“It's impossible not to admire West Sacramento's transformation. Before the city incorporated almost two decades ago, it was an industrial backwater, a string of forgotten working-class neighborhoods largely ignored by Yolo County's political leaders.
Think of West Sacramento now and you think River Cats, Ikea, the new California State Teachers Retirement System headquarters rising along the riverfront. The upstart city on the west side of the river regularly out-competes Sacramento for signature projects.
The Indian Cultural Heritage Museum is the most recent. It was originally slated to go on riverfront property in the city of Sacramento, but Sacramento couldn't close the deal. So now, the museum is set to be built in West Sacramento, just down the river from where the new CalSTRS skyscraper is going up.
West Sac is not immune from the economic slump. Building has slowed and property tax growth stalled. Fortunately, the city's success at capturing sales-tax-generating retail giants – Ikea, Home Depot and Target, among them – has helped cushion the blow. West Sacramento ended the fiscal year with a $3 million surplus.
Mayor Christopher Cabaldon and veteran City Council members Bill Kristoff and Oscar Villegas are vital parts of the team that built this city's success. As West Sac braces for hard times, voters would be smart to keep this team together.
Cabaldon is one of the most capable local leaders in the region. He helped broker the deal that built a much-needed new walkway on the Tower Bridge. He moved for the study that culminated in West Sacramento's takeover of the Port of Sacramento and its rebirth. He worked with Sacramento to extend a sewer line through West Sacramento that helped residents of both cities.
Cabaldon faces a challenge from Mark Johannessen, who was elected to the City Council just two years ago. Johannessen offers vague criticisms – that Cabaldon doesn't spend enough time in the neighborhoods, that he's lost touch with ordinary citizens – but nothing of substance and certainly nothing that outweighs the progress West Sacramento has made under Cabaldon's energetic leadership.
Cabaldon's two unsuccessful bids for the Assembly may have tarnished his image with voters. If so, that's too bad. He remains one of the hardest-working and most talented local elected officials in the state. West Sacramento is lucky to have him.”
Sacramento Bee
“I’ve fought alongside Mayor Cabaldon to win tough victories for our community, from turning around our local schools and opening up the riverfront for public enjoyment to saving the region’s port and protecting the Delta. We were partners in bringing Raley Field to the city and region without a big public subsidy When the skeptics thought it couldn’t be done, Christopher led the ‘West Sacramento miracle’, an economic, social, and environmental renaissance that has become nationally recognized as a model of community revitalization. Having been the city’s founding mayor, I’m proud of what he’s done to make our schools better, our streets safer, our families healthier, and our community prouder.”
Yolo County Supervisor Mike McGowan
“Christopher is a courageous leader who isn’t afraid to take on the tough battles, from mobilizing cities across the nation to combat climate change to breaking new ground for civil rights and diversity. He may be Yolo’s favorite son, but he has also earned national recognition for his progressive and innovative leadership, and he’s inspiring a new generation to get involved in public service and democracy.”
Davis Mayor Ruth Asmundson
“The widely admired rebirth of West Sacramento under his leadership is a terrific example of how Democratic values lead to prosperity, equity, and a better quality of life.”
Democratic Party Regional Director, Dan Weitzman
"Mayor Cabaldon has been a tireless fighter to protect the Delta when others wanted to allow runaway sprawl or massive water exports, and he is an important statewide leader for water quality, environmental protection, and flood control. No other candidate brings Christopher’s passionate commitment to protecting the Delta, our water, and our safety,"
State Senator Mike Machado
“Christopher Cabaldon and I have worked closely together to improve our public schools, combat hate violence and intolerance, clean up the region’s dirty air, create affordable housing for working families, and implement regional land-use and transportation strategies to promote social equity and environmental sustainability. He is one of the state’s most accomplished and creative leaders."
State Senator Darrell Steinberg
“When Robert Redford and other national leaders on climate change have assembled city leaders from across the nation to mobilize on this critical issue, they’ve called upon Christopher Cabaldon to get the job done."
Assemblymember Jared Huffman, chair of the Assembly Environmental Safety & Toxic Materials Committee
“As chair of the Sacramento Area Council of Governments, Mayor Cabaldon led the innovative Blueprint for the Future regional land-use strategy, which won awards for environmental leadership from two Governors, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the region’s environmental, business, design, and affordable housing advocacy groups. His landmark work is paying off, dramatically reducing vehicle miles traveled, congestion, water and energy consumption, and air pollution by implementing smarter land use, housing, and transportation policies.”
Assemblymember Mark DeSaulnier, Chair of the Assembly Select Committee on Growth Management