VOICES: is back! And this week is a doozy.
Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg is mad. Big mad. So is the opinion editor at the Sacramento Bee, Gil Duran.
You might not know it, but these two were colleagues in the state capitol a decade ago, working diligently to wrest low-income housing dollars from the people of California. Gil was press secretary for Governor Jerry Brown. Darrell was Senate Pro Tempore. They put an end to redevelopment housing money. A classic love story.
(Bonus: Take a look at all the money Mayor Steinberg takes from anti-renters-rights interests here.)
Well, it appears they’re doing a reboot in 2019, working hand-in-hand to publicly attack lifelong housing advocate Michelle Pariset of Public Advocates. Why’s that?
Michelle was part of a robust coalition of regional housing advocates who gathered 47,000 signatures in favor of a ballot measure that would bring real renters rights to the people of Sacramento. After the city made a backroom, milquetoast deal with a couple of members of this coalition, they wanted Michelle to snub these 47,000 residents and withdraw the ballot measure. She refused.
Now the Sacramento for Real Rent Control Coalition (which includes the Sacramento Tenants Union, DSA, ACCE, and SEUI 1021) is pressuring Steinberg and city council to put the measure on the March 2020 ballot by December 5, or else they’ll sue. The editorial board at the Bee, apparently proud of Gil’s hand in creating this housing crisis with Darrell, just wrote an opinion piece suggesting that the city use tax dollars to fight its own residents.
Real community journalism there. Comforting the afflicted, and all that.
This episode outlines the absurdity of Darrell and the Bee’s accusations of “bad faith,” asking what sort of metrics we should be using with such a term.
We also discuss the state of partisan politics in California, and touch on how a robust Left could find a footing from within the Democratic party.
Special shout to Anthony Siino, the man who created something truly beautiful with Voices: River City’s first 22 episodes. Thanks for the blessing to start this baby back up.
Another thank-you to friends of the pod Be Brave Bold Robot, who recorded a pretty little song to lead us into this next phase of VOICES: River City. You can catch them December 6 at Fox & Goose Public House.
And a warm welcome to our new co-host, Skyler Henry. Claws out.
