By Kevin Johnson
Mayor of Sacramento
 
So me and Gavin Newsom have a suit problem. When we visit each other’s city, our suits run into trouble.
 
Last October, my suit (and luggage) was stolen in San Francisco while I was speaking to a taxi driver near Union Square. Mayor Newsom’s office managed to retrieve my possessions, suit and all.
 
Fast forward to Thursday. Mayor Newsom was in Sacramento attending a statewide education summit on graduation rates. Seated in the front row, listening to a speech by Gov. Schwarzenegger, Mayor Newsom had no clue his chair back was covered with some sort of waxy substance.
 
But when my counterpart from San Francisco leaned forward, the damage became apparent: The waxy substance had transferred itself to the back of Mayor Newsom’s coat.
 
Cool, calm and without missing a beat, Mayor Newsom simply slipped off his coat and pressed forward in the fashion favored by President Obama – working with sleeves rolled up.
 
Meantime, a San Francisco Mayor’s Office staffer collected the suit.
 
While I’m sorry for the accidental waxing, I have to say Mayor Newsom got off easier in Sacramento than I did in San Francisco.
 
I ended up with no suit for an important event.
 
Mayor Newsom just added to his dry cleaning load without a fuss.
 
But despite our budget deficit, I feel it’s only fair that I offer, on behalf of the City of Sacramento, to cover the cleaning bill.

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