Emails reveal possible collusion in Sacramento Arena deal

Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson can’t catch a break.  In addition to a city employee filing sexual harassment charges against him, it is now being reported that the mayor’s heroic efforts to keep the Sacramento Kings in town, is tainted.  Residents have sued the city, claiming fraud, for all of the perks given to the team via the city council.

Digital billboards and parking garage access were given to the team to keep them profitable and were not disclosed to the public.  Officials told the public the perks had no monetary value, which the residents say is a lie.  Residents were overjoyed that the prodigal son returned home to be their mayor, yet, was it his plan to bleed the city dry, in favor of developers?

In an excerpt:

When the arena deal was finalized in May 2014, the city’s contribution included $223 million in cash—from bonds the city would pay back by diverting revenue from parking garages, meters and tickets—and $32 million worth of land in Natomas and downtown. Officially, the city’s entire contribution to the arena deal is $255 million.

But the city also agreed to give the Kings its parking garage under Downtown Plaza. And the city agreed to lease six city-owned parcels of land to the Kings, along with the rights to build jumbo-sized digital billboards on each site. (The Kings would pay nothing for these leases for 35 years.)

Part of the evidence submitted includes handwritten notes from the mayor himself saying:

But Soluri and Anderson point out Johnson’s handwriting on an internal memo, noting the underground parking spaces are worth $30 million to $40 million. The handwriting also says, “Can’t put in writing. Politically tough.”

This arrangement sounds quite familiar to 2 Urban Girls.  Are Sacramento residents still happy KJ returned “home” to be the city’s mayor?

Read the full article detailing the council’s deceit to Sacramento residents on NewsReview.com