SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Sacramento leaders put a large effort forward to fund projects for youth in the city last year. This year, the city is asking voters to decide whether or not to spend more on the young people in Sacramento.
California voters put Measure G forward as a ballot initiative so the people could decide whether or not to create a fund that would require the city to put money toward youth programs.
Measure G will be on the March primary ballot for Sacramento voters.
Measure G
This ballot measure would create the Sacramento Children's Fund, which would take 2.5% of the city's revenue of that year to dedicate towards programs for youth in Sacramento.
Each year, the city would take the percentage of unreserved revenues and allocate 90% of the fund towards programs that are on the approved list of activities for youth in Sacramento.
The approved activities for youth under 25 that are approved include:
- Mentoring
- Counseling
- Summer and after-school activities
- Early childhood education
- Family support services
The other 10% of the fund could be spent on other projects that will benefit young people, like parks and housing.
The spending decisions are to be made by an oversight commission every three years. The commission is to be comprised of 17 people that the mayor and city council appoint.
Arguments for Measure G
Proponents of Measure G argue that the ballot measure will help thousands of children without raising taxes for people in Sacramento.
The city often spends money on the youth after an issue arises, and setting up this fund would prevent spending more in the future, proponents say.
Proponents of this measure include:
- Assemblymember Kevin McCarty
- Executive Director of American Academy of Pediatrics Isra Uz-Zaman
- President of PRO Youth and Families Staci Anderson
- Cofounder of Roberts Family Development Center Derrell Roberts
- Councilmember Jay Schenirer
- Councilmember Eric Guerra
- Councilmember Allen Warren
- Youth Leader of EBAYC Sacramento Dee Khang
- Treasurer of United Latinos Mary Cervantez
- President of Sac City Teachers Association David Fisher
Arguments against Measure G
Opponents of the measure argue that the fund will take money from other city services that will result in a need for raising taxes or the closure of city services in the future.
There is also criticism that Measure G circumvents the oversight needed to give city funds to nonprofit organizations according to opponents.
Opponents also said just over 7% of city funds go towards the youth. The city's finance department reports that $36.2 million annually is spent on programs and services for the youth.
Opponents of this measure include:
- Councilmember Larry Carr
- Councilmember Angelique Ashby
- Councilmember Jeff Harris
- Director of Sacramento Library Rivkah Sass
- Chief of the Sacramento Fire Department Gary Loesch
- Former Mayor Heather Fargo
- Former Mayor Jimmie Yee
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