Sacramento city officials held meetings that city manager Bob Thomas believes will settle the North Natomas lawsuit challenging development very soon. In fact, the need for our leaders to hammer out unified positions before they ever get to Washington is a wonderful discipline in and of itself. Chamber CEO Rusty Hammer cites an example that goes back a few years. The question was whether Folsom or the south area would be next in line for light rail. The south area was the choice, and that's what Washington heard from us, according to Hammer.
Benefits can also be random and unanticipated.
During a breakfast, the EPA's director of transportation and air quality listened to a question from Martin Tuttle, head of the Sacramento Area Council of Governments, about the impacts of land-use decisions on reducing air pollution. She indicated that, surprisingly, Sacramento might well be able to get credit for that as our region seeks to meet a 2002 deadline or risk losing federal highway dollars. It's not hard to see how the Cap to Cap trip has evolved to be the premier get-together of our region's local elected leadership, with a good smattering of executives and issue leaders. Banding together to lobby with one voice sets the tone. Being away from constituents, jobs and the public eye for five days also helps, as do the endless dinners, cruises, and ad hoc gatherings.