Steve Cohn's Vision and Platform, Mayor of Sacramento 2000

By Steve Cohn

Sacramento should be the most livable city in America with excellent schools and libraries; abundant parks and open spaces; a dynamic central city; vibrant arts, sports and cultural attractions; and safe, quality, tree-lined neighborhoods within walking distance of a transit stop from everything you need.

Steve Cohn's Priorities
- Improve existing neighborhoods and create a vibrant city
center.
- Expand transportation alternatives.
- Improve public safety.
- Improve public schools.
- Promote economic development and opportunity.
- Protect the urban and natural environment.
- Reestablish the City's parks and recreational
opportunities.
- Develop world class arts, sports and cultural
attractions.
- Hold local government more accountable.
- Promote unity and tolerance of the City's diverse
population.

Improve Existing Neighborhoods and Create a Vibrant City Center

We need to understand the linkage between quality neighborhoods and a great city. What makes a great city like Paris is not just the beautiful monuments, it's the safe, livable neighborhoods where everything you need is a short walk or metro stop away from where you live.

My goals over the next five years include:

- Approving new development proposals subject to conditions ensuring compatibility with existing neighborhoods.
- Continuing to promote Downtown as the business, entertainment, government and cultural hub of the region.
- Partnering with West Sacramento to develop the Sacramento River waterfront as the urban equivalent of the American River Parkway.
- Developing strong identities for each of the City's existing business districts, e.g., the Midtown restaurant/café/boutique district, the Del Paso Blvd. Art District, and the Oak Park urban village, using street lighting, angled parking, design review, zoning and housing policies that encourage mixed uses.
- Implementing the $1 million street lighting matching program that I sponsored in 1999 to light as many neighborhoods as possible throughout the city.
- Requiring social service providers to abide by good neighbor conditions and work with the County to locate more social services outside the City.
- Continuing expansion of the City's code enforcement program.
- Appointing a Neighborhood Council to advise the Mayor on citywide neighborhood issues. Expand Transportation Alternatives

Light rail and transit should be expanded so that they seamlessly and conveniently connect to the Airport and all major destination points throughout the region, as well as to the Amtrak rail system and all our neighborhoods. As traffic worsens on Highway 50 and Interstate 80, commuters need to have other choices that do not overrun our neighborhood streets and pollute our air.

My goals over the next five years include:

- Reaching consensus in the 2000 Transportation and Air Quality Forum to set aside money from the half cent Measure A sales tax and other state and federal funds to complete the construction of the Folsom and Meadowview extensions and to seek federal and state funding for further expansion of light rail to the Airport and other key destinations.
- Working with the Capitol Corridor Board (I am currently Chair) and Amtrak to obtain funding to expand Capitol Corridor rail service (Bay Area to Sacramento) to 10 daily trips within two years and hourly service within five years, including hourly commuter service between Roseville, Sacramento and Davis.
- Making more efficient use of existing roads and freeways through car pool lanes, improved maintenance and better connections.
- Establishing a model program to reduce car trips during summer smog season by encouraging more carpooling, transit, bicycling and telecommuting.
- Fully developing the City/County Bicycle Master Plan.

Improve Public Safety

All neighborhood streets should be safe enough for our children to play in day or night. Neighborhoods should be free not only of violent crime, guns and drugs, but the so-called "lesser" crimes too, including graffiti, prostitution and vandalism. Unsafe traffic volumes and speed must not be allowed to destroy a neighborhood. Finally, hate crimes must not be tolerated.

My goals over the next five years include:

- Increasing flood protection beyond the 140-year level authorized by Congress.

- Seeking state and federal authorization to continue funding the City's 101 neighborhood police officers.

- Enforcing a "Zero tolerance" misdemeanor policy and implement the "broken windows" theory by attacking crime at the outset in a neighborhood.

- Supporting state legislation to dedicate more money for prosecution of hate crimes and domestic violence cases.

- Expanding the Neighborhood Accountability Board program.

- Improving fire and ambulance response.

Improve Public Schools

Education is the key to the economic development of our region, as well as the growth and development of each child. An ounce of educational prevention is worth more than a pound of jail time, remedial training, and welfare "cure". As a parent, former school activist, and the son and husband of a teacher, I would carry on Mayor Serna's legacy of partnering with the local school districts to improve student achievement and to make better use of schools as neighborhood community centers.

My goals over the next five years include:

- Partnering with the local school districts to achieve the highest possible performance standards and the best possible facilities.

- Using the $1.5 million set aside from the City's 2000 capital budget for making improvements to schools to allow them to serve as neighborhood community centers.

- Building better connections between CSUS and the surrounding community, including a college district and transit village around 65th Street/University light rail station. Promote Economic Development and Opportunity

To strengthen our economy and promote a true regional center Downtown, we need to develop an Infill Development policy that encourages development of the Central City and other existing neighborhoods and business districts. Connecting all of our neighborhoods to a strong and vibrant Central City that takes full advantage of the waterfront and all of its historic resources makes good community sense. Such a program will complement the Midtown renaissance already in place. We need to continue Sacramento's trend toward a stronger economy and the generation of high-wage jobs. But it is not enough to generate big business jobs. Neighborhoods need healthy small business districts, and the City's working families need to get their fair share of the region's prosperity.

My goals over the next five years include:

- Developing an infill development policy to encourage development of Central City and existing neighborhoods and business districts.
- Promoting small businesses, particularly in aging business districts and corridors.
- Resurrecting the Mayor's Council of Economic Advisers.
- Working with business and labor leaders to ensure that City's working families share in region's prosperity.
- Developing a targeted economic development or program for particular enterprise zones of the City. Protect our Urban and Natural Environment

Our quality of life is dependent on protecting our environment and conserving our resources and open spaces.

My goals over the next five years include:

- Developing a comprehensive infill incentive program to reduce or waive fees and streamline permitting process for projects proposed in the City's urban core.

- Promoting development projects located next to transit and charge transit surcharge fees to projects located away from transit.

- Expanding and improving the convenience and accessibility of the city's recycling program.

- Partnering with the Green Valley Initiative and jurisdictions throughout the region to preserve open spaces.

- Partnering with SMUD on solar and energy efficiency programs.

Reestablish the City's Parks and Recreational Opportunities

The City needs to reinvigorate its proud park system by developing new parks and improving older inner city parks.

My goals over the next five years include:

- Buying and developing all remaining privately-owned properties in American River Parkway to complete the parkway.

- Funding and developing the city's two new regional parks: Sutter's Landing Park and Granite Park.

- Building at least 10 more youth soccer and baseball fields.

- Building a stronger community base for Sac State and UC Davis sports and culture programs.

- Expanding Pops in the Park citywide to fund needed improvements to City parks and build community spirit.

Support World-Class Arts, Sports and Cultural Attractions

We need to create a stable and growing funding source (public and private) for the performing and visual arts to take advantage of the tremendous creative talent we have in each neighborhood of our community.

My goals over the next five years include:

- Establishing a regional arts council to leverage private and public money into an enhanced arts scene, resulting in the restoration of the Symphony, and top quality arts and entertainment.

- Planning a performing arts center, expanded Crocker Art Museum and Unity Center on the Sacramento River waterfront.

- Working with West Sacramento to ensure the success of the new riverfront ballpark.

- Opening the Central Library Downtown in the evenings and on weekends to allow people to use the library when they need to after work and school and liven up the Downtown area at night.

- Attracting a major league soccer team and facility.

Hold Local Government More Accountable

We need to understand and practice the conservation ethic that all public resources, including natural and financial resources (taxes), should be used wisely and efficiently. That is why I led the Council to stabilize utility rates during my term in office. The role of local government is to bring people together # to give people tools to solve problems, not to solve all of the people's problems for them. But people need to have confidence that the people they elect will be responsive to those who elect them, not those who fund their campaigns.

My goals over the next five years include:

- Adopting a comprehensive set of campaign reforms, including limits on campaign contributions and electronic reporting.

- Putting all new taxes and major sports arena/stadium and loan proposals to a vote of the people.

- Establishing "best practices" standards for all city services.

- Having sidewalk hours to meet with City residents.

Promote Unity and Tolerance of our Diverse Population

Sacramento's greatest resource is its people. I never felt this so strongly as I did when Sacramentans of all races, ethnicities, religions, sexual orientations and creeds gathered in a Unity rally in the wake of the three Synagogue fires this summer. I initiated a collaborative effort with Mayor Serna, Assemblymember Steinberg and others to capture permanently this spirit of unity in a Capital Unity Center.

My goals over the next five years include:

- Establishing a permanent Capital Unity Center to promote unity and tolerance among Sacramento's diverse people and to combat hate crimes and prejudice in three ways: 1) an educational program to promote tolerance and understanding among California's diverse races, ethnic groups, religions, cultures, etc.; 2) a museum with exhibits showing the good, the bad and the ugly of California's history of race and ethnic relations and prejudices; and 3) a research and investigation arm to assist law enforcement in tracking hate groups.

- Working to create outreach programs that will continue to promote diversity in City hiring and contracting programs without violating Proposition 209.