Measure G lost, but Sacramento youth still won a big victory at City Hall

The bad news for Sacramento’s youth: Measure G failed on Tuesday, with 54 percent voting against it.

The good news: Youth activism succeeded in making an impact on city leaders. During the Measure G campaign, the mayor proposed a different plan to prioritize youth funding in the city budget.

The Sacramento Children’s Fund Act sought to reserve 2.5 percent of the city’s general fund for youth services. It also proposed the establishment of a youth commission to help decide how the city would allocate the funding.

Nonprofits, many of which specialize in youth services, backed the measure, with local youths working to collect signatures and get it on the ballot. “Sacramento teens gathered more than 38,000 signatures to qualify the measure for the ballot,” The Bee’s Theresa Clift reported.

Many young people no doubt put their hearts and souls into Measure G and this loss will hurt. Even in defeat, however, they forced city leaders to pay attention. Because of their activism and advocacy, Mayor Darrell Steinberg announced a compromise plan to honor their demand to dedicate part of the city’s budget for youth programs.

Steinberg’s plan, which he calls “a better way,” will reserve 20 percent of the city’s annual revenue growth to fund youth programs. The mayor says his plan could add up to $3 million a year for Sacramento’s young people. During the Measure G campaign, Steinberg promised to place his initiative on the November 2020 ballot regardless of whether G won or lost.

Measure G didn’t go their way, but Sacramento’s youth still won a big victory.

This story was originally published March 4, 2020 at 8:52 AM with the headline "Measure G lost, but Sacramento youth still won a big victory at City Hall."