The News & Review’s Cosmo Garvin is reporting that Kevin Johnson is rumored to be considering a run for mayor and could announce his candidacy as early as tomorrow (I think; SNR says “Friday, January 24”). Garvin of course brings up the Bee’s report last fall about citations at KJ’s Oak Park properties. I wonder how Mayor Fargo will deal with that.
P.S. Thanks to FFT for posting it
The Sac Rag 
CBS-13 had this story on their newscast. Several tenants said that Kevin Johnson is a slumlord. The anchors said that if Johnson was elected mayor, it would be like Arnold being elected governor, since a famous mayor would bring a lot of attention to Sacramento.
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Breton in The Bee also has a story about it.
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TS hopes KJ announces his positions on local issues (no “commissions” to study the issues please):
Arena (TS says “No public money without some public ownership, enforce prior agreements”)
Railyard (TS says “No public money without some public ownership, sue prior dumpers for toxic cleanup”)
River use (TS says “Enforce glass bottle and camping laws on public lands”)
Substandard Housing (TS says “Eminent domain for repeat offenders”)
K Street Mall (TS says “All sides need to poop or get off the pot, now”)
Schools (TS says “Abandon NCLB, teach 3Rs in English only, bring back art, real PE, music”)
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I don’t know whether Kevin Johnson would be a good mayor or not, but I am glad to see someone actually considering giving Heather Fargo a real challenge. Fargo seems like a nice lady and I feel bad for her having MS, but to me, she’s a caretaker mayor at best. I have wished numerous times during her tenure that we had a more dynamic leader, someone who knows how to make things happen.
Whether or not you agree with Turty Squip’s positions, there’s no denying those are all problems that have nagged the city for far too long. (I will note though that the mayor has little say over how schools run things, so she and KJ get a pass on that one.) Let’s add in the issue of balancing the city budget too.
Fargo has provided no visible leadership on these issues, appearing content to just sit back and listen to all parties involved and try to make them all happy. Obviously that approach has gotten the city nowhere. She may be hampered by the city government setup with a strong city manager, but a strong leader would know how to make things happen within that framework.
Mayor KJ? Who knows? But the idea is more refreshing and intriguing than all the chickens on the city council who are reluctant to challenge Fargo.
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The part about how Rob Fong and Dave Jones were figuring they’d be head to head for mayor in ’12 is intriguing to me. If they think KJ has any juice right now, do they throw their hats in now too or do they wait and possibly face an incumbent KJ?
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I would totally vote for KJ if he could get Tom Chambers as the vice mayor.
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The Breton piece suggests KJ could rely on AKT for support. That raises interesting and sinister questions about whether KJ could forcefully advocate for increased city support for undersupported existing urban areas while taking money from interests who coninually try to push development to the green edges of the region. I’m suspicious.
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If you have Tom Chambers as Vice Mayor, you’d totally have to get Dwight Howard as the campaign manager. He’d be slappin’ KJ stickers EVERYWHERE. You think you see those Andre the Giant stickers in odd places? Wait ’til Dwight rolls into town:
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According to the teasers, Bobby Graswich (sorry, he goes by RE now, but he was always Bobby in college) is allegedly goinhg to do a CBS correspondent gig tonight about the whole Kevin Johnson for Mayor issue.. Channel 13 at 5:30!
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Maybe we can get Larry Nance as city manager. I’m sure if he can dunk two bastketballs at the same time, he can juggle the myriad resposibilities of CM.
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KJ would surely appoint Ralph Sampson & Hakeem Olajuwon to take over John Saca’s “Twin Towers” project:
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Darryl Dawkins would smash crime as Chief of Police:
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Mmmmmmm, Chocolate Thunder.
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CBS-13 announced that Willie Brown might run for mayor. That would not be a good idea because Brown has been involved in politics for thirty years. That means that he’s “too connected.” He got elected because of donations and special deals. He probably still has connections and will continue to favor those who put him in power. So he likely won’t be interested in what’s best for the people, but what’s best for certain special interest groups.
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What? He doesn’t even live here. All mayoral candidates should be able to take an educated stand on Big Spoon v. Mocchi or City Bicycle Works v. College Cyclery. Wasn’t Slick Willie the reason why our state legislature even has term limits?
P.S. Knowledge of ’80s NBA stars/slam dunk competitors not a prerequisite, but it would be cool to have Meadowlark Lemon as Chief of Staff, if only for his name.
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I neglected to mention the obvious key selling point to KJ: He’s a Cal (that’s THE University of California) grad, and we know what quality people Berkeley-educated folks are. ROLL ON YOU BEARS!!!!
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The anchor on CBS-13 said that some in Sacramento are pushing Willlie Brown to run as mayor. The anchor also said this information was a scoop from RE Graswich. The anchor said Willie Brown would have to register to vote in Sacramento and establish residency in February.
When Willie Brown was mayor of San Franciso, his law office dealt with real estate developers. If he became mayor of Sacramento, I’m sure he would would very quickly cover up all of the open space in Natomas with houses.
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