The culture of government practice, dominating the political culture of downtown, does create inertia that would not be as strong in a town less government oriented.
Combined with the lack of local public leadership evident for many years, gridlock on pressing issues has developed and, apparently, settled in for the duration.
Marcos Bretón: Nit-pickers stand in city's way
By Marcos Bretón - mbreton@sacbee.com
Published 12:00 am PDT Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Sacramento is a city of obstructionists. A city where big ideas are plundered by small interests. A place where people keep their heads down because sticking them up above the pack invites a slap of derision.
Why build beyond ourselves when one can file a lawsuit instead? Or call out the hounds of environmental study? Or hold community meetings where nincompoops drown out viable visions deserving of support?
The result? When will we see that vibrant city that always seems five or 10 years from being realized?
It's part of our community DNA, this endemic reflex to obstruct.
For example, the core of downtown Sacramento is rotten with blight. The 700 and 800 blocks of K Street are wasting away in a seemingly endless patty-cake of litigation between the city and landowner Moe Mohanna.
In the meantime, a black hole of boarded buildings attracts crime. They press up against the Downtown Plaza like a virus. They cut off Old Sacramento from other sections of downtown where great things are happening.
And the local inertia goes deeper.
Mr. Mohanna's business partner is a gent named John Lambeth, who just happens to be chairman of the Executive Committee of the Sacramento Metro Chamber of Commerce.
Yes. You read that correctly. One of the lead officers in the group charged with promoting Sacramento is mixed up with the biggest anti-Sacramento mess going.
