"His energy, intelligence and passion to solve civic problems are contagious. His ability to build coalitions in order to accomplish goals is evidenced by his successes in revitalizing portions of West Sacramento in a manner once thought impossible." —Sacramento News and Review
"Christopher Cabaldon is one of the most intelligent, talented and hard-working elected officials in the region. Cabaldon helped broker the deal that financed and built Raley Field and brought the River Cats to West Sacramento He and his fellow council members built the River Walk and launched the revitalization of the city’s waterfront.
Cabaldon does more than just work hard. When some wanted to reject the city's bid to join a regional sanitation district, Cabaldon deftly guided the negotiations to benefit West Sacramento. He fought the deal that would have put a casino in the middle of town.In the 20 years since it incorporated, West Sacramento has grown from a sleepy backwater into one of the most dynamic, progressive cities in the region.
Incumbent Cabaldon has been instrumental in all of West Sacramento's most important initiatives. One of the most capable and articulate local leaders to emerge in a generation, he has been a clear spokesman not just for his city but for the region.—Sacramento Bee
Cabaldon is a transplant to West Sacramento who came up through local politics. He proved to be the right mayor at the right time for this smallish city.
Remember when West Sacramento used to have an inferiority complex? Remember when the late Sacramento Mayor Joe Serna said that West Sacramento was just a place to put warehouses?
Cabaldon entered West Sacramento politics in that atmosphere. He helped broker deals that landed Raley Field and other projects, helping this city compete successfully, for the first time, with its bigger neighbor to the east.
This is a time when West Sacramento faces infrastructure challenges: levee improvements, interchange improvements, upgrades to the port, new bridges and urban redevelopment are among its needs and its plans. Cabaldon’s passion for policy has already made him “fluent” in infrastructure and public finance, and he’s a proven dealmaker.
It is primarily Cabaldon’s work in the greater Sacramento region that helped “shift the paradigm” here in West Sacramento. With his ties to others in state government and surrounding local governments, and his vision of regional cooperation, Cabaldon made a difference. Regional cooperation is now a necessity. It is simply our only way of dealing with problems such as smog, traffic congestion and urban sprawl. We might as well learn how to get good at regional planning. With Cabaldon’s help, we just got better.
If you run into Christopher Cabaldon on the street, give him a pat on the back for a historic job as West Sacramento mayor. —The News Ledger