Sacramento City Leaders Unveil 'Strong Mayor' Proposal

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg is looking to increase his hiring and firing powers at city hall.

City leaders officially announced the "Strong Mayor" proposal Thursday. It would overhaul the city's charter, giving more power to the mayor's office, a move Mayor Steinberg supports.

Former Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson tried four times to gain strong mayor power and failed each time. Steinberg supported Kevin Johnson's 2014 strong mayor campaign, but voters rejected it.

Steinberg feels the city would be better off with this approach.

"We can just get more done. Because an un-elected city official should not be presenting the budget, the elected mayor of the city should actually be presenting the budget and leading on the city's budget, as one example," Steinberg said.

The city council will vote by Aug. 4 to decide whether to put the measure on the November ballot. The mayor says he is confident he'll have the votes he needs.