Parking Their Differences, Council Gets It Right
By Frank Luna
Last night the Sacramento City Council voted to entertain bids to privatize several downtown parking structures and some street parking. Not only does this represent a positive move towards partial funding of a new downtown arena, it also reflects a willingness on the part of Sacramento's entrenched governing body to at least dare, if just a little, to think big. And while the impact of this privatization move has yet to be fully understood, voting to move forward with this plan is a positive step for the future of this city. For starters, this sends a strong signal to the NBA and AEG Entertainment, two key players in making a new arena a reality. Nobody wants to deal with a divided city council and a powerless mayor and Tuesday the city leaders spoke with one voice. For those supporters of the arena, your voice has been heard, and to the cautious opponents, your voice will continue to be heard. With many difficult hurdles to follow, Sacramento has at least gotten off on the right foot, perhaps taking a baby step towards a world-class city.
