V
editor’s note
voices
Economic justice is his job by Foon Rhee
fo o nr @ ne wsr e v ie w.c o m
“We’re going to persevere in If you care about economic justice in Sacramento, you need to know Michael inclusive economic development because it’s the right thing to do,” he Jasso. told me during an interview this month His official title is assistant city in his City Hall office. manager in charge of innovation, According to Jasso, everything is economic development and community on track—the creation of an investment development. He’s the point person committee of experts and of a commufor City Hall’s renewed effort to create nity advisory panel, plus the selection jobs in poor neighborhoods—and, if of consultants. They will help draft an all goes as planned, he will help Mayor inclusive economic development plan Darrell Steinberg keep promises that the to go before the City Council by June. Measure U sales tax increase will make But he also acknowledges that Sacramento more prosperous and fair. Sacramento faces challenges. Outside I first met Jasso on his second day experts have already listed some on the job, at an April town hall for of them. The city is lagging Project Prosper, the city’s behind in creating higherneighborhood investment wage jobs in growth plan. It was in the “We’re going industries. The wage works well before to persevere in gap has widened police killed between AfricanStephon Clark in inclusive economic Americans and Meadowview in development because whites and Asians. March, but became it’s the right thing to Too many residents a much bigger deal don’t go to college, afterward when do.” and too many protests resurrected Michael Jasso college graduates are long-festering assistant city manager leaving the area. complaints in many Everyone, rich and minority neighborhoods poor, will start paying the that they had been left out of additional half-cent sales tax in Sacramento’s riches. Sacramento on April 1, and the city That was the situation Jasso stepped will start receiving the money in June. into when he arrived in Sacramento Despite criticism that the additional from Chicago, where he held several local government jobs, most recently as $50 million a year has been promised several times over, Jasso says there economic development chief for Cook will be enough money to attract County. private and other investments to make Jasso says while Clark’s death is a significant progress on jobs, housing “traumatic event” for Sacramento, the and youth programs. tragedy also creates the opportunity to Announcing Measure U last June, push harder for helping “disconnected” Steinberg asked: “Why does a third people and improving the quality of grader living in South Sacramento have life in disadvantaged neighborhoods. less of a chance in life than a third He also knows about the distrust grader living in East Sacramento?” from those who say City Hall has Good question. To give kids in all broken far too many promises on neighborhoods a fair shot, this may be economic development. How does he the best chance in a generation. The plan to deal with that? “Living up to city can’t blow it. Ω our promises” and listening to voices outside City Hall, he said. 4 | sn&r | 01.24.19