New ‘America First,’ ‘Ronald Reagan’ Street Signs Stir Up Controversy In Sacramento's Crocker Village Neighborhood

When Aaron Carruthers looked out his front window on Friday morning, he noticed new street signs had popped up in the Crocker Village development across the way. Curious, he hopped in his car, drove around — and discovered his neighborhood´s newest intersection: 

America First Avenue and Ronald Reagan Street.

Carruthers, who lived in Curtis Park for 16 years before purchasing a home in the up-and-coming Crocker Village community last year, called the homebuilder and two neighborhood groups to ask about the new signs. He also spoke to neighbors, who he says were “immediately irate.”

“‘These are not neutral names,’” he thought of the street signs, which also include Bronze Star and Omaha Beach. “These seemed specifically designed to be overtly political.”

Street signs at the intersection of Ronald Reagan Street and Omaha Beach Avenue in the Crocker Village development.Nick Miler / Capital Public Radio

City Council will likely hear from more residents about the street names at this Tuesday’s meeting, when the agenda includes whether to approve a map for a section of Crocker Village. 

The neighborhood map includes a street called America First Avenue, which also intersects with Bronze Star Way and Giovanni Street in the development, where homes are currently under construction. 

The Crocker Village parcel map that will be before Sacramento City CouncilCourtesy of Sacramento City Council

“America First” is a slogan and policy platform used by President Donald Trump, describing an agenda of shifting investment away from other countries in order to focus on priorities within the United States. Some civil rights and advocacy groups have called the slogan discriminatory against immigrants. And the phrase has been in use for over a century, with some dubious associations. 

According to U.S. Federal Election Commission records, Paul Petrovich, who owns the development company behind Crocker Village, donated $10,000 in 2016 in support of Trump’s election bid, but approximately 80% of city residents voted for Hillary Clinton in 2016´s presidential election.

The Petrovich Development Company and the city of Sacramento have a contentious relationship. Owner Paul Petrovich sued the city in 2016, after it voted against allowing a gas station in Crocker Village near the Safeway, a decision that a judge later overturned and that was upheld by an appeals court earlier in April.

CapRadio reached out to Petrovich via phone to discuss the new street signs, but did not hear back as of this story’s publication.

A city of Sacramento spokesperson was not immediately available to discuss the signs.

As of Saturday afternoon, the America First Avenue signs had been removed.

A sign for Ronald Reagan Street in the Crocker Village development in Sacramento.Nick Miler / Capital Public Radio

Carruthers hopes all the street names can be changed, perhaps to recognize the rail yard location of Crocker Village, or other historical Sacramento names. And his issue with the street names goes beyond America First.

“That’s one street in a whole mix of mess,” he said. “All of these street names need to go. They need to start over.”

This story will be updated.