Political strategists are named as formal papers are filed.
By Mary Lynne Vellinga -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 12:01 am PDT Wednesday, August 9, 2006
Story appeared in Metro section, Page B3
The effort to persuade Sacramento County taxpayers to fund construction of a new Kings arena shifted into drive Tuesday with a formal campaign filing and the naming of a team of political strategists.
The Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday filed an official statement of organization for the campaign, Yes on Q & R, with the California secretary of state's office. No contributions have been reported yet, but donations are expected to pour in from Sacramento business and community leaders.
Former Sacramento County Supervisor Sandy Smoley, now a health care consultant, also announced that she would serve as a volunteer spokeswoman and fundraiser for the effort.
In addition to high-profile volunteers such as Smoley, the committee has hired plenty of professional help. They are expected to use television ads, mail and other campaign strategies in their attempt to accomplish what some political operatives consider next to impossible: majority voter approval of a 15-year, quarter-cent sales tax, which is expected to raise $1.2 billion -- half for a new arena in the downtown railyard and half for community projects in the county and its cities.
The chamber-led group has hired McNally Temple Associates of Sacramento to run the campaign. In the city of Sacramento, dominated by Democratic politicians, McNally Temple is known for working with Republican candidates.
Most recently, it helped incumbent Placer County Supervisor Robert Weygandt fend off a well-funded challenge by conservative Jerry Simmons.
Also this week, the group hired Doug Elmets as its professional spokesman. Elmets, also a Republican, is known locally for his public relations work on behalf of two tribes with large casinos, the United Auburn Indian Community and the Rumsey Band of Wintun Indians. He formerly served as chief lobbyist for Arco, the oil giant, and worked in a variety of communications jobs in the Ronald Reagan White House.
Running the television portion of the campaign will be Paul Kinney, a Democratic consultant who has for many years worked with Sacramento County Supervisor Roger Dickinson, who helped negotiate the arena deal with the Maloof family, owner of the Kings.
Working independently but in tandem will be Richie Ross, a Democratic consultant who has represented many local politicians, including Mayor Heather Fargo. He will run the Maloofs' independent campaign efforts and coordinate with the chamber of commerce group, said Dave Butler, senior vice president of the chamber.
Serving as treasurer for the chamber group is local political lawyer Thomas Hiltachk, who has worked for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Kings, as well as a long list of political candidates.
"We're trying to take the best of all the various political and civic parts of our community and put it into place to support this effort," Butler said.
He and others involved in the campaign said no budget had been established yet, and it had not been decided how much McNally Temple, Elmets, or the other consultants would be paid.
"We're literally just starting; we've got to raise money," said Richard Temple of McNally Temple. He predicted that more consultants will be brought on board.
"This is a big undertaking for the whole community, and the whole community has to pull together, Republicans and Democrats, business and labor, in order for this to be successful," Temple said.
Spending on the yes campaign is likely to dwarf that of the coalition opposed to the arena deal. The group of community activists, organized labor and low-income housing advocates has a prominent leader, state Assemblyman Dave Jones, D-Sacramento, but lacks backing by monied groups.
"It's basically going to be big bucks versus the grass roots," Jones said Tuesday. The opposition is recruiting volunteers at
www.stopthearenatax.org.
"I have said all along that the people of Sacramento County have a lot of common sense, and they know a bad deal when they see one," Jones said. "But there's going to be a lot of money thrown at the voters to convince them that this is somehow a good deal."
While proponents of the arena deal will likely have the advantage of money, previous polls have shown that the majority of Sacramento voters oppose public financing of a Kings arena. A new poll is expected to begin this week, said people close to the campaign.
Leaders of the arena campaign say the spending is worth it because the arena could speed redevelopment of the dormant downtown railyard, maintain a viable venue for the Kings and other entertainment options, and produce a funding stream down the road for the county and its cities, which are slated to receive over half the $1.2 billion for purposes they choose.
"I really care about the future of Sacramento," Smoley said Tuesday. "I want it to continue to grow and be vibrant. I think this opportunity could really transform downtown, and I really support having it at the railyard."
