Darrell Steinberg was sworn in as Sacramento's Mayor Tuesday night at the California State Railroad Museum.
Ceremony attendees had different hopes for what might come from a Steinberg-led city council.
Mandy Zeboski is a piano teacher. She hopes the new mayor makes the arts a priority. For her, that should include making rent affordable for artists.
"I feel like there needs to be more affordable housing so that people don't get pushed out that grew up here like myself and have to go somewhere else to live," she says.
Ameer Alsawaf, an accountant, says Sacramento needs to be even more business friendly.
"I hope he can bring one of the major headquarters for a big corporation and make it very easy for people open business and continue their business," Alsawaf says.
Ken Evans is with WINN—a non-profit with the goal of providing services to young people and helping the homeless find housing.
"I'm here to see what he has to say and his view and some of the things that are gonna take place with the new government," Evans says.
In his speech, the new mayor repeatedly stated that the City will do more to help the homeless and mentally ill,
"You know my lifelong commitment to mental health," Steinberg says. "In my view, it's the unattended-to issue of our time. And it's at the root cause of this homeless problem that's getting worse in most major cities throughout California."
He also urges support of high-paying jobs and job training for young people.
"Within four years, we will commit in this city to assuring at least half of high school juniors and seniors have access to year-round paid internships," he says.
Steinberg also urges support for the arts and for development of the Riverfront area.
"There are stacks this high of Riverfront master plans. I don't think we need another master plan," he says. "Let's pick two or three targets of immediate opportunity and let's going. And I will tell you, I start with the Powerhouse Science Center and let's build that planetarium."
His first full council meeting will be held in three weeks.
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