In a vote that was closer than many expected, the Sacramento City Council narrowly rejected a request by Councilwoman Sandy Sheedy for a June ballot measure to ask voters if they want to lease public parking assets to help finance a new downtown sports arena.
The council voted 5-4 against the proposal.
Voting against placing Sheedy's plan on the ballot were Council members Angelique Ashby, Steve Cohn, Rob Fong Jay Schenirer and Mayor Kevin Johnson.
Sheedy and Council members Kevin McCarty, Darrell Fong and Bonnie Pannell voted for the ballot measure.
Sheedy said that "such a massive commitment of public resources warrants" a public vote, especially with the city in a tough budget situation.
Councilman Steve Cohn cautioned that voting to place a measure on the June ballot "would kill the arena deal in its tracks."
City officials are hoping to generate as much as $200 million toward the $387 million arena by leasing parking assets to a private firm. The city is in negotiations with the NBA, an arena operator and the Sacramento Kings to help fill in the funding gap.
The NBA has given the city until March 1 to come up with a financing plan. If a plan is not in place, the league has said it would grant the owners of the Kings permission to explore moving the franchise.
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