http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/story/14252433p-15068523c.html
Former Assemblyman Steinberg drafted by Kings to help talks. By Mary Lynne Vellinga -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PDT Saturday, May 6, 2006
Story appeared on Page A1 of The Bee
The Kings have hired former state Assemblyman Darrell Steinberg to help negotiate an arena financing deal with the city and county of Sacramento.
Those involved in closed-door talks on an arena financing package said Steinberg's arrival on the scene increases the chances of crafting a successful plan to replace Arco Arena. Moreover, they said, it shows that the Maloof family, which owns the team, is ready to make a deal.
"I think it's great news on a couple of fronts," said Sacramento City Councilman Rob Fong. "First of all, Darrell is a talented problem solver. Second of all, I think it's encouraging because it shows a renewed commitment on the part of the Maloofs and the Kings to really work with everyone to make an arena happen."
The Maloofs have been noticeably estranged from Sacramento City Hall since 2004, when the City Council voted to limit the cost of a proposed arena to $350 million and required the Maloofs to split the tab. Joe and Gavin Maloof stormed out of a City Council meeting. They blamed then-City Manager Bob Thomas for undermining arena efforts.
But Thomas was forced to retire Jan. 1. The city has a new manager, Ray Kerridge, and Joe Maloof said he's optimistic the parties can now sit down and work out a financing package.
"I think the new city manager is terrific," Maloof said in a telephone interview. "I've had the opportunity to meet him. We had dinner together. I really like his enthusiasm. He wants to find a way to get it done instead of finding a reason it can't get done. That's a huge difference."
Maloof said his family hired Steinberg, a lawyer and former administrative law judge, because he commands respect in Sacramento.
"He's a liaison to the politicians, because he knows that game," Maloof said Friday.
"He has the highest integrity, he's honest, he's not a yes man," he added. "He's going to tell it to us the way he thinks it is, not the way we want to hear that it is."
Steinberg, a Democrat, served in the state Assembly from 1998 to 2004, when he was forced out by term limits. He is currently running for the state Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Deborah Ortiz, D-Sacramento.
In his years out of office, Steinberg has been working for the San Francisco law firm Hanson Bridgett. Technically, Steinberg said, the Kings have hired the law firm.
While in the Assembly, Steinberg served as chairman of the powerful Appropriations Committee. He was known for pursuing controversial, difficult pieces of legislation, such as AB 680, which would have required local governments in the region to share their sales taxes.
"I think it's important to step up when there are big issues and to try to help the parties figure out a positive solution," Steinberg said.
"Not to cast aspersions on past (arena) efforts, but it did seem that at times there were a lot of miscommunications," Steinberg said. "I think an important role that I can play is to help ensure that we fully explore every option."
Robert Waste, a professor of public policy at California State University, Sacramento, described Steinberg as the "dictionary definition of an honest broker." "It's hard to imagine anyone with greater credibility," Waste added.
Steinberg isn't the only heavyweight at the negotiating table. Art Savage, chief executive of the River Cats baseball team, has been volunteering his time to help local leaders craft a deal. Savage has experience putting together finance packages for sports facilities such as Raley Field in West Sacramento and San Jose's HP Pavilion.
Details of the current talks are being kept under wraps. But one proposal being discussed is raising the sales tax in Sacramento city and county by a quarter-cent for 10 years.
It remains to be seen whether local voters would accept anything of the sort, Waste said.
A new poll released Friday by California State University, Sacramento, found the majority of people in the region don't even think the Kings need a new arena and aren't willing to pay for one.
"The real question is: Can Darrell or anyone else close the gap between the money needed for an arena and the public support needed for an arena?" Waste asked.
Sacramento County Supervisor Roger Dickinson, a leader in the arena financing effort, said polls don't mean much until a specific financing proposal is presented to the public. None of the participants said they can predict exactly when a new proposal will be ready for public consumption.
"It's all about the specifics," Dickinson said. "When you're talking about something in the abstract, people may tell you they love it or hate it. You've got to wait before you see the specifics before you get a true measure of how people feel."
A recent poll by researchers at California State University, Sacramento, found Sacramento region residents don't want to pay for a new arena for the Kings.
Read The Bee's coverage
About the writer:
The Bee's Mary Lynne Vellinga can be reached at (916) 321-1094 or mlvellinga@sacbee.com.
Former Assemblyman Steinberg drafted by Kings to help talks. By Mary Lynne Vellinga -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PDT Saturday, May 6, 2006
Story appeared on Page A1 of The Bee
The Kings have hired former state Assemblyman Darrell Steinberg to help negotiate an arena financing deal with the city and county of Sacramento.
Those involved in closed-door talks on an arena financing package said Steinberg's arrival on the scene increases the chances of crafting a successful plan to replace Arco Arena. Moreover, they said, it shows that the Maloof family, which owns the team, is ready to make a deal.
"I think it's great news on a couple of fronts," said Sacramento City Councilman Rob Fong. "First of all, Darrell is a talented problem solver. Second of all, I think it's encouraging because it shows a renewed commitment on the part of the Maloofs and the Kings to really work with everyone to make an arena happen."
The Maloofs have been noticeably estranged from Sacramento City Hall since 2004, when the City Council voted to limit the cost of a proposed arena to $350 million and required the Maloofs to split the tab. Joe and Gavin Maloof stormed out of a City Council meeting. They blamed then-City Manager Bob Thomas for undermining arena efforts.
But Thomas was forced to retire Jan. 1. The city has a new manager, Ray Kerridge, and Joe Maloof said he's optimistic the parties can now sit down and work out a financing package.
"I think the new city manager is terrific," Maloof said in a telephone interview. "I've had the opportunity to meet him. We had dinner together. I really like his enthusiasm. He wants to find a way to get it done instead of finding a reason it can't get done. That's a huge difference."
Maloof said his family hired Steinberg, a lawyer and former administrative law judge, because he commands respect in Sacramento.
"He's a liaison to the politicians, because he knows that game," Maloof said Friday.
"He has the highest integrity, he's honest, he's not a yes man," he added. "He's going to tell it to us the way he thinks it is, not the way we want to hear that it is."
Steinberg, a Democrat, served in the state Assembly from 1998 to 2004, when he was forced out by term limits. He is currently running for the state Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Deborah Ortiz, D-Sacramento.
In his years out of office, Steinberg has been working for the San Francisco law firm Hanson Bridgett. Technically, Steinberg said, the Kings have hired the law firm.
While in the Assembly, Steinberg served as chairman of the powerful Appropriations Committee. He was known for pursuing controversial, difficult pieces of legislation, such as AB 680, which would have required local governments in the region to share their sales taxes.
"I think it's important to step up when there are big issues and to try to help the parties figure out a positive solution," Steinberg said.
"Not to cast aspersions on past (arena) efforts, but it did seem that at times there were a lot of miscommunications," Steinberg said. "I think an important role that I can play is to help ensure that we fully explore every option."
Robert Waste, a professor of public policy at California State University, Sacramento, described Steinberg as the "dictionary definition of an honest broker." "It's hard to imagine anyone with greater credibility," Waste added.
Steinberg isn't the only heavyweight at the negotiating table. Art Savage, chief executive of the River Cats baseball team, has been volunteering his time to help local leaders craft a deal. Savage has experience putting together finance packages for sports facilities such as Raley Field in West Sacramento and San Jose's HP Pavilion.
Details of the current talks are being kept under wraps. But one proposal being discussed is raising the sales tax in Sacramento city and county by a quarter-cent for 10 years.
It remains to be seen whether local voters would accept anything of the sort, Waste said.
A new poll released Friday by California State University, Sacramento, found the majority of people in the region don't even think the Kings need a new arena and aren't willing to pay for one.
"The real question is: Can Darrell or anyone else close the gap between the money needed for an arena and the public support needed for an arena?" Waste asked.
Sacramento County Supervisor Roger Dickinson, a leader in the arena financing effort, said polls don't mean much until a specific financing proposal is presented to the public. None of the participants said they can predict exactly when a new proposal will be ready for public consumption.
"It's all about the specifics," Dickinson said. "When you're talking about something in the abstract, people may tell you they love it or hate it. You've got to wait before you see the specifics before you get a true measure of how people feel."
A recent poll by researchers at California State University, Sacramento, found Sacramento region residents don't want to pay for a new arena for the Kings.
Read The Bee's coverage
About the writer:
The Bee's Mary Lynne Vellinga can be reached at (916) 321-1094 or mlvellinga@sacbee.com.
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