing for May 27, 2025.
• Item 7 (Meadows Park Phase 3): Passed Motion No. 2025-0135 awarding a $872,545 contract to Parker Landscape Development, Inc.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Matters Not on the Agenda (from 2:00 p.m.): Speakers raised concerns about gerrymandering in District 2, tenant rights to counsel (noting 600 evictions in two weeks), and homelessness resources. One speaker advocated for bike safety and thanked Councilmember Maple for support.
• Consent Calendar: A speaker supported Item 2 (active transportation policy), while another highlighted the need for accessible vehicles due to poor sidewalks.
• Item 8 (ParkeBridge East Rezone): No public comments were made; the public hearing was opened and closed without testimony.
• Item 9 (Budget Overview): Seventeen speakers addressed the council. Topics included support for museums (MOSAC, Sacramento History Museum), opposition to reduced hours at the 28th and B Skate Park (citing its unique covered, shaded facility), calls for better community engagement in budget decisions, concerns about $1.8 billion in unfunded capital maintenance, and requests to redirect funding from police vacancies to community-based youth programs. Several speakers urged maintaining investments in active transportation and youth services.
• Item 10 (Animal Care Audit – Continuation): Two speakers (representing Friends of Front Street) expressed concerns about the audit's conclusions and recommendations, particularly regarding a proposed MOU. They requested the Animal Wellbeing Commission review the audit before council action.
• Public Comments – Matters Not on the Agenda (end of meeting): Residents opposed a proposed 14-unit duplex development on Blaine Avenue, citing safety and infrastructure concerns. Another speaker urged keeping community school funding to support adult education. Homeless advocates requested opening park bathrooms and providing food/water.

Discussion Items

• Fiscal Year 2025/26 Proposed Budget Overview (Item 9): Finance Director Peter Coletto and Budget Manager Mirthala Santizo presented a balanced budget closing a $62.2 million funding gap. The $1.6 billion all-funds budget (including $847 million general fund) uses a mix of revenue enhancements (e.g., parking fee increases, EMS fee adjustments) and expenditure reductions (including elimination of 70.5 FTE positions, with only 7 filled positions impacted). Assistant city managers detailed reductions across departments: community services ($5.5M in savings), internal services ($3.2M cuts, including eliminating organizational development team), municipal services ($12M savings via parking program changes and limited cuts), and public safety ($15.3M savings, largely through vacancy elimination and overtime management). Councilmembers debated priorities: preserving youth programs, protecting filled positions, addressing structural deficit, absorbing police vacancies, and updating the Business Operations Tax (BOT). The item was reviewed with direction for final adoption.
• Audit of Animal Care Services Division (Item 10): Councilmember Guerra moved to continue the item until after the Animal Wellbeing Commission reviews it. Seconded by Councilmember Pluckebaum, the motion passed unanimously (8-0). Public comment was allowed on the continuation; speakers urged the commission to consider concerns about the audit's recommendations. The item will return after the commission's meeting.

Key Outcomes

• Consent Calendar: Approved unanimously (9-0) with no items removed.
• ParkeBridge East Rezone (Item 8): Approved unanimously after a public hearing with no opposition. The 4.87-acre site will be rezoned for 41 residential lots (R-1A-PUD) as part of the ParkeBridge PUD.
• FY 2025/26 Budget Overview (Item 9): Reviewed, commented, and provided direction for final adoption. Council will deliberate further on May 20th (fees and charges) and June 3rd (vacancy hearing), with adoption set for June 10th.
• Animal Care Audit (Item 10): Continued to a later date after the Animal Wellbeing Commission reviews the audit (likely June or later). The motion passed 8-0.
• No further actions taken: Council comments included reports on the Cap-to-Cap trip to Washington, D.C., and announcements of community events.