Measure U Community Advisory Committee Meeting – June 15, 2020

The Measure U Community Advisory Committee met on June 15, 2020, from approximately 6:00 p.m. to after 10:00 p.m. The meeting featured extensive public comment (308 written comments and multiple callers) and a four-hour dialogue with Mayor Darrell Steinberg. Key topics included the Fiscal Year (FY) 2020/21 Measure U budget, police funding (which drew strong opposition from the public), the role and authority of the committee, an update on participatory budgeting, and the appointment of two committee members to the City Manager’s Investment Committee.

Consent Calendar

• Item 1: Approved the Measure U Community Advisory Committee meeting minutes of February 24, 2020 (Motion passed unanimously).
• Item 2: Received and filed the City Auditor’s Citywide Innovation and Efficiency Assessment after a roll-call vote (all present voted aye).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Over 300 written eComments were submitted and read into the record by the Chair. The overwhelming majority opposed allocating Measure U funds to the Sacramento Police Department, calling for defunding and reallocating money to housing, mental health services, youth programs, and inclusive economic development.
• Multiple callers (Sonia Lewis, Elaine Himmelman, Clarissa White, Jackie Hollis Clarence, Natalie Anselin, Craig Siegel, Evan Minton, and others) echoed these sentiments, stating that Measure U was sold as a community investment, not a police fund. Many expressed distrust in the city’s process and demanded transparency.
• Some callers also urged the committee to support participatory budgeting and to ensure funds go to communities of color and underserved neighborhoods.

Discussion Items

• Item 3 – Appointment to Investment Committee: After discussion among members who expressed interest, the committee voted to recommend two members (Member Luhan and Member Ferguson) for appointment to the City Manager’s Inclusive Economic and Community Development Investment Committee. The motion passed by voice vote.
• Item 4 – FY2019/20 Financial Update & FY2020/21 Budget: Dawn Holm, Director of Finance, presented the budget, noting a projected $60 million revenue loss due to COVID-19 and a balanced FY2021 budget using one-time resources. Committee members expressed deep frustration that the budget allocated over 50% of Measure U funds to the police department (approximately $41.7 million) and only $4.2 million to inclusive economic development. Member Ferguson questioned overtime budget numbers and requested more detailed data. Several members noted that the system is “stacked” toward public safety and that the budget did not reflect voters’ intentions.
• Item 5 – Participatory Budgeting (PB) Update: Member Odom-Kent presented an update on PB, noting that the committee had received an offer of free technical assistance from the Participatory Budgeting Project. Multiple members spoke in favor of PB and asked for a solid funding commitment (a $5 million allocation was previously requested). The committee agreed to place two action items on the July agenda: (1) acceptance of technical assistance and (2) a recommendation for a funding amount to support PB in priority neighborhoods.
• Item 6 – Open Dialogue with Mayor Steinberg: The Mayor joined for an extended conversation. He acknowledged the committee’s frustration, defended his record of spending approximately $70 million on inclusive economic development over 18 months (about half from Measure U), and proposed a new non-law enforcement unit to respond to 911 calls currently handled by police. He also offered to work with the committee on spending the remaining $55 million in CARES Act funds as a temporary replacement for lost Measure U revenue. Committee members pushed back on the mayor’s numbers, criticized the lack of transparency, and demanded a clearer process for the committee’s role. The conversation was passionate; the mayor committed to clarifying the committee’s responsibilities and improving communication.
• Item 7 – Committee Agenda Log: Items were deferred to the next meeting. The committee planed to schedule a workshop to define its role and a deep dive into police/fire budgets at the July meeting. Other requests included polling on Measure U priorities and exploring legal options to renegotiate union contracts.

Key Outcomes

• Votes: Approvals for Consent Calendar items (minutes and auditor’s report) and appointment of two members to the Investment Committee.
• Directives:
  • City staff to follow up with the mayor’s office on clarifying the committee’s scope and process.
  • The July meeting agenda will include: (a) a deep-dive into police and fire department budgets, (b) action items on participatory budgeting (accept technical assistance and funding recommendation), (c) a discussion on the committee’s role and a facilitated workshop, and (d) polling on Measure U spending priorities.
  • Staff to provide a clear breakdown of Measure U revenues and expenditures, including historical data and the impact of COVID-19.
• Next Steps: The committee will meet again in July, with the intention of developing formal recommendations for the mid-year budget cycle (due by early December). Members also plan to draft a letter to the City Council outlining recommended changes to the FY2020/21 budget, including shifting funds from police to inclusive economic development, housing, and community services.