Sacramento County Sheriff John McGinness today urged the Sacramento City Council to move forward with the executive mayor and charter reform package proposed for the November 2010 ballot.



“Having observed city government for decades, I believe Sacramento has reached the point where it deserves leadership by an accountable, elected chief executive,” McGinness said. “If the economic melt-down has taught us anything, the lesson is that accountability is best served when the chief executive is required to face the voters.”

The charter reform proposal would create legislative and executive branches of city government, transferring authority from the unelected city manager to the mayor, whose term runs four years.

McGinness, who is retiring later this year as the county’s elected chief law enforcement officer, has become an advocate of reform.

The Sheriff’s Department has been decimated by budget cuts in recent years, leaving McGinness deeply frustrated. Under county operating rules, the Sheriff receives funding from a budget designed by an unelected county executive and approved by county supervisors, who are elected.

“The city and county of Sacramento should be healthy, cooperative neighbors,” McGinness said. “I’m in favor of anything that makes our neighbors more accountable and efficient, and I believe the executive mayor and charter reform are major steps in the right direction.”

Sheriff McGinness joins a strong team of public safety groups that have endorsed the Accountability Plan of 2010.  The Sacramento Police Officers Association (SPOA) and the Sacramento Area Firefighters (Local 522) are in strong support and have previously endorsed.