The Sacramento City Council appears ready to take an important symbolic step towards addressing our epidemic of pedestrian deaths — but probably not until next year. We can only hope that declaring these deaths an official emergency will elevate the crisis right to the top when it comes to crafting next year’s budget.
That will be where the proverbial rubber meets the road.
Elevating anything as a budget priority means less money for something else. But what? The city already rejected $10 million in this year’s budget towards the issue, and it’s facing a projected $77 million in the city budget for next year. Sacramento must find dedicated funding for the Department of Public Works or risk even more lives.
Opinion
Members of Sacramento City Council’s Law and Legislation Committee voted on Tuesday to approve a draft resolution declaring a state of emergency to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety in the city…