Council votes to place Mayor's youth funding plan on November ballot
Mayor Darrell Steinberg and his colleagues on the City Council Tuesday voted to place his youth funding proposal on the November ballot. The proposed charter amendment would create a dedicated funding stream for youth in Sacramento over the next 12 years without locking in spending levels at the potential expense of other city functions.
Here are the key elements:
Twenty percent of revenue growth, annually, will be allocated to non-profit organizations serving City of Sacramento youth.
Funds will be spent on city programs or programs run by outside entities.
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 recent budget trends, the mayor’s plan will deliver an additional $4 million to $5 million annually to youth programs.
The City already spends about $21.6 million in general fund dollars on youth services, including after school care, violence and gang prevention, recreation and youth employment. That investment has been increased 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 Sacramento 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.
