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Kevin Johnson Absent From Strong-Mayor Debate As Campaign Draws About $1 Million In Support

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — The biggest decision voters in Sacramento will make is whether to give the mayor more power in the city's governmental structure.

While two longtime lawmakers debated the issue on Monday night, Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson was not one of them.

In a Land Park synagogue, Sacramento City Councilman Steve Hansen and outgoing California Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg debated the merits of giving the mayor more power under Measure L.

"We don't believe that all that power needs to live Into the mayor's office we think we should share in responsibility for getting stuff done," Hansen said.

"I support it and it took me a while to get to that place but I feel that our form of government in Sacramento ought to evolve with our growth and our progress," Steinberg said.

The conversation continued in Oak Park, with Mayor Kevin Johnson campaigning at a coffee shop supporting a change to to the strong-mayor system.

But more than talk, this is now a big money campaign. Supporters of Measure L have amassed about $1 million in contributions, eclipsing the opposition roughly five-to-one.

Last week along, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg contributed $95,000 to the campaign, while Kings owner Mark Friedman added $50,000 and billionaire entrepreneur Ron Burkle wrote a $25,000 check.

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When asked what should voters think of Yes on L having roughly $1 million in campaign funds, Steinberg responded, "That the mayor is popular and well connected money is just to get the message out. People out to see through that."

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