The Social Justice PolitiCast

Today Sky goes it alone to bring you a preview of what’s coming this week. No County meetings, but we do have some items we flagged from the Budget & Audit Committee, as well as 2pm and 5pm Council meetings.  There’s a rally tomorrow at 4:30pm, organized by a collection of some of Sac’s finest orgs who are trying to get people to show up for the 5pm meeting to advocate for the Public Bank viability study, which has been axed even though is it extremely cheap and not a big money saver for the City in terms of closing the budget gap. Come out and support! Here’s what we have coming up, flag-wise: Budget & Audit Committee, Tuesday, May 26, 11am   Item 7: 2025 Audit of City Employees’ Workforce Diversity and Salary Trends Item 8: Updates on Current City Councilmember Proposals That Have Been Heard Before the Budget and Audit Committee   Sacramento City Council, Tuesday, May 26, 2:00pm   Item 16: 2026 Climate Action & Adaptation Plan (CAAP) Annual Progress Report (CONTINUED FROM APRIL 28) Item 17: 2040 General Plan Annual Report for 2025 (CONTINUED FROM APRIL 28) Item 15: [Housing Authority] Authorize the Issuance of 501(c)(3) Bonds for the Financing of the Creek at 2645 Apartments   Sacramento City Council, Tuesday, May 26, 5:00pm   Item 1: Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) Priorities Plan Stay up to date with what your local government is doing in Sacramento: Follow SJPC on FB & IG Sign up for our newsletter Join the SJPC Signal Chat Keep an eye on the running agenda tracker Watch us on YouTube!

This week Gabe is joined by long-time Sac resident and community member, Elaine, to help us break down the items we have flagged for the week. Starting with Sac City Council on Tuesday, May 19 at 2pm and 5pm. Sac Board of Supervisors meeting happening on Tuesday as well, at 9:30am.  We also have a special meeting happening this week on Wednesday at 2pm between the City and County. They're getting the band back together y'all!  Check out our Running Agenda Tracker for the listed items, and linked agendas.  If you would like to join as on the cast as a co-host fill out the interest form.    

Today Sky & Gabe are back to run through what’s happening at the City this week (mostly budget related), as well as flagging some Sheriff shenanigans on the County side. Here’s a CBS article on the fee increases suggested by City management to close the budget gap. Law & Legislation Committee, Tuesday, May 12, 11am Item 5: Updates on Current City Councilmember Proposals That Have Been Heard Before the Law and Legislation Committee   Sacramento City Council, Tuesday, May 12, 2:00pm Item 18: Update on Application of Budget Equity Tool (BET) on the Community Development Department (CDD) and the Finance Department Budget Reductions Item 19: 2026-2031 Capital Improvement Program   Sacramento City Council, Tuesday, May 12, 5:00pm Item 1: Fiscal Year 2026/27 Proposed Budget Deliberation and Council Direction   Sacramento County Board of Supervisors, Tuesday, May 12, 9:30am Item 37: Authorization To Execute A Retroactive Memorandum Of Understanding For Participation In The Sacramento-San Francisco Homeland Security Task Force With The Affiliated Agencies And To Execute A Retroactive Revenue Agreement For Lease And Operational Expenses Memorandum Of Agreement Up To The Amount Of $500,000 For The Period Of October 1, 2025 Through September 30, 2026 (Sheriff) Item 40: Record Purge Of Documents Related To Employees Separated From Service For Seven Or More Years From The Sheriff Personnel Document Classes Stored In FileNet (Sheriff)   Stay up to date with what your local government is doing in Sacramento: Follow SJPC on FB & IG Sign up for our newsletter Join the SJPC Signal Chat Keep an eye on the running agenda tracker Watch us on YouTube!

Today Gabe gives us the recap on the ICE resolution item from City Council from last week, and then he and Sky dive into what’s coming up at the City & County tomorrow. Budget & Audit Committee, 11am Item 4: Measure U Community Advisory Commission Fiscal Year 2026/27 Budget Priorities and Recommendations Item 5: Fiscal Year 2026/27 Citywide Fees and Charges Item 6: Audit of the Sacramento Police Department Evidence and Property Section   City Council, 2pm:   Item 3: United Way California Capital Region for the Sacramento Children’s Fund Guaranteed Basic Income for Transitional Age Foster Youth Program Item 10: Resolution of Intention to Renew the Oak Park Property and Business Improvement District   City Council, 5pm:   Item 1: Fiscal Year 2026/27 Proposed Budget Overview   County Sheriff Community Review Commission, 6pm:   Item 3: Discussion Of Sheriff’s Office Use Of Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR)   Here’s an email template created to help with public comment on the ALPR item.  Stay up to date with what your local government is doing in Sacramento: Follow SJPC on FB & IG Sign up for our newsletter Join the SJPC Signal Chat Keep an eye on the running agenda tracker Watch us on YouTube!

Today Gabe is joined by Moiz from the Asian American Liberation Network to discuss item 29 on the Sacramento City Council Agenda for their 2pm meeting on Tuesday, April 28th. The toolkit can be found here. We're asking people to show up and make public comment, and demand an ordinance from the city that actually protects not only our immigrant neighbors, but all of us who know the overreach of law enforcement and the harm is causes.    Follow AALN on IG  Check our running agenda tracker for the other items we've flagged for the week. 

Today Sky is joined by Varun Arora from House Sacramento to talk about the Missing Middle update item on tomorrow’s 5pm City Council agenda. What is densification? What are the changes being proposed? Why are some housing advocates still wary of tomorrow’s discussion? Varun gives us the scoop. House Sacramento Substack - An update on Missing Middle Housing Also! Our friends at Strong Sactown are hosting a pre-meeting power hour before the meeting tomorrow. 4pm at Immortal cafe. Register here. No County Meetings tomorrow, but here are our flags for both the 2pm and 5pm City Council meetings: 2pm: Item 9: Establishing the Rental Housing Inspection Program (RHIP) Reserve Project and Policy Item 13: City Motel Shelter Program Support Services with Step Up on Second Street, Inc. Item 18: Successor Labor Agreements/Memoranda of Understanding; and the Citywide Salary Schedule 5pm: Item 3: General Plan and Zoning Consistency: Missing Middle Housing (MMH) and Senate Bill (SB) 79 Workshop Stay up to date with what your local government is doing in Sacramento: Follow SJPC on FB & IG Sign up for our newsletter Join the SJPC Signal Chat Keep an eye on the running agenda tracker Watch us on YouTube!

No City Council this week, so Gabe and Sky walk you through some upcoming opportunities for public engagement:  Wednesday, April 22 (Earth Day), 1pm @ the Capitol West Steps - Rally at the Capitol for a CA State Public Bank Campaign Launch and Press Conference Thursday, April 23, 5pm via Zoom - Sacramento County Jail System Planning Update & Community Input Webinar Then we point out a couple of things that may be worth noting on the County BoS agenda for tomorrow: Item 28: Authorization To Execute A Memorandum Of Understanding With The United States Capitol Police For Law Enforcement Services Support Within Sacramento County (Sheriff) Item 30: Authorization To Execute Memorandums Of Understanding Between The Sacramento Sheriff’s Office And Various Law Enforcement Agencies For Participation With The Central California Intelligence Center Embedded Analyst Item 40: Semi-Annual Homelessness Report Item 41: Homeless And Housing System Partnership Model Update And Select Two Members To The Sacramento Homeless And Housing Board (Homeless Services and Housing) Stay up to date with what your local government is doing in Sacramento: Follow SJPC on FB & IG Sign up for our newsletter Join the SJPC Signal Chat Keep an eye on the running agenda tracker Watch us on YouTube!

Today we’re joined by Ember Ward, to fill us in on the work they’re doing with the Sacramento Rise Hub. The Rise Hub is a network of various services and resources for immigrant communities. Their mission is to connect at-risk individuals, their families, and communities with essential community systems such as legal services, schools, labor unions, and local governments. For more info, check them out at www.sacrisehub.org  There are no meetings this week! Enjoy the break! Stay up to date with what your local government is doing in Sacramento: Follow SJPC on FB & IG Sign up for our newsletter Join the SJPC Signal Chat Keep an eye on the running agenda tracker Watch us on YouTube!

Today Gabe is joined by former D4 City Councilmember, Katie Valenzuela, to discuss public banking related to item 17 on Tuesday's 2pm City Council Meeting. The toolkit for those looking to make public comment can be found here.    Check our Running Agenda Tracker for all the details on the flagged items for this week. 

Audio alert - this episode we experimented with an in-person version of the show, and something went wrong with Skyler’s mic. Please give us a little grace in the audio department on this ep. This week Skyler is joined by Jeff Kessler, who works with Vacancy Fee Sacramento. Jeff’s org works towards pushing the CIty to use fees and potentially a vacancy tax to promote development & stabilize lease prices, addressing blight and economic justice in one fell swoop. Vacancy taxes & fees are both being discussed at tomorrow’s Law & Legislation meeting at 11am, so this is a great primer for that discussion, which is on our “attend and advocate” recommendations this week. Follow Vacancy Fee Sacramento on Instagram! Here’s what’s coming up tomorrow at City Hall: Law & Legislation, Tuesday, March 17, 11am   Item 5: Status Update on Prior Vacant Property Tax Exploration (LR25-004) Item 6: Discussion of an Enhanced Vacant Lot and Vacant Building Monitoring and Enforcement Program   City Council, Tuesday, March 17, 2pm   Item 14: Early Budget Work Session - Budget Context and City Department Reports on Departmental Budgets, Reduction Strategies, and Potential Impacts (Youth, Parks, and Community Enrichment, Community Development Department, Finance Department, Human Resources, Information Technology, Department of Utilities, and Public Works Department)   City Council, Tuesday, March 17, 5pm   Item 2: Vision Zero Action Plan Update High Injury Network (HIN) Development Other meetings happening this week at the County that are not addressed in the episode but worth watching nonetheless: Sheriff Community Review Commission Sacramento County Behavioral Health Commission General Meeting Public comment from the budget item last Tuesday Stay up to date with what your local government is doing in Sacramento! Follow SJPC on FB & IG Sign up for our newsletter Join the SJPC Signal Chat Keep an eye on the running agenda tracker Watch us on YouTube!

Today, Gabe and Keyan give us an overview of last week’s happenings at City Council, and then dive into a discussion about the Sacramento Police budget, why it’s so high, why they usually seem to get what they want, and what we can expect during the budget workshop on Tuesday.  Here’s what’s coming up tomorrow at City Hall: City Council, Tuesday, March 10, 2pm Item 16: Early Budget Work Session - Budget Context and City Department Reports on Departmental Budgets, Reduction Strategies, and Potential Impacts (City Manager’s Office/Office of Innovation and Economic Development, Convention and Cultural Services, Department of Community Response, Fire Department, Police Department) Other meetings happening this week that did not raise any flags for us include: Sacramento Community Police Review Commission, Monday, March 9, 5:30pm Budget & Audit Committee, Tuesday March 10, 11am Sacramento County Board of Supervisors, Tuesday, March 10, 9:30am Some light reading, for context: Sacramento City Council Considers Cutting Police Positions Sacramento Politician Urges Citizens to Block Homeless Housing by Suing Stay up to date with what your local government is doing in Sacramento! Follow SJPC on FB & IG Sign up for our newsletter Join the SJPC Signal Chat Keep an eye on the running agenda tracker Watch us on YouTube!

Today, we are joined by former City Councilmember Katie Valenzuela, who gives us the rundown on the upcoming weekly budget discussions coming up all throughout the month of March, what to look out for, and why these conversations or so important for the community to be keeping an eye on.  Here’s what’s coming up tomorrow at City Hall: City Council, Tuesday, 3/3/26, 2pm Item 16: 2027 Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency (SHRA) One-Year Action Plan Federal Programs Allocation Process Workshop Number One Item 17: Early Budget Work Session - Budget Context and Balancing Scenarios City Council, Tuesday, 3/2/26, 5pm Item 3: Resolution Establishing Business Operating Permit Fees for Cannabis Consumption Lounges (Continued from last week’s meeting) Item 4: Extension of the Opportunity to Apply for and Operate a Storefront Cannabis Dispensary for the Cannabis Opportunity Reinvestment and Equity (CORE) Program NO COUNTY BOS MEETINGS THIS WEEK! Some light reading, for context: Sacramento city, county find ‘significant concerns’ at public housing agency Streamline Sacramento boosts housing and economic development processes in first year (from the City, in their words) Stay up to date with what your local government is doing in Sacramento! Follow SJPC on FB & IG Sign up for our newsletter Join the SJPC Signal Chat Keep an eye on the running agenda tracker Watch us on YouTube!

Today Gabe is joined by Crystal Harding, Vice Chairperson of the Recreation & Park District Board in D3, the North Highlands area! After a rundown of Law & Legislation from two weeks ago (no meetings last week because of President's Day), they give the rundown on what's coming up tomorrow at the City and County! Here’s what’s coming up tomorrow at City Hall: City Council, Tuesday, February 24, 2pm: Item 18: Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency Annual Comprehensive Financial Report for the Year Ended December 31, 2024, and Single Audit City Council, Tuesday, February 24, 5pm: Item 3: Resolution Establishing Business Operating Permit Fees for Cannabis Consumption Lounges Item 4: Sacramento Police Department Violent Crime Reduction Strategy Item 6: Economic Development Workshop Item 7: Streamline Sacramento - An Overview of the City’s 2025 Development Process Improvements Program County Board of Supervisors, Tuesday, February 24, 9:30am   Item 40: Homeless And Housing System Partnership Model Update (Homeless Services and Housing) Stay up to date with what your local government is doing in Sacramento! Follow SJPC on FB & IG Sign up for our newsletter Join the SJPC Signal Chat Keep an eye on the running agenda tracker Watch us on YouTube!

Today Sky talks to Moiz Mir, one of Sacramento’s hardest working advocates who works the Asian American Liberation Network, as well as several different organizations around town tackling issues from climate justice, police accountability, housing reform, and everything in between. After we give a quick rundown on what happened at City Council last week and what’s coming up next week, Moiz gives us an inside look into what we can expect to see at tomorrow’s Law & Legislation Committee meeting.    Peep the toolkit here.   Stay up with what the Asian American Liberation Network is doing here.   Here’s what’s coming up tomorrow at City Hall:   Community Police Review Commission, Monday, 2/9/26, 5:30pm Item 4: Discuss a Draft Orientation and Ongoing Training Outline for the Sacramento Community Police Review Commission Item 5: City of Sacramento Community Police Review Commission 2026 Workplan Item 7: Selection of Chair and Vice Chair for Calendar Year 2026   Law & Legislation, Tuesday, 2/10/26, 9:30am Item 3: Councilmember Proposal Request for Committee Consideration - Prohibiting the Use of City Facilities and City Property, Related to Immigration-Related Enforcement Activities Supplemental Material   City Council, Tuesday, 2/10/26, 2pm Item 19: City Attorney Appointment and Contract   City Council, Tuesday, 2/10/26, 5pm Item 1: Fiscal Year (FY) 2025/26 Budget Update and Proposed Adjustments   Nothing flagged at the County Board of Supervisors meeting this week.   Stay up to date with what your local government is doing in Sacramento!   Follow SJPC on FB & IG Sign up for our newsletter Join the SJPC Signal Chat Keep an eye on the running agenda tracker Watch us on YouTube!

Today we're joined by Jaxon, a local activist and organizer who's been out holding it down at the John Moss (ICE) building. Jaxon talks us through last Tuesday's packed City Council meeting in which people came out in record numbers to demand protection for immigrants and the people who are standing up for them in Sacramento.  Read more here. Catch up with Jaxon on IG @theactionjaxon No County BoS meetings next week, but on the city front we have: Budget & Audit Committee, 11am Item 2: Fiscal Year 2024/25 Measure U Sales Tax Performance Audit Item 7: Fiscal Year (FY) 2025/26 Budget Update and Proposed Adjustments City Council, 2pm Item 16: Establishment of Appointed Officers Unit (Unit 24) and Adoption of the Personnel Resolution Covering Appointed Officers, Personnel Resolution Covering Unrepresented Employees, Employer-Employee Relations Policy, and Citywide Salary Schedule Stay up to date with what your local government is doing in Sacramento! Follow us on FB & IG Sign up for our newsletter Join the SJPC Signal Chat Keep an eye on the running agenda tracker Watch us on YouTube!

Gabe & Skyler are back this week to update you on how our electeds voted on the flagged items from the last pod, and also to give you the rundown on what’s happening this week:   Tuesday, January 27, 2026 City Council, 2pm Item 14: An Update to the City of Sacramento’s Legislative and Programmatic Support for Immigrants and Refugees County Board of Supervisors Item 5: Approve A Resolution To Request The Sheriff's Office Send A Representative To Sheriff Community Review Commission Meetings Item 33: Presentation Of A Comprehensive Review Of Tax Revenue Enhancement Options (Budget and Debt Management) Stay up to date with what your local government is doing in Sacramento! Follow us on FB & IG Sign up for our newsletter Join the SJPC Signal Chat Keep an eye on the running agenda tracker Links for this week’s episode: Toolkit: Strengthening Sacramento’s Sanctuary Policy Watch us on YouTube!

On the inaugural episode of the Social Justice PolitiCast, Gabe & Skyler Dive into this week’s meetings which include the Sacramento Community Police Review Commission tonight at 5:30pm, followed by Law & Legislation at City Hall at 11am, City Council at 5pm, and the County BoS meeting at 9:30am all tomorrow Tuesday, Jan 13! Watch/listen to us every week to stay up to date on what’s happening in Sacramento local government on YouTube, social media, or wherever you get your podcasts. Episode Links: SJPC Running Agenda Tracker Abridged.org - Councilman wants to ban new homeless shelters in Sacramento’s River District Hoodline - Sacramento Super Take Aim at Illegal Camps Hiding on Private Lots   SJPC Links: Social Justice Politicorps website Sign up to be a host! Sign up for our newsletter Join our Signal chat