Sacramento news roundup: Sikh leaders rebuke Matsui, MLB bid and school cuts

Three major stories out of the Sacramento region this Friday touch on politics, professional sports and public education. Here’s a quick rundown of what’s happening and why it matters to residents.

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• Seven Sacramento-area Sikh temples signed a letter saying they’ve lost confidence in Rep. Doris Matsui weeks before her November contest against Sacramento Councilmember Mai Vang, citing her lack of support for three federal proposals important to the Sikh community. The seven temples represent congregations of about 15,000 people, and an estimated 40,000 Sikhs live in the Sacramento region, with six of the signing gurdwaras located in the newly drawn 7th Congressional District. Matsui senior advisor Mikey Hothi called the meeting request a “last-minute request” and alleged the letter was linked to Vang’s campaign, a claim Vang’s team denied.

• Gov. Gavin Newsom signed SB 226 on Sept. 30, a bill from Sen. Christopher Cabaldon that clears a legal path for West Sacramento’s MLB bid by allowing a special taxing district to help fund sports and entertainment facilities. West Sacramento entered the MLB expansion competition in May with $1.8 billion in public and private commitments, including an estimated $1 billion in public investment from the city, though the effort still lacks a lead investor.

• Sacramento City Unified has asked principals to propose 10% cuts to school budgets this year, setting a $2 million target for reductions to school-site non-personnel spending as the district works through a fiscal crisis. The district has reached $49.8 million of its $174.5 million savings goal for the year and is launching an attendance initiative aimed at cutting chronic absenteeism from 28.4% to 25% to generate $2.5 million in additional state funding.