Mayor Steinberg offers plan to boost funding for Sacramento youth programs
Mayor Darrell Steinberg this week laid out a proposal — called “A Better Way” — that would create a dedicated funding stream for youth in Sacramento without putting future city budgets at risk by locking in spending levels at the expense of other city functions.
Mayor Steinberg chats with attendees at one of the city-sponsored “PopUp” events for youth.
“Ensuring that Sacramento’s young people are healthy, safe and have an opportunity to thrive in the new economy is one of my top priorities, and we’ve boosted funding for youth programs substantially since I became mayor,” said Mayor Steinberg. “I remain committed to continuing to fund the non-profits doing great work with our kids. But we must also protect the city’s ability to carry out the other important initiatives laid out in the campaign for Measure U, including the $100-million affordable housing trust fund we hope to create later this year, revitalizing our commercial corridors, and the investment in economic development projects that could lead to good jobs for our youth in the years to come.”
Mayor Steinberg plans to bring the measure to the Council in February to place on the November 2020 ballot.
Here are the key elements:
Twenty percent of revenue growth, annually, will be allocated to non-profit organizations serving City of Sacramento youth.
Only non-profits serving Sacramento youth are eligible to apply.
Funds will be allocated starting in 2021.
The measure will contain a maintenance of effort provision protecting non-profit youth organizations from disproportionate cuts during a recession.
The Sacramento Youth Commission will review proposals and weigh in with its advisory recommendations to the mayor and City Council, who will select funding recipients.
Based on current projections, the mayor’s plan will deliver an additional $2.5 million to $3 million annually to youth programs.
The City already spends about $36 million, or about 7.6 percent of its budget, on youth services, including after school care, violence and gang prevention, recreation and youth employment. That investment has been increased by millions of dollars since November 2018, when voters approved extending the Measure U sales tax and raising it from a half to a full cent.
Some of the city’s recent investments include:
$2.5 million for PopUp events that give teens and families in Sacramento fun, safe activities on Friday and Saturday nights.
$14.4 million to help fund a new Aquatics facility in North Natomas
$1.01 million to assist with the improvement on such non-profit neighborhood youth hubs as the former CalSkate roller rink off Mack Road and a new sports complex planned for Robertson Community Center in Del Paso Heights.
$1 million to allow city youth to ride Sacramental Regional Transit for free.
$30 million to help fund construction of the new Powerhouse Science Center north of downtown on the Sacramento River.
$750,000 to fund the Advance Peace violence prevention program.
Ongoing commitment to paid youth internship programs, including Thousand Strong, Landscape & Learning and Prime Time Teen.
Financial support for the Summer Night Lights and Night Life Turned Right programs in the Mack Road/Valley High area and in Del Paso Heights.
