Sacramento Mayor Kevin McCarty hosted a town hall Wednesday night focused on public safety, homelessness and economic development, with local residents and business owners raising concerns about crime, security and the impact of downtown parking changes.
A few dozen people attended the meeting, where public safety was among the top issues discussed. McCarty told attendees that violent crime in Sacramento was down 20% last year.
But some midtown business owners said they continue to have concerns about public safety and how it is affecting their businesses.
"Businesses are losing revenue as a result of theft and damage to their properties. I don't see a big presence in midtown in terms of patrols, police or security they've been using," said Todd Yeck, co-owner of Joneck's Wine Bar in Midtown.
Yeck said he is concerned that perceptions of safety could be keeping customers away.
"I think there needs to be solutions. It definitely is affecting the businesses in the downtown area, and I haven't heard what kind of programs are in place," he said.
Business owners raise concerns about parking
Midtown was a major topic of discussion during the town hall, including the city's new parking meter hours and fees.
One business owner on 20th Street between J and K streets said the changes have created problems for her customers and have contributed to a decline in revenue.
"[From] 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., and the meters get more expensive every night. You've got a meter maid sitting out there at 9:58 waiting to nail all the cars. Azul said that's the main reason they left. Starbucks said that's the main reason they left," the business owner said.
She told city officials her revenue has fallen 20% since July, when the new parking rules went into effect.
McCarty said the city does not currently have plans to reverse the changes to parking meters.
"Let's face it. We were in dire straits the last three years that we had to make significant cuts," McCarty said. "Like anything else in government, I'm learning it's a tradeoff. There are many times no good choices. We, unlike the federal government, have to balance our budget."
Yeck said he attended the town hall hoping to hear potential solutions and get a better understanding of what the city is doing to address concerns from local businesses.
"There are a number of issues that are going to take a while to resolve: parking, security. The sooner they can start recognizing it as a problem, identify it and publicize it so they react to it, the better off we'll be," he said.
The Midtown Association also recently held a meeting with local business owners to discuss similar concerns.
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