Big meeting in Sactown today. Huge, actually. A grip of city leaders from Sacramento County will meet today to discuss funding options and a proposed tax measure for the new arena.

The feedback Darrell Steinberg and the other chief Maloof actors get today will be hugely important in the process from here on out. If city councilmen and city managers and economic development directors from Elk Grove and Rancho Cordova and Isleton say they support taking a county-wide tax measure to the November ballot, and are serious about it, then the first giant hurdle to this new regional approach is cleared. But if those city leaders either just nod their heads while maintaining escapability or get too selfish in this, it ain't going to happen.

In the story linked above, Terri Hardy mentions the tax could be directed towards more than the arena, possibly adding in pet projects for each municipality. I am very worried about this. People may not even want to help pay for the arena, let alone a new town square in Galt or a parking garage in Citrus Heights. The arena should definitely be the focus – you're only lending aid to the anti-arena folks by adding extraneous projects. You're better off campaigning for one project and limiting the lifespan of the tax increase. Smaller is better! Less is more!

I feel good about this pitch, but I'll feel a lot better in November.